Growth Stories

Tell us about your experience.

I was invited to be one of the mentors for the FAST Forward program geared to help Austin entrepreneurs take their small businesses to the next level. My focus as psychologist and executive coach, is to help leaders push through challenges and accomplish their goals in business and in life.

From the start, I was excited by the focus and mission of the program for the entrepreneurs; to accelerate business growth by embracing innovation, new technology, new business models, and fresh markets, while creating greater value for their businesses.

I was very impressed to see the structure of support put in place by the IC2 Institute and the City of Austin, and felt privileged to lend my support. This diverse group of entrepreneurs embraced the support provided to create new opportunities for their businesses, develop their brand and strategy, and improve the scale and delivery of their business.

What did you see in your mentees throughout the program?

It was fascinating to observe their growth. I was blown away by the growth I observed in these men and women throughout the program as they leveraged the guidance and support provided. This was on full display at their final presentation.

I saw business leaders, who at the start of the program were hesitant, unclear about their goals and strategy, unpolished in their presentation, now beaming with excitement, hope and focus as they communicated with clarity and poise the story of their business and the impact they are making in the community. This took my breath away!

Why is mentoring so important?

Without the structure and support provided by the program, many of these startups would fail. Now, when I see products on the shelves in supermarkets from some of these businesses, I know it is in great part because of FASTForward [now Small-biz.XLR8].