About Mid-West Mentoring

Mid-West Mentoring is a referral, networking and mentoring network. We welcome business to business (B2B) and business to consumer (B2C) companies, solopreneurs and SMEs.

As much as possible we try and limit the membership to one seat per profession as policy. With so many businesses extending services and pivoting their businesses though, there can be an element of overlap, but the essence of membership, is one business per category.

How are Mid-West Mentoring Different?

Our founder John is an absolute believer in mentoring his members through taking calls to support them, doing 1-2-1’s to learn more about them and how he can actively support them.

John is unbelievably diligent in his application process. There is no form to fill out, no committee for the form to go to – it’s all about whether John feels that you & your business are a fit for the group.

To further support his members, John engages the support of one of his tribe so that our LinkedIn page is actively promoting our members.

Structure

Every Wednesday, John meets online with his the Mid-West Mentoring Community for 1 1/2 hours. There tends to be anywhere from 15-25 people on each call. There are three options for people to join in each week. These are typically:

7:30 am
9:30 am
11:30 am
14:00 pm

Every other week there is an in person meeting from 8am in the Maldron Hotel. John always encourages people to come 30 minutes before hand to do some informal networking and to try to stay on 15 minutes afterwards to get the connections flowing.

What to Expect at each Meeting

As is pretty standard with all referral networking groups, each participant has 60 seconds to talk about his or her business. Then 20 minutes are assigned to one business to do a deep dive into their company to help the group get to know them in more detail. If you are interested in doing a deep dive then please let John know and he will discuss the details with you.

Honesty

Integrity

Participation

Community

What We Value

Generosity

Activity

Trust

Mentoring

John Loftus
Founder

About John

Well as with many of us, John’s journey to where he is at now, is full of twists and turns. He worked with Aer Lingus for many years, then moving on to fundraising, the entertainment industry and then on to managing the fundraising for the Limerick GAA. In all of his roles, networking was pivotal.

In 1992 John had a near death experience, where he got an auto-immune disease that tried to get the better of him. Thankfully it didn’t succeed, however the road was fraught with obstacles including going on to dialysis and then having a kidney transplant. Now, if you see John today, he is fighting fit. As he said himself, his motto is ‘keep moving forward’ and that’s just what he did.

Given his previous roles, he had developed deep and meaningful connections and networked with other networks such as BNI, the local Chambers and other groups. But by 2016 he decided to go out on his own and start up Midwest Mentoring, with a clear focus to create a top class referral and mentoring business network.

To John, the MidWest Mentoring group is like a dressing room. The spirit, the mood and the organisation has to be just right for the team to win. If there is any dissension, then you are on the back foot. This is why John has turned down many more applications than he has accepted. John is extremely picky on who gets to join the group which is another hugely beneficial part of being a member. You know you are with like-minded people who you can rely on.

John is a huge proponent of using his life experience to make decisions. As John puts it, it helps us make decisions quickly and he says that he always knows within 30/40 seconds if the person is going to be the right fit.

The core ethos of his group is about positivity, openness, giving and the members really having a clear perspective on their involvement. The focus is on

What can I do to help you?
What can I do for you?

What to Expect

A hugely warm welcome is to be expected, both from John and all his members. There is a true cameraderie between them with all members being avid supporters for each other. There is no hierarchy and as John says, everyone is equal.

Locations

Typically members are from Clare, Limerick City & County, North Cork, Mid & North Tipperary with a very diverse range of companies and businesses.

The virtual and online meetings have meant that other businesses from Dublin, Northern Ireland and from all around the country are getting involved, which is fantastic to see.

How to Join

Visitors are always welcome and you can email John directly at john@midwestmentoring.ie and he’ll send you on the Zoom details to connect in. People are encouraged to come a couple of times to get a feel for the groups.

The Investment

If you are invited by John to join the Mid-West Mentoring group, the payment due is €250 ex vat per quarter. John will contact you directly with details on how you can make this payment.