Mentor and helper expectations
Offer specific, respectful support while protecting founder ownership, consent and realistic commitments.
Your role is to help a founder think and act more clearly. Useful help combines experience with curiosity, clear boundaries and follow-through. The founder remains responsible for decisions, drafts and delivery.
Agree how you will work
At the start of a relationship, discuss the question you can help with, available time, communication channel and a realistic response rhythm. Agree how either person can cancel, reschedule or raise a concern.
Do not assume that every founder follows the same programme or session target. Use the expectations confirmed for the particular assignment. If your capacity changes, say so early.
Give feedback the founder can use
- Point to an observation in the work rather than a judgement about the person.
- Explain why it matters to the goal.
- Ask a question that helps the founder examine the assumption or trade-off.
- Agree one practical next step and how they will know it is done.
Offer a short example when it helps, then return ownership. Completing the whole document yourself may solve today's deadline while leaving the founder dependent on you for the next revision.
Respect consent and privacy
Use the information available for the assigned relationship. A private support brief shares selected material, not unrestricted access to a founder's venture. Where a helper assignment requires consent, acceptance and founder permission remain separate actions.
Ask before making an introduction or sharing material with another person. Keep notes relevant and avoid copying customer identities, private contact details or sensitive personal information unless there is a clear, agreed need.
Follow through and raise concerns
After a conversation, recap the agreed action, owner and review date. Follow up on what was learned, not only whether a task was ticked off. If you cannot take a helper assignment, decline it so it can return for another match.
Use mentor support for assignment or programme difficulties and privacy or safety support for concerns about information or conduct. Seek qualified specialist input when a question falls outside mentoring.
Approved mentors can work through mentor onboarding for further practice. Public readers can start with the learning-partner path.
Keep developing without another compulsory programme
Review the four first-session essentials, then choose a short playbook for the situation you are facing. The optional library links to credible external sources with access, cost and reuse notes. Public access does not give permission to republish their material.
Notice whether the founder leaves with greater clarity and ownership, whether the agreed evidence changes a decision, and which mentor behaviour helped. Do not equate course ticks, messages or hours with venture success. Discuss usefulness directly; the workspace does not claim that mentoring caused a business outcome.