Showcasing the NEN 2018 Award Winners – MENTA

Award category: Enterprise Support Organisation of the Year (turnover over £750,000)

Winner: MENTA 

What the judges said

MENTA’s award application very clearly set out how their broad range of services are making a strong impact within their local community. With sustainability at the heart of their business model, MENTA has secured a good mix of income streams from serviced offices and a Patron Package through to a number of third party income sources and contracts – all thanks to a range of strong partnerships.

MENTA’s application referenced an array of support services, all reinforced with strong impact statistics and testimonials. It was clear that everything – from their networking opportunities and skills development programmes, right down to their communications approach – has a huge amount of energy running through it. This is an organisation which takes an entrepreneurial approach to all its services, and provides its clients, communities and stakeholders with an outstanding service.

What this award meant to MENTA

“The award has raised MENTA’s profile both locally and countrywide.”

Leanne Castle, Marketing & Business Development Manager

What makes MENTA special?

We stand out because we’re not a membership organisation. Businesses can pick and mix the business services which fits their requirements. Our trainers and advisers, as well as most of our staff, have run or still run a business of their own which means they understand what it takes to grow a successful business.

What’s next for MENTA?

We intend to expand our range of business services to include mentoring and accelerated support for ambitious young businesses. We will include a range of seminars into the program of our long established annual MENTA Business Show and are planning a Start Up Saturday event in the autumn.

What are you doing differently and how is this making an impact?

With both bespoke social media training and group masterclasses, plus the opportunity for customers to purchase MENTA’s online suite of business skills courses, there is every chance for businesses and their staff to access the learning they need, to give them every opportunity to gain the knowledge and skills to cope with expansion.

Did you know…?

One team member, Nicholas Pandolfi, is a broadcaster and was one of the first 1000 adopters of Twitter in the UK. In his spare time he works as a radio journalist for broadcasters in NZ and New York – all from his base in Suffolk.

John Clarke is a MENTA business trainer and is a drummer who has performed for The Queen and Prince Charles.

A reminder about this award

This award aims to…
Recognise excellence from organisations who have enterprise support at their very hearts. They will have worked hard to establish or maintain recognition and impact within their local communities and have developed a sustainable business model that sees their organisation able to continue its support in the longer term.

The judges were looking for…

  • Clear examples of outstanding support provided to clients, communities and stakeholders.
  • A clear demonstration that the support is delivering and making impact now, and ensuring sustainability for the future.
  • Volume of activity is not important, demonstrating its impact is.

Ask us about…

  • Social media for business
  • Presentation and media skills
  • Business advice and mentoring
  • Selling business services e.g. personality profiling
  • Business exhibitions
  • Business conferences
  • Business networking events
More about our other award winners