Gwangju Seo-gu Launches 'Master of Business Mentor Group' to Revitalize Alley Commercial Districts

Composed of 30 Mentors and 37 Mentees

On the 25th, Gwangju Seo-gu (District Mayor Kim Ikang) held the launching ceremony for the third cohort of the "Chakan Seogu Jangsa-ui Sin Mentor Group" at the Seo-gu Small Business Management Support Center, officially kicking off mentoring activities aimed at revitalizing local alleyway businesses.

Seogu District held the inauguration ceremony for the 'Good Seogu Master of Business Mentors (3rd term)' on the 25th at the Seogu Small Business Management Support Center. Photo by Seogu District

According to Seo-gu, this mentor group consists of 30 small business mentors with practical experience and know-how, selected from graduates of the district's "Jangsa-ui Sin Academy," and 37 mentees who are small business owners seeking mentoring.

Starting next month and continuing through July, the mentors will visit the mentees’ businesses over a four-month period to provide hands-on, close-knit mentoring.

The mentoring will focus on practical, field-based guidance, providing advice across all aspects of business operations, including strategies to increase sales, customer service know-how, service quality improvement, marketing strategies, and menu development. Mentors will offer immediately applicable solutions based on their own real-life experiences.

Meanwhile, since launching the first "Hamkkesase Mentor Group" in 2023, Seo-gu has operated the program annually, receiving high satisfaction from participating small business owners.

In particular, the program has fostered a network where small business owners can cooperate and provide each other with practical support, spreading business know-how throughout local alleyway markets and leading to sustained results beyond one-time initiatives.

Additionally, the activity allowances received by mentor group members are donated as sponsorship funds to support local small businesses, putting into practice a culture of sharing and mutual growth.

Kim Ikang, Mayor of Seo-gu, stated, "I hope the Jangsa-ui Sin Mentor Group will develop into a model that revitalizes the local economy based on the three pillars of fieldwork, mutual growth, and sharing, going beyond simple consulting." He added, "We will actively support self-employed business owners to share their experiences and grow together, so a virtuous cycle can take root in the local economy."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.