On Point: THe ifundwomen blog
Key insights, tips, and advice for your funding journey
OCTOBER 24, 2019
Making Mentorship Work for You: 5 Tips for Finding Micro-Mentors
BY ZEINA MUNA, DIRECTOR OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IFUNDWOMEN
I recently sat down with a group of women who identified as freelancers, side hustlers, and founders and asked them to raise their hands if they had a mentor. The majority of the group winced while a few semi-raised their hands suggesting “maybe?” at best.
Mentorship is a fundamental principle at the core of what we do at IFundWomen. We are on a mission to drive funding into the hands for female founders and while 72% of women cite the lack of access to capital and cash flow as one of their top challenges, it’s about more than just the funding.
48% OF WOMEN CITE THE LACK OF ACCESS TO MENTORS AS A MAJOR BARRIER AS WELL - PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE, DONE THAT AND CAN SHOW THEM THE ROPES.
I asked the “maybe” group of women who their mentors were and got a mix of former bosses and relatives. They shared that while these types of mentors offer years of experience and expertise, the support was lacking relevance to their current entrepreneurship journey. They each had experience in something, but it wasn’t the right thing.
OCTOBER 3, 2019
How to find out what your audience wants through customer discovery
BY MAYA BROOKS, PRODUCT MANAGER, IFUNDWOMEN
So you’ve got it! Your Big Idea.
You’ve told your friends and family, you’ve bought a domain, you’ve designed the website, and even changed your LinkedIn job description to that coveted “Founder” title. You’re ready to launch this business and see your idea revolutionize the world. Yet, the night before your launch, you’re tossing and turning in bed with one dreaded question circling your brain, attacking your will to sleep:
“What if no one even wants this product?”
Here’s the truth.
You won’t ever completely get rid of this feeling as a founder. With the release of every new product line, feature, or service, it’s common to feel a bit nervous. But, you can put your mind a bit at ease by spending some time on this important step: Customer Discovery.