Background
We at Growth Studio have been working on the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator for the past three years.
The success criteria of the programme is not only measured only by how many startups join the Amazon platform or the volume of products sold through the platform – but is evaluated also through the growth and scale of sustainable startups offering consumers alternative and planet friendly choices.
These emerging startups need a unique level of intensive support to scale. And that’s where Active Mentorship plays well. It’s a unique approach we have developed for the Amazon Sustainability programme as well as with over 900 startups over the past few years.
It’s been nearly a decade of learning and evolution. And this year, we’ve proud to have been recognised by the Financial Times as Europe’s leading mentor organisation for startups.
Accelerating A Different Approach for the Amazon Sustainability Accelerator
Active Mentorship is designed to deliver a high startup success rate. We don’t churn out a production line of accelerator programmes but work with select business partners like Amazon who share our belief that meaningful mentorship truly matters.
Over time, we’ve recognised the biggest challenges facing founders on any accelerator programme. It’s never about founders misunderstanding what they have to do. The barriers arise at the very point they have to do it.
The Accelerator Playbook
Many accelerator programmes take a workshop-first approach, typically interspersed with mentor meetings. As a model, this makes economic sense because it means programmes get launched with cut and paste efficiency.
The problem is a lot can happen and change between meetings. And this inevitable catch up lag, undermines the impact of a mentor’s time and value which ultimately impedes the success of a programme cohort.
Here are our 7 principles behind The Art of Active Mentorship:
- Be part of the team
Whilst we play our best game at C-suite level, we also get involved in other areas that could help our founders accelerate – from forecasting spreadsheets to attending focus groups. We operate as a key and active mentoring member of the team – wearing different hats when required!
- Understand founders and what they need
What we think founders need isn’t always what founders feel they need! But trying to crowbar a blueprint approach is a risky recipe for disaster. More mature startups want to bounce ideas and get feedback. Earlier stage founders might want a more hands on approach. Either way, a good programme mentor needs to be a chameleon and adapt their style accordingly.
- Personality, culture and motivation
We spend time at the outset of any programme exploring a founder’s working style and most importantly, what motivates them to deliver their next milestone. It’s imperative for us to operate on the same level – no hierarchies. We achieve the best from founders if we connect and build a good personal relationship.
Mentors can sometimes converse well but lead less well on outcomes. We work out what motivates the team to take those small but essential steps forward in between mentorship sessions.
- Step outside the meeting room
Regular formal meetings are essential. But sometimes unplanned catch ups reveal even more. Unscheduled check-ins help to assess real progress and help make founders feel supported. Much like those water cooler moments or outdoor smoking areas in the early 2000s! You can often get more resolved in a casual and relaxed environment.
- Set clear and transparent goals
Goal setting is fundamental. Not just for the programme but for the way we mentor. We make sure we have three firm goals that we’re all clear about and work towards. Real actionable stuff. If these goals change over time, then that’s fine. But active mentorship means we always have clarity on the targets and outcomes we’re driving towards.
- Sense how much involvement is needed
Not every founder wants their mentor involved in everything, and that’s OK. We stay aligned with what startups need to do and when they need to do it. A hacker mindset means that whilst mentor involvement levels may differ, we just need to hit the goals.
- A consistent and single point of contact
Startups will meet multiple experts on an accelerator programme, each valuable but not always equal. As a mentor, it’s our job to take a wide view. To bring cohesion to multiple opinions, strategies and ideas that can leave founders feeling overwhelmed or paralysed.
With the Amazon Sustainable Startups cohort, the art of active mentorship means developing trust. Founders and teams see us as people who’ll help make sense of a confusing world and help them make reasoned informed decisions.
We think active mentorship is a formula for success.
