Meet Omar Afiouni, collaborative mentor from MAP Institute

Meet Omar Afiouni, collaborative mentor from MAP Institute

We’re pleased to introduce Omar Afiouni, Founder of the MAP Institute who provides collaborative mentoring advisory panels for business leaders. MAP is an acronym for Mentoring Advisory Panel.

Their members meet online monthly to discuss and solve challenges in their business journeys, keeping each other accountable to achieve their goals. Each panel is facilitated by an experienced chair who has accumulated a wealth of business acumen through their own journey.

As a valued Hornsby Chamber member, we did a Q and A to find out about his business.

Why did you start your business and what’s your story?

The small to medium business founders who are in my close network told me there is a need for mentoring and asked if I would be able to provide it.

As a small business owner, myself (founding a bespoke software development company in 1998), I value and appreciate learning from the experience of others. As my company grew, I found great benefit in having a diverse range of captains of industry guide me to grow my business and then found that other business owners also value the power of an informal advisory board.

The MAP Institute fulfils my desire to contribute to society by supporting the fabric of our economic system – fundamentally that of small business owners. 

What are the benefits of your products and services?

The MAP Institute brings the benefits of boardroom diversity and innovation to small business leaders to enhance certainty, generate consistency and drive growth. As the African proverb states: “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.”

How do you help your customers?

We provide small business owners with a diverse informal advisory board, facilitated by a professional Chair at an accessible price point and minimal time investment. This in turn yields significant positive outcomes for our engaged mentees.

What is unique about you and your business?

Our diverse chairs cover many vital aspects of successful entrepreneurship. As a mentee in the MAP Institute, you are provided with direct access to all of our chairs throughout the year, as we bring the power of the boardroom to your strategic decision making.

Why are you passionate about your area of work?

As a small business owner, I understand what it’s like to manage the million things going on in your head to try and run a business. I’ve been able to pull together resources to assist other small business owners grow and achieve outcomes that they are working towards. It’s very rewarding and fulfilling to see a struggling business develop into one which grows and empowers its founder to flourish.

How do you keep yourself and your team motivated?

When you have regular communication and work as a team with those who are in alignment with the core values of the business, you don’t have to worry about motivation. If you need to push to motivate people, one needs to review whether they are in alignment with your purpose.

Why do you love being a local Hornsby Shire business?

Hornsby provides a great lifestyle and range of businesses in diverse industries and scale. It’s rewarding to work with the great people in this region.

Why are you a member of the Hornsby Chamber?

I want to engage more with the community and the captains of industry who are in my local neighbourhood. COVID-19 has taught me that I don’t have to always go into the CBD in order to connect with great business owners. Staying local has a great number of benefits and there are many impressive founders locally to connect with.

Why do you think small businesses are so crucial to the local communities and the Australian economy?

With over 2 million SMEs employing 40% of the private sector workforce, small to medium businesses are vital to a healthy domestic economy.

Who inspires you, and why?

The mentees of MAP, i.e., those whom we mentor. I find them most inspirational. Those small business founders who consistently juggle all the challenges of operating a small enterprise are my heroes. They tirelessly serve their client’s, deliver exceptional quality, out of a sincere motivation to provide their part to serve the economic community and fulfil a need. I respect, admire and am honoured to be able to share their business journey with them.

To find out more about the MAP Institute, visit their website page: https://map.institute