Outcome summary
Small and Mighty Group designed and delivered a practical, year-long mentoring program for Specsavers Northern Europe and Louis Nielsen, strengthening mentoring capability across stores without disrupting day-to-day operations. The program scaled across multiple countries, became embedded in workforce development, and created a ripple effect of shared learning beyond participating mentors.
The challenge
Specsavers Northern Europe and their Danish brand Louis Nielsen launched a graduate program to support new optometrists and store staff. They weren’t just onboarding new employees—they were investing in future professionals who could grow with the business.
The challenge was clear: build mentoring capability across store teams and managers in a way that was highly relevant, engaging and operationally realistic—without pulling people away from the realities of running busy retail environments.
The organisation needed a mentoring approach that:
- worked within the cadence of retail operations
- supported mentors with practical tools and confidence
- was grounded in real store situations (not generic training)
- could scale across regions and cultures
Our role
Executive Director Torben Soelvsteen led the design and facilitation of a mentoring program that strengthened mentor capability while remaining deeply aligned to the optical retail context.
The program combined organisational psychology, training design, and frontline retail experience to create a learning experience that participants could apply immediately—while still building deeper leadership and coaching skills over time.
What we did
1) Designed a year-long mentoring program that fits store reality
We developed The Mentoring Program as a structured, one-year learning journey delivered through short, bimonthly online sessions scheduled to suit the working day.
To keep it practical and lightweight, participants received reflection prompts before each session—designed as quick prompts for connection and awareness, not “homework”.
2) Built sessions around real-world situations, not theory
Each session was interactive and participant-led. Mentors brought real scenarios from stores and graduate development, and the group worked through challenges together—sharing what worked, what didn’t, and how to respond with clarity and confidence.
Key themes were introduced when useful, always tied back to store experience, including:
- mentoring vs coaching
- feedback and difficult conversations
- learning styles and development pathways
- unconscious bias and awareness
- communication and trust-building
3) Made it industry-specific and culturally adaptable
The program was built entirely around the optical retail environment, using industry language, settings and examples. At the same time, the program remained adaptable—session focus shifted based on business needs and what mentors were encountering in different markets.
This ensured the experience remained relevant across roles, store contexts and countries.
Results
The mentoring program has since scaled across multiple countries, and in some regions it is mandatory for staff involved in training and developing new employees. Participants have also voluntarily returned to repeat the program due to the value of peer learning and practical application.
A key outcome was the “ripple effect”:
- mentors applied the approach in their own stores
- learning spread across stores where graduates worked
- knowledge-sharing improved consistency and capability across the broader network
What made this program different
This program worked because it was designed for how people actually work.
- Operations aligned: short, sharp sessions built into the workday
- Practical and grounded: focused on real situations and immediate application
- Strength-based: built on participants’ existing capability and experience
- Highly relevant: industry-specific examples, language and context
- Adaptable: responsive to business needs and participant feedback
- Human-centred: communication, empathy, awareness and constructive feedback
At its heart, the program wasn’t just about “teaching mentoring”. It strengthened the leadership skills required to develop others—skills that support performance, culture and long-term capability.
Participant feedback (selected excerpts)
“Tips from the other mentors. Saying things out loud and reflecting with you (Torben) and the other mentors.”
“The timing of the session has been good… often enough to not lose focus.”
“The course has given me insight into what it means to be a mentor and the importance of active listening, empathy and constructive feedback.”
“It has not only given me knowledge and insight, but also a deeper understanding of my strengths and weaknesses.”
Why this matters
Building capability isn’t separate from performance—it drives it.
When organisations invest in structured mentoring and leadership development that fits operational reality, they create stronger onboarding, better retention, and more confident leaders at every level.
Explore related services:
- People + Leadership (coaching, mentoring, leadership programs, culture)
- Execution + Implementation (embedding capability and change in real operating environments)
- Strategy + Advisory (understanding goals to translate into direction)
