Whatever the case, business mentorship is an ideal first step to reflect and make a game plan for your career. Yet, only 37% of professionals today have a mentor, which means the majority are missing out on harnessing mentor expertise and getting career or business results.

Companies and professionals alike can benefit from business mentorship programs, especially using platforms 100% dedicated to mentor-mentee relationships. To help you choose the best option, we’ve reviewed the top business mentorship programs for reaching your potential.

What is a business mentoring program?

Business mentoring, also known as career mentoring, involves pairing an industry leader (mentor) with an emerging one (mentee). Through one-on-one sessions, the mentee will get support and gain practical insights into how to boost his/her business, career, skills, experience and/or industry know-how.

Companies sometimes offer business mentorship programs in-house, using their own staff members, or through volunteer organizations. However, these programs may not be the best choice if your employees are strapped for time. Volunteer-based mentorship can also suffer from low commitment and lack of flexibility.

For this reason, many are turning to third-party mentorship platforms to build these key relationships and help their teams thrive. Mentorship platforms can offer industry-leading mentors, paired with commitment and session customization.

Why are business mentoring programs essential to company growth?

Business mentoring programs are a plus for professionals and companies. Some key results from programs like this include:

1. Achieve new business KPIs

Top mentors have seen it all and are excited to share their know-how. In mentorship sessions, you can get into specific issues and problem-solve them together. For example, if you want to improve marketing engagement numbers, a mentor can work with you to create a plan.

2. Upskill employees

A big part of career success is building new skills. Mentors can help identify skill gaps and improve abilities through a customized career plan. Working towards new milestones can be an excellent way to take advantage of mentor expertise.

3. Build job satisfaction and retention

Employees crave professional development opportunities and are grateful for the chance to improve their skills, build their network and get new industry know-how. In turn, opportunities like mentorship can result in more satisfied employees and a higher retention rate.

4. Promote diversity

Business mentorship programs aren’t just ideal for skills, but company culture. Bringing together mentors and mentees can empower employees and promote diversity in your ranks.

5. Create leadership pipeline

Mentorship can also work to boost your employees’ communication, confidence and innovative thinking. Often, this is what companies need to develop new leaders and retain their top talent.

Of course, this is just the start of business mentorship programs. Other outcomes from these programs may include:

• Create positive business culture
• Transmit industry know-how
• Boost productivity
• Strengthen teams
• Widen employees’ networks
• Enhance employee confidence
• Support innovative thinking

Criteria to consider when choosing the right business mentoring program for you

You can find the right fit for your business mentorship program by reflecting on what’s important to you. Start by thinking about your ideal mentorship session, such as the type of mentor, the topics and communication method.

Some criteria that you’ll want to consider may include:

• Available for individuals or teams? - most sessions are individualized, but some platforms offer team-based sessions
• Focused on career or business owner strategy? - platforms usually specialize in either career professionals or business owners
• Customized or predefined sessions? - the most customized the sessions, the better
• Local or international friendly? - some platforms are only available for locals, while others have an international focus with multilingual options
• Size of the mentor database - this ranges from a few hundred vetted mentors to a few thousand unvetted mentors
• Range of mentor expertise - platforms may have one specialty such as tech, or a range of available expertise
• Prestige of mentors - industry-leaders aren’t on every platform, so check the prestige of those included
• Type of communication channels - video, messaging, in-person? options will vary
• Other available resources, such as forums or guides - these resources can be a helpful supplement to mentorship
• Features on the mentorship platform - some platforms have in-video abilities or can track goals
• Pricing - flat monthly? per minute? free? pricing is a big part of mentor commitment and flexibility

Best business mentoring programs out there

Key takeaways: which business mentorship platform fits your needs?

• For individuals or teams who want customized sessions with top mentors - #1 MentorCruise
• For individuals who want to take advantage of feedback on key issues related to growth - #2 GrowthMentor
• For individuals who have a specific issue and want quick answers from an expert - #3 Clarity.fm
• For international business owners who want to get practical advice from a volunteer mentor - #4 Micromentor
• For U.S. business owners who want to get practical advice from a volunteer mentor - #5 Score
• For individuals who want to set and track specific goals with a volunteer mentor - #6 PushFar

#1. MentorCruise

Key takeaway: Perfect for individuals or teams who want customized sessions with top mentors.

MentorCruise is a versatile business mentorship platform that offers industry-leading mentors and customized topics - whether you’re a professional or a startup looking for team-based sessions. Video calls and unlimited messaging means mentees are well-connected to mentors to get real results.

