simon read started this topic @ 09:43 on 27/05/2006
To teach someone to be a Doctor you must first be a qualified doctor yourself
To teach someone to drive you must first hold a driving licence yourself
To teach someone to skydive you must first be able to skydive yourself
Why do Business Link (and other business support organisations) employ people who have never run their own business, to advise other people how to run a business?
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RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
Jonny | 27/05/2006 10:48 AM
I'm not sure that is strictly true.
The chap we have as a mentor at Business Link sits on several boards and runs a few businesses of his own whilst giving some of his time to Business LInk.
I know other advisors are ex-bank manager and the like with many years of experience in certain areas behind them.
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RE: RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
simon read | 27/05/2006 11:20 AM
Hi Jonny
That's fine. I'm pleased that you are happy with the service.
The fact still stands that they do employ people with no experience of running their own businesses to hand out business advice. They also pay these people very badly.
I met one advisor who had spent his life working as a middle manager for an electricity company and was appointed to a role advising start-ups in a business support organisation.
Regards,
Simon
RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
Ian J | 27/05/2006 11:23 AM
Whilst Jonny may know of Business Link Advisors with a proven track record the opposite is unfortuanetly also true.
I know of one instance where someone who had spent many years in corporate finance and also had hands on experience of running SME type companies applied for a job as a business finance advisor with his local Business Link and wasn't even deemed worthy of an interview whilst the successful applicant was a recent graduate who's experience all came from books.
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Ian
Factoring ,
Invoice Discounting ,
Trade Finance and
Asset Finance specialist broker.
Founder member of
Independent Factoring Brokers Association
RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
simon read | 27/05/2006 12:09 PM
There is a world of difference between reading a book about something and actually doing it.
I would rather seek advice from someone who has real-world experience.
RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
ecom-solution.co.uk | 27/05/2006 03:33 PM
I agree with the advise but dont business link etc also help with networking companies,and finding grants ,offer advise on new laws and work regulations ! plus do they teach people how to run their business or offer advice, i would say that i have only taken advice and learnt how to run my companies myself through making mistakes and finding solutions that work .
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RE: RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
simon read | 27/05/2006 03:48 PM
Hi Gareth
They do provide these services and I think that they fill these rolls quite well.
RE: What qualifications do you need to to be a business advisor?
James Smith | 27/05/2006 03:53 PM
Sounds like my local business link. When I set up a few years ago I met someone who had only recently left a large bank in the city. It was a fairly pointless meetings which had lots of inappropriate suggestions for my size of business. There is however i know an excellent chap there who has been in business for years and is semi-retired. He has fantastic knowledge. Like most government services it’s a bit of a lottery – I would however try – it could be you who gets the good advisor!
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James Smith
Chartered Accountant
www.jamesesmith.co.uk
01235 536 773
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