Horsesmouth and Yell are delighted to announce the winners of the 2009 Yell Mentoring Works Awards. The awards, now in their second year, are a collaboration between horsesmouth.co.uk and Yell to celebrate small business and enterprise mentoring. (Read the winners announcement press release).

Yell Small Business Mentor of the Year Award, with £1000 prize: kwilliams

Editor’s Prize for Content, with £500 prize: Pennysmart

M-Factor Award, with £500 prize: Quigon

In a year when horsesmouth saw a 74% increase in people searching for business advice online, it is no surprise that we received some brilliant entries for this year’s awards. And it's brilliant to see older people emerge as a mentoring force online, with all three awards going to individuals over 50.

Kwilliams has been chosen as the 2009 Yell Small Business Mentor of the Year. Keith Williams is a  64 year old retired business man from Yorkshire who was nominated by his horsesmouth mentee for his no nonsense approach and invaluable business insight. Over a period of 20 years Keith created and ran many succesful businesses. He admits to making plenty of mistakes along the way, but he firmly believes he has learnt from them, and that he can pass on this learning to other entrepreneurs on the way up.

Pennysmart is the winner of the Editor’s Prize. This prize is awarded to an outstanding piece of content on the site, that demonstrates the power of business and enterprise mentoring. Jayne Bellis, the real name behind Pennysmart, was the stand-out winner for her story “I finally did it- threw in the salary and started on my own!’, about her experiences of setting up a business.

She says “ 'I am so bowled over by this recognition. I can't believe it! I joined horsesmouth last year to offer support to others - in the beginning I never imagined anyone would want to ask me a question, never mind nominate me for an award. Not only did I give support I also received it back - a few months in I found mentors who inspired me to follow my lifetime goal of starting my own business.”

Quigon, the username of Michael Birchmore, is the winner of the M-Factor Award. He has accrued almost 2000 on his M-Factor score for mentoring others on business and enterprise.

He says of horsesmouth “I think Horsesmouth is an excellent resource for helping people as it does mean that whatever your problem, as long as you can get online then you have a link to help regardless of your income”

We were delighted by the quality of nominations we received and want to extend our thanks to everyone who has taken part in business and enterprise mentoring on horsesmouth. Other mentors who were highlighly commended in the awards are Alan, a 60 year old mentor, who was nominated for providing invaluable support about an overseas property venture and Amissingham, for providing excellent and timely business advice.

We would also like to thank Beenthere and Antoinetta, winners from last year’s awards, for their continued dedication to the site.