The Bogota Chamber of Commerce is committed to the creation of more and better companies to boost the local economy and its sustainability. One of the strategies has been the consolidation of a network of mentoring and corporate volunteering, which accompanies micro-businesses, small, medium and large companies in the country through mentors who make their time and experience available.

The mentors are experts, leaders and executives of organizations who believe that mentoring is an effective mechanism to leave a legacy and contribute to a more equitable society. Their work translates into the contribution not only of their time, but also of their experience, skills and knowledge to the service and benefit of other entrepreneurs, thus generating more actors who are committed to the growth and competitiveness of the country.

Mentoring is one of the mechanisms that allows reaching companies and is presented from three main fronts: popular economy, which helps to promote through the knowledge of experts those small businesses and microenterprises in the country; reindustrialization, with the experience of mentors seeks to make companies more competitive and sustainable; and the knowledge economy, which allows organizations to offer new products and services from innovation. In the case of the Women TECH Accelerator, for example, companies have grown exponentially.

It seeks to form the largest and most important network of business volunteers in the country: with the largest number of hours donated, promoting high-value relationships, creating connections, making visible initiatives of great business leaders, and generating a positive impact that contributes to the growth of companies and the sustainability of the country.

Luis Fernando Rincón, mentor of the network, assures that: "mentoring contributes to the development and growth of Colombia's economy, all on a voluntary basis and with the greatest effort, and with the desire to bring knowledge to others".

Since 2020, more than 7,000 companies have received mentoring with experts through the different business strengthening programs of the ccb such as: MEGA Pathway Companies, Advisory Committees, Tech Women Accelerator, Mentoring with Investment, MEGA Pathway Colleges, University Entrepreneurship, Todos Unidos, and Supplier Development with Corporates. More than 20,000 volunteer hours have been donated, all at the service of strengthening the country's business fabric.

Allies such as eo, ypo, Aciem, Inalde, cesa and the ccb Presidents' Forum have strengthened and positioned the Mentoring Network, not only in Bogota, but also in the country. Organizations such as Terpel, DirecTV, Claro Colombia, Organización Corona, PwC, Fundación Nutresa, Haceb, Comfama, Sodimac, Grupo Argos, Colombina and Tigo Colombia have also joined this great commitment.

Entrepreneurs speak

Among the mentors there are hundreds of outstanding and inspiring cases, such as that of Adolfo Aristizábal, president of the Board of Directors of the Forum of Presidents of the Bogota Chamber of Commerce and mentor of the MEGA Companies in Trajectory Program:

"Being a MEGA mentor has been an enriching and rewarding experience, both professionally and personally. I have had the opportunity to share my knowledge and experiences with a group of entrepreneurs seeking to improve their competitiveness and growth in the market. At the same time, I have learned from them their challenges, their achievements, their ideas and their visions. Being a mentor has allowed me to teach to learn, and learn to teach, while keeping my methodology fresh and updated. It has given me the satisfaction of being able to help others achieve their goals and overcome their difficulties. Being a MEGA mentor has been a way to contribute to the development of Bogota, the Region and the country, and to grow as a professional and as a person."

Another case is that of Camilo Machado Villabón, regional manager of SAT PCS Tecnología, who made long journeys overland to remote places to fulfill his commitment to accompany other entrepreneurs.

For the Bogota Chamber of Commerce, to be a mentor is to transcend and leave a legacy in entrepreneurs, to share their experiences and skills, to know and contribute to a society that needs continuous learning. The Bogota Chamber of Commerce believes that the power of ideas and conversations leave a mark, and contribute to the growth and development of companies.

If you want to know more content like this we invite you to read the first edition of our magazine Negocia, a new communication space that was created with the purpose of bringing the Bogota Chamber of Commerce closer to its business community and society.