As part of our ‘Start Me Up’ Business Mentor spotlight series, we sat down with Ray Jopling, our featured Business Mentor in episode two of the series, where he talks to host Liv Phyland about the help he provided in guiding Montue Restorations Founder, Shasta Stevic, to small business success.
Here’s what Ray had to say.
On being a mentor
What does being an Asuria Business Mentor mean to you?
By being a Business Mentor in the Self-Employment Assistance program, I’m provided with the perfect vehicle to be able to share my skills and expertise with people who have good business ideas but need assistance with the mechanics of being a small business owner.
In particular, the program is well formulated and represents a strong assistance model where mentors are collegiate and collaborate to assist all participants.
What do you love most about working with Self-Employment Assistance participants like Shasta?
Like Shasta, most people are passionate about what they are going to be doing with their business ideas, and I like assisting them in the right direction, often harnessing their focus so that they really understand what being a small business owner is all about.
I like seeing the personal growth in their skills and knowledge and enjoy helping participants to recognise the challenges along the way and develop strategies to grow the business as a viable entity and overcome adversities.
What’s the single most important piece of advice you would offer to someone considering starting their own business?
When starting a small business, it is important to understand the environment that the business is going into, and especially important for the owner to have a good understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses.
Knowledge of their business environment is critical because it assists with fundamental strategies relating to pricing, marketing and profit potential. As a business starts up, the owner needs to seek the right contractors to complement any owner weaknesses in the short term.
Ray Jopling and Shasta Stevic during Start Me Up episode 2
On Self-Employment Assistance, delivered by Asuria
Why do you think it’s so important that more people know about Self-Employment Assistance?
The Self-Employment Assistance program is designed to help small businesses as they begin and grow and knowing that the program is there is knowing that help is available.
What’s the best thing about being part of the Self-Employment Assistance program?
The goals of the Self-Employment Assistance program are what resonate the most with me. I feel so gratified when I can assist people, and to be able to see our participants grow from an idea to a sustainable business is so rewarding.
What kind of businesses do you think stand to benefit most from engaging with Self-Employment Assistance?
Any business will benefit whatever service they choose. All the services are designed to enhance the capabilities of the owner and as all businesses have some limitations, the programs aim to benefit those who recognise the need.
In general, I believe that every business benefits from the coaching, so regardless of the type of business, it is great as a mentor to be a good sounding board for them.
On Start Me Up
How do feel about being part of Start Me Up?
I feel privileged to be involved in Start Me Up because of the opportunity that it provides for my participants. It is exciting to see how Asuria is providing an opportunity for our participants to feel good about the path they have taken and a recognition that they have done well so far.
What do you hope people who watch the show will take away from it?
I would like to think that viewers can see the importance of having a mentor for any business. It can be very lonely and stressful dealing with new situations, and any mentor can be a great sounding board and provide strategic discussion based on years of experience.
What did you learn from being part of the show that you can pass onto the business owners that you mentor?
Every business has a story, and it is how the owner uses their energy that determines whether the business is successful or not. A mentor can assist guiding the focus of those energies so that they lead to desired outcomes.
What's one thing you would say to people watching the show at home?
Everyone knows a small business owner. Often people think that if you own a business that you must be doing very well financially, which is not always the case.
Every small business owner goes through a huge learning curve, puts in so many hours, and needs as much support as possible. There are many risks, often operating in the unknown and often in isolation, so having a mentor will be so valuable.
For more actionable business insights from Ray and Asuria’s Business Mentors, tune into ‘Start Me Up'. Stream now on 10.