From the CHALLENGE SOLVING WORKSHOP TO A MENTORSHIP PROGRAM¶
Goals¶
A challenge solving workshop is a workshop connecting early stage entrepreneurs with a specific challenge and experienced mentors. We realized after last year's iteration that we were missing follow-up sessions as it left us wanting for more. Thus, we decided to set up a mentorship program in addition to the workshop. The goal is to follow the entrepreneurs over a longer period of time, and to help them implement the solutions that emerged from the workshop.
MATERIAL AND TOOLS¶
- Computer
- Phone to call mentors
ROLES¶
We recommend matching a mentor with an entrepreneur before the workshop.
- Facilitator/ Moderator
- Entrepreneurs
- Mentors
PREPARATION¶
1 FIND ENTREPRENEURS AND FRAME A CHALLENGE¶
- Contact early stage entrepreneurs
Note: You can find entrepreneurs on social networks (facebook, linkedin, google etc), or entrepreneurs incubated in nearby incubators. It's time to put your contacts to work!
Here an example of an email you can send to entrepreneurs:
Hello x,
Let me introduce myself: my name is (first name) and I am (position) at (association/company) in (city).
This email is long, but in 2 words: we offer you a free entrepreneurial coaching! So, if you want to know more, I suggest you read on... ;)
Description of your structure and the coaching program:
Example: Makesense is an association that enables citizens, entrepreneurs and organizations to take action and work together to build a more inclusive and sustainable society.
More specifically, I am working with Victor (in copy of the email) on the Shemakes program.
What is Shemakes?
Shemakes is a European program that aims to empower women innovators in the sustainable fashion sector through inspiration, skills and networks. I'll let you go to the Shemakes website to learn more!
We are several associations in Europe working together on this program. More specifically, at makesense, we have two challenges:
To give ethical fashion entrepreneurs the opportunity to move forward with their entrepreneurial project and help them meet their challenges.
To allow ethical fashion entrepreneurs to create links and to get known.
Then description of the event and mentoring follow-up:
Example:
To do this, we are organizing a day on women entrepreneurship and ethical fashion! On the agenda for this day: a challenge-solving workshop with ethical fashion entrepreneurs and mentors, a training on the business model, and a "contact bar" workshop (sharing good contacts between entrepreneurs and mentors).
This day will be accompanied by a longer mentorship depending on the needs of each entrepreneur.
I think your project is really cool! Would you be interested in participating in this event and mentorship?
If you are interested, we can call you to check if this day is really relevant for your project, to discuss together your desires, your needs, and of course to answer all your questions! :)
In the meantime, I wish you a nice day,
Best wishes to you
- Plan a 1 hour call with each entrepreneur to frame a challenge with them before the workshop.
A good challenge should be narrow enough to bring concrete solutions, but not too narrow to stay open to several unlocking possibilities.
You can find the framework used to frame a challenge with an entrepreneur in the last part of this doc.
Tips for framing the challenge/what a good challenge is?
Focus on ONE challenge per Hold-Up and help the entrepreneur prioritize.
Summarize the challenge in a clear and engaging question "How do I get to...?"
Define a "SMART" challenge, goals and constraints
Specific: shows a paradox
Measurable: the difference between the starting point and what is to be achieved
Ambitious: brings real opportunities and tangible impact
Realistic
Time (defined in time): solutions must be implemented in 4 weeks? 3 months? 2 years?
Find the right level of precision and avoid giving answers in the wording of the challenge. For example, suggesting a specific way to do something may be the reason the contractor can't think of an alternative.
Make sure the goals and constraints are directly related to the challenge.
Examples of good challenges : How to define a communication strategy on instagram and stick to it?
How do I determine my communication strategy for a successful launch of my crowdfunding campaign?
How to find a viable business model for the project?
You can find a challenging framework in the last part of this doc.
2 FIND MENTORS AND CREATE PAIRS¶
- Contact mentors, ideally relevant to solve the entrepreneurs' challenges.
You can find mentors posting announcements on social networks, contacting professionals on linkedin or using your own network (or your company network).
To contact mentors, you can use the same framework of entrepreneurs email, adapting it for mentors. At the end of the email, you can propose to them a call.
- Present them the entrepreneurs and validate with them the long-term follow-up of an entrepreneur (by calling them).
The call with the mentors lasts about 30 minutes. Here is an example of how it works:
Quick introduction of self and mentor.
Presentation of the program and what is expected of the mentors:
1 coaching posture (see training slides at the end)
1 contact with the contractor before the workshop
1 call with the entrepreneur every 2 weeks.
1 call with us every month to check that everything is going well
1 commitment over 4-6 months.
Q&A
Introduction of the entrepreneur
Q&A
Validation with the mentor of their investment in the program AND the entrepreneur they agree to mentor.
There is no paper to sign, it's just a moral contract.
- Connecting women entrepreneurs with their mentors before the workshop.
Here an example of email you can send to the entrepreneur and her mentor to put them in contact:
Hello to all,
I am sending you this email to initiate contact :)
(entrepreneur name) you will find your mentor (mentor name) as recipient of this mail, and vice versa.
(mentor name) will be great to help you with your communication strategy (or another subject).
So I'll let you get to know her in the following days!
If you have any questions, don't hesitate,
I wish you a nice day
- Make sure that the entrepreneurs and their mentors have a call before the workshop.
If they didn't, they should add a time to do it at the beginning of the workshop.
3 DURING THE WORKSHOP¶
- During the workshop: mentors help to solve entrepreneurs’ challenges.
Reminder that here they're not going to be the only person helping the entrepreneur, but that they will be alone then during the mentorship program.
You can refer to the handbook about the challenge solving workshop for more details.
At the end of this document, you will find an example of frameworks for a communication challenge and for an action plan.
FOLLOW-UP OF THE WORKSHOP
- Calls mentors/entrepreneurs:
Pairs are advised to see/call each other twice a week for 5 months.
Here is a sample agenda for a meeting:
What's up today?
Update on the progress of the project.
Update on the work done since the last call.
Exchange on the work, feedbacks and improvement tracks.
Q&A
Update on new needs.
Next steps (to do list for the next session)
Set the next meeting.
Entrepreneurs are advised to make written reports after each session.
- Calls you/mentors:
Make regular calls (one per month) to ensure that follow-up is going well.
Agenda for each of these call:
What’s up?
Roundtable: how is your follow-up going? Is it working well with your entrepreneur? Do you feel comfortable in this support?
Q&A
Roundtable 2: How do you organize yourself (frequency of calls, reports etc.)?
Q&A
Roundtable 3: Do you have any best practices to share? Any failures to avoid?
Q&A
Next steps
- Calls you/entrepreneurs:
Make regular calls (one per month) to ensure that follow-up is going well.
Agenda for each of these call:
What’s up?
Roundtable: how is your follow-up going? Is it working well with your mentor? Do you feel comfortable in this support?
Q&A
Roundtable 2: How do you organize yourself (frequency of calls, reports etc.)?
Q&A
Roundtable 3: Do you have any best practices to share? Any failures to avoid?
Q&A
Roundtable 4: Do you need more help with other subjects?
Next steps
PICTURES¶
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS¶
Therefore, to set up a mentorship program with all the resources at hand, we provide you with several documents in this Drive
-
the slides of the coaching posture training
-
the framework used to frame a challenge with an entrepreneur
-
The challenge framework (to write the challenge on)
-
Example of communication plan and action plan.
-
An example of document where entrepreneurs can report after each mentoring session with their mentors