What is MicroMentor?

MicroMentor is an online service that connects small business owners with business mentors. MicroMentor puts experience to work by offering business professionals meaningful volunteer opportunities and by offering entrepreneurs one-on-one advice to help build successful businesses. Our mission is to help small businesses grow faster, generate more revenue, and employ more people. We make it easy to be a mentor, find a mentor, and build a business.

Is MicroMentor Free?

MicroMentor is currently a free service, made possible by the generosity of our sponsors. In order to ensure that MicroMentor can continue to help disadvantaged entrepreneurs over the long term, we are focused on developing a social enterprise model that may involve some service fees. We promise to work with our users to develop a fair and reasonable pricing structure, and that some level of the service will always remain free. We will never turn away an entrepreneur because of their inability to pay for services.

How Did MicroMentor Start?

Between 1998 and 2001, the Aspen Institute's FIELD program conducted a national research project to learn more about the best ways to help small business owners in disadvantaged communities grow and stabilize their enterprises. The project concluded that in-depth, industry-specific business assistance was critical for emerging businesses. From here, the MicroMentor concept began to take shape.

Services Offered

Does MicroMentor offer any services other than mentoring?
MicroMentor offers mentoring matching and business Q & A services to its online participants and peer mentoring and speed mentoring workshops to groups of entrepreneurs. Please also visit our Resource Center where you will find a number of resources that we have collected for you.

Languages Supported

Is MicroMentor available in other languages?
MicroMentor is currently available in English and Spanish. Participants can also write their profiles in multiple languages to facillitate connecting with participants who speak a first language other than English.

Countries Supported

Is MicroMentor available outside the United States?
MicroMentor has active programs in the United States, Haiti and Nicaragua, but entrepreneurs and business mentors are welcome to sign up from anywhere in the world.

Participation Rules

Are there any rules for participating in MicroMentor?
Our fundamental principle is that all participants treat others within the MicroMentor community with respect, and that participants put an honest effort in to each mentoring relationship they establish. To see a basic set of guidelines for MicroMentor involvement, please consult our Code of Conduct.

Can I Find Financing on MicroMentor?

Can my mentor help me find funding or invest in my business?
MicroMentor does not facilitate relationships with investors. Small business owners who need funding are advised to visit our Resource Center to find local small business assistance programs.