Mentors

Having spent the last 16 years leading my own SME businesses I have gained a great deal of experience of every aspect of running a company. Several of my businesses have reached a point where I was able to successfully exit, including sales to prominent multinational organisations.

My role as a business mentor is to support, develop and inspire business owners to make the right choices.

I'm a serial entrepreneur used to managing at board room level who enjoys fresh challenges and opportunities. I've created several start up projects and enjoy sharing my experiences with like-minded people. 
I’ve operated in many C-suite roles including CEO of the UK’s leading independent commercial vehicle operation.
I speak at conferences and events and share the stories and experiences from business start-ups, the boardroom, and the book of life!

I left school with a few qualifications and went straight to work in 1986 on a Youth Training Scheme where I learnt the basic office admin. This got me my first job, in a factory then on to a sales administrator with a telecoms company, steadily progressing to UK sales manager for the same company.
This gave me the understanding that hard work and a willingness to learn will get you noticed and helped with my career progression.

Welsh Speaker

7 Years in sales // 2 years in analytics and understanding trends in data // 5 years
running a business // Cashflow // SEO - Ranking top 1/2 for main keywords for areas
etc // Social media // Difficult business decisions and trusting your business plan.

I started my career in luxury retail for a company called Matchesfashion I was their menswear buyer and ran 5 retail outlets and managed a multimillion-pound turnover. I worked at Matches for 9 year travelling regularly to Milan and Paris for buying appointments and helped build the company into the fashion powerhouse it is today.

Motivated and driven individual with 17 years sales and account management experience in the Scientific industry. Turning my skills to set up an exciting new Franchise in the healthcare sector providing Home Care Services across South West Wales. I am privileged to be part of Business Wales Mentoring and keen to help others through their business journey.

Welsh Speaker

Energetic, Motivated and Dynamic Professional with excellent strategic development and operational skills. Lisa Stopher is the Business Director at West wales Holiday Cottages Ltd.

Having gained a BA (hons) in Fashion Promotion and Marketing, Lisa spent most of her career at Calvin Klein Underwear and Jeans where her final role was that of the European Retail Services Director. Lisa has an extensive background in both Buying and Merchandising and Retail Operations.  She has worked for brands such as Reebok, and Timberland and also high st multiples.

First business set up in the late 1980s was in construction, fitting out retail, pubs and restaurants with seating, play areas and decorative wall and window graphics. In the 1990s went to university with an interest in science and health which turned into a career in counselling and then nutrition. I steered my work into the food industry due to the skills I had amassed from my business background.

Lorraine is a Qualified accountant with a successful career in Business and as Finance Director/Financial Controller on Boards of businesses from start up, SMEs to larger businesses. During her career she has managed and coached teams and assisted businesses through performance monitoring and process improvement to be more profitable.

Lorraine has experience of business demands and challenges across all areas, not just finance and has seen and advised businesses through every stage of challenge from start up, significant growth, performance challenges and turnaround.