Mowgli recently held a Mowgli Jam, quarterly get together between mentors and entrepreneurs, in Dubai where Tony Bury, Mowgli's Founder, shared his thoughts on why mentoring is so important, especially for entrepreneurs and why it it is so important for the MENA region. Mowgli Entrepreneurs and Mentors then shared their stories and journey with the audience...bringing Mowgl's mission to life!

1. SME ABOUT TOWN
The power of mentorship Understanding
angel investing
Over 50 women entrepreneurs and SME-owners
gathered for a seminar on angel investing,
hosted by Heels And Deals. Edward Roderick,
Managing Partner, Envestors MENA, presented
insights and advice in this area of funding.
Roderick shared insights life lessons as an
entrepreneur and investor and highlighted the
basic criteria that angel investors and venture
capitalists look for in a startup or small business.
He also advised entrepreneurs and to first seek
L-R: Ali Borhani, Founder, Incubeemea; Alex Azzi, Co-Founder, SCAS Partner; funding from family and friends, in order to build
Salim Akil, Founder, SearchInMENA; Tia Kansara, Director, Kansara Hackney;
Ramzi Ghurani, Assistant General Manager, Petra Insurance Brokers. up their businesses before seeking funding from
banks or investors.
Envestors is currently the only active
T
he Mowgli Foundation recently held an heard from a number of Mowgli mentors Business Angel Network in the region,
event on the power of mentorship in and entrepreneurs about their businesses, connecting entrepreneurs with investors.
business. Over 65 people from the Dubai, journeys and thoughts regarding the mentoring Our expertise lies in determining how best to
Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain attended the programme, the benefits they have experienced present a company to investors to give it the
event, many of them entrepreneurs and others and the challenges they typically face as best chance of raising investment. The network
with an interest in starting their own businesses. entrepreneurs. has advised over 1,000 companies in the last
Regarding the topic of mentoring, 25% of the Mowgli Mentor Ali Borhani then took the stage three years, and has selected about 20 to take
audience said they had personally benefited from to provide a further dose of excitement and food forward and present to our investors, of which
a mentor, 15% considered themselves to be a for thought regarding the importance and far approximately 50% have been funded.
mentor to someone else and 10% believed that reaching impact that mentoring can have on one’s Heels and Deals members who registered
they had a comprehensive understanding of life whether on a personal or business level. early for the event presented two-minute
mentoring. “As a young entrepreneur, I don’t have elevator pitches, educating attendees
The evening provided plenty of scope for all the experience necessary to manage my about their businesses. A wide variety of
interactive engagement, participation and business in the right way. So, through the professionals from various industries attended
learning. Mowgli Founder Tony Bury initiated Mowgli programme, I found the mentorship the event, including business owners, managing
proceedings, explaining the importance of very professional and useful. I set my short and directors of SMEs, as well as aspiring
entrepreneurship and the significance of long term visions, and milestones to achieve entrepreneurs.
mentoring to entrepreneurs. He then engaged them,” says Salim Akil, Mowgli Mentee and Launched in Dubai during the challenging
the audience in a comprehensive introduction Founder of SearchInMENA. Adding some economy of 2009, Heels & Deals has hosted
to the Mowgli Foundation, the impact that the perspective as a mentor, Ali Borhani, Founder, nearly 3,000 women at their events. In October
Mowgli mentoring programmes have had to Incubeemea, shared his advice for young 2011, Heels & Deals expanded its local events
date and the programmes that we plan to run entrepreneurs looking for the right mentor. to Hong Kong. In addition to hosting events,
over the next few months within the Middle East “A right mentor needs to have passion, a the group also has a virtual community in which
and North Africa (MENA) region. beaming energy and complimented with an members can exchange ideas and advice
Each member of the audience was then unconventional thinking model. A solid doze of through its online portal.
given the opportunity to personally experience real world business experience is a must and a To learn more about Heels and Deals and the
the impact of mentoring. Attendees also good sense of humour is a plus,” he says. group’s events, please visit: www.heelsanddeals.org.
Best management practices
The role of management and Speaking at the conference, support professional education Dubai Carbon Centre of Excellence
its related change, project and Alan Harpham, Chairman, at all levels, if management and Carl Pitts of Etihad Airways.
risk programmes were under APMG-International, a global teams are to be in the best shape “Ensuring that management best
spotlight at the inaugural APMG- examination institute, said that to navigate the varied market practices and processes are well-
International Showcase which leaders are urged to consider the conditions.” oiled is key to continued growth.
made its debut in Dubai on 9th role that effective management Delegates were offered We must recognise that our ability
September. The event featured plays at many levels, including insights to the use of management to manage our resources is vital
case studies and programmes, as the organisation and industry as programmes by leading providers for survival,” Harpham concluded.
experts debated the importance of well as on a nation’s economic of business training and consulting Senior management delegates
continuous learning as the answer development. “We believe that across change, project and risk from diverse business sectors
to sustainable growth, both within organisations must be change management. Further insights were also present at the event
individuals and in the corporate and be ready to implement new were provided during the keynote by The British University in Dubai
market place. methods and practices, as well as presentations by Ivano Iannelli of (BUiD).
16 October 2012 SME ADVISOR MIDDLE EAST