How Does the Founder Mentors Program Work (for Entrepreneurs)?
Posted by Ellie Mirman on Fri, Jul 15, 2011
If you're new to the Founder Mentors program, or you've submitted an application and wondered what happen to it, here are the basics you need to know about how the program works.
1. Entrepreneur submits an application.
The program starts by submitting an application.
2. Entrepreneur completes the Information Survey.
A link to the survey is sent to you once you submit your application. The goal of the survey is for you to provide details about your business and your challenges - a critical step in getting matched with a mentor. Look out for deadlines to make it into the next matching cycle. If you miss a deadline, you can still submit your info survey to be included in the next cycle.
3. Founder Mentors team identifies potential matches for mentors.
We send potential entrepreneur matches to the mentors, pre-selected based on the mentor's expertise in the entrepreneur's industry and/or challenges. That's why your survey info is so important - it helps us identify a good match, and helps the mentor make an educated decision. Read more about how the matching works. This matching process occurs in cycles, with ~3 cycles per year.
4. Mentor selects one or more entrepreneurs.
The mentor chooses his/her matches for that 3-month cycle.
5. Founder Mentors team introduces the new match.
We'll do an email introduction for the mentor and entrepreneur to kick off the mentor cycle.
6. The mentorship cycle begins!
It's up to the entrepreneur to drive the mentorship cycle based on the challenge they're trying to tackle. Our team will check in along the way with tips on making more effective use of your cycle. Learn more about what the mentorship cycle looks like?
7. The mentorship cycle comes to a close.
Three months later, the mentorship cycle wraps up. Read 4 Keys to Closing Your Mentor Cycle in Style.
8. Entrepreneur provides program feedback and updates application.
This part's our selfish part, to get feedback from you about how the program's working! Really it's so that we can continue to improve the program for future cycles. We send all entrepreneurs a feedback survey (whether or not you were matched in the completed cycle - we want to hear from you!).
Then you have the option to resubmit your information survey with updated information about your business (did you expand? pivot?) or challenges (now focused on marketing rather than funding?) so we know if/how you want to be matched in the next cycle.
Have more questions about the program? Post them below or feel free to contact us at any time!
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