Relevant features

• Pick your own mentor from a large database, including Top Mentors
• Get customized topics according to your needs
• Take advantage of unlimited messaging, in addition to video calls
• 1-on-1 or shared group sessions for teams
• Suite of startup topics, including fundraising, growth/marketing, sales, leadership, product management and strategy

Pricing

Flat monthly fee based on the mentor you pick, typically ranging from $39-$350 per month. \ For team-based mentorship, contact MentorCruise for a customized quote.

Pros

• Individual and team mentoring available with Top Mentors
• Highly customized topics according to your needs
• Unlimited messaging, in addition to video calls
• 1-on-1 or shared group sessions for teams
• Pause or cancel at any time, no long-term strings

Cons

• Focused on technical, design and business expertise. Other industries may not have as many available top mentors. That said, we do have plans on expanding in other niches, such as marketing, community building, and operations.

#2. GrowthMentor

Key takeaway: Great for individuals who want to take advantage of feedback on key issues related to growth.

GrowthMentor is a highly personalized business mentorship platform with a wide range of expertise. While the database is small (only 300+ mentors), it offers unlimited calls and the ability to post issues and have mentors apply to help.

Relevant features

• Personalized 1-on-1 mentorship about growth, marketing, etc.
• Database of 300+ industry leaders with a huge breadth of expertise
• Filter by expertise, role or tools
• Unlimited calls with mentors listed as free
• Post request with your issue and mentors apply to help
• Weekly check-ins with Accountability Coach
• Membership to private Slack Community
• +70 hours of members-only video content created by the mentors

Pricing

Flat monthly fee: either $75/month ($225/quarter) OR $50/month ($600/year).

Pros

• Large range of expertise in mentors
• Crowdshare issues with available mentors
• Unlimited calls
• Other resources available

Cons

• Small database of mentors
• Best for short-term issues or questions
• No team option
• Pricing commitment per quarter or year

#3. Clarity.fm

Key takeaway: Ideal for individuals who have a specific issue and want quick answers from an expert.

Clarityfm is a straightforward mentorship platform that offers call time with expert mentors. Simply choose a mentor from the database and schedule a call to talk about a topic of your choice.

Relevant features

• Wide range of expert topics
• Choose your own mentor and schedule a call (15, 30 or 1-hour sessions)
• Get answers on forums

Pricing

Pricing set by each mentor as the price by minute of call (typically $2-$15 per minute).

Pros

• Expert topics run the gambit

Cons

• No bells or whistles - just calls
• Expensive (per minute pricing)

#4. MicroMentor

Key takeaway: Ideal for international business owners who want to get practical advice from a volunteer mentor.

MicroMentor is a free, international-friendly mentorship platform for business owners who want to work with a volunteer mentor. Choose a mentor from their database and start connecting to get advice.

Relevant features

• Choose your own mentor (filter by expertise, industry, language, country experience, etc.)
• Ask a question on community forums

Pricing

Free

Pros

• Free
• International-friendly, with range of supported languages

Cons

• Volunteer-based mentoring may mean less commitment and flexibility
• Intended only for business owners

#5. Score

Key takeaway: Great for U.S. business owners who want to get practical advice from a volunteer mentor.

Score is a free, locally-offered U.S. mentorship platform for business owners who want to work with a volunteer mentor. You can choose a mentor from their database, or ask a question on the LiveChat feature.

Relevant features

• Browse one or several mentors via email, video chat or face-to-face in your chapter
• Mentorship tailored for diverse business owners
• Ask mentors questions through LiveChat at any time
• Live and recorded webinars, plus courses on demand

Pricing

Free

Pros

• Free
• Multiple communication channels available, including LiveChat
• Other resources available

Cons

• Mentorship done via local chapters, so no national or international connections
• Volunteer-based mentoring may mean less commitment and flexibility
• Intended only for U.S. business owners

#6. PushFar

Key takeaway: Ideal for individuals who want to set and track specific goals with a volunteer mentor.

PushFar is a huge, international-friendly mentorship platform for career professionals who want to work with a volunteer mentor. Look up a mentor and start creating goals in-platform to work on together.

Relevant features

• Connect with industry mentor from database of 50,000+ professionals
• Get matched based on availability, industry, key focal areas, location and keyword relevance
• Progress tracking abilities in-platform
• Integration with calendar tools (Outlook, Google and iCal)

Pricing

Free

Pros

• Free
• Huge mentor network to choose from
• Top software, with progress tracking abilities in-platform
• International-friendly with some multi-lingual support

Cons

• Volunteer-based mentoring may mean less commitment and flexibility

Level up your career with business mentorship

Business mentorship programs can make a difference in getting career or business results. With these top platforms, you can harness the expertise of a mentor and start moving up in your career.

Remember to find a mentorship platform that works for you. MentorCruise is one of the most versatile options for tech professionals. Start getting expert advice from an industry leader today.