How can I help?

Founders First

Advisory services for individual and groups of purpose-driven entrepreneurs.

HQ Support

Strategic advice, goal setting and sustainability consulting

Research & Storytelling

Exploring entrepreneurial ecosystem building and telling the stories from the front lines

Founders First for Individuals

Who is this for?
I specialize in advising purpose-driven startup founders, small business owners and freelancers - in short, entrepreneurs - who are in charge, but not necessarily always in control of their responsibilities, business, and life. 

• Do you feel like you are busy as heck, but never really accomplish any of the big ticket items your business needs to move forward? 
• Are you working so much IN your business that you never really get around to working ON your business?
• Are you looking for techniques to become more productive, and accountability to help you manage and grow your business?

Maybe you still have a full- or part-time gig while trying to launch this business.  Maybe you are new to being your own boss. Maybe you have been at it for a while and it just hasn’t turned out to be what you thought it would be. Building a purpose-driven business is a marathon, not a sprint. 
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What you get: ​

• In-person advisory sessions to assess where you are, where you want to be and how to get there.An accountability partner who helps you make decisions, look at the big picture of your business and stay on track with your strategy.

Details: 

• We start with one in-take session (90 minutes) to assess your status quo and gain clarity on your goals. From there, we start developing a strategy with regular check-ins, support structures and accountability.
• Depending on your needs, we will work together for at least two more sessions to guide your process and manage challenges as they arise. From there, we can decide on a retainer model for accountability and continued support.​

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Price: 

• starting at $1,500 for established businesses
• sliding scale starting at $750 for individuals at the idea stage ​

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Founders First for Entrepreneurial Support Organizations

Who is this for?
If you run an incubator, (pre-)accelerator or other type of support organization for social entrepreneurs and startups, we might be a great fit if you're looking for support in any of the following areas:

What I can help with

• Program Design & Delivery. I have an intricate understanding of founders' needs at the various stages of the startup process. My dedication to social entrepreneurship led me to my research for Social Venturers and my work with the DO School, Social Impact Lab Hamburg, Lighthouse Labs, Startup Next and VCU Innovation Gateway’s pre-accelerator before co-founding Unreasonable Labs VA and CO.STARTERS VA. I combine my expertise in participant selection, curriculum development and delivery, Lean Startup Approach, social impact, online learning, mentor and partnership relations, and event management to design acceleration programs. Each program is designed to meet the needs of founders while using resources efficiently and create lasting impact.
• Online Learning. I manage a variety of online learning platforms to effectively deliver acceleration curricula. My experience ranges from customized white label solutions, Moodle and Wordpress to Slack and Google Apps. I have developed content, transferred and launched several platforms, managed users and troubleshooting, and facilitated community building and engagement. 
• Project Management. I take pride in the spreadsheets and project timelines spanning across my office wall. They help me visualize milestone achievements and the steps we have yet to take. My sense for structure and organization allows me to balance my remote work with teams on other continents and my contract work.  At the beginning of a project, I define roles and responsibilities, set timelines and set priorities. Therefore I am capable of managing a consistently high volume of exciting projects, and making adjustments as necessary.
• Mentor Relations. Mentors are a key asset in most support programs. They share their industry and/or startup expertise, set founders on a steep learning curve and often grant access to networks of potential partners, suppliers and customers. I enjoy building meaningful relationships with experts who support fledgling entrepreneurs by asking the right questions, challenging assumptions and encouraging experimentation in favor of elaborate planning.
• Event Management. Demo days, local ecosystem gatherings and program launches are routine events for any acceleration program. I organized Hamburg's first F*ck Up Night in collaboration with Spur Projects Australia. Over 50 founders, freelancers and creatives shared a night discussing personal and professional failures. On Valentine's Day 2016, I co-organized #RVABiscuitLove - a volunteer-run pop-up restaurant for the hungry and homeless in Richmond, Virginia. With the help of 80 volunteers we served 300 portions and rounded up three tents full of donations. A highlight in 2017 was RVA Women's Day - a celebration of socially responsible female founders and their companies in Richmond, VA, that drew over 120 visitors for a night storytelling, shopping and meaningful conversations about purpose-driven business. In 2017, I co-founded RebelleCon in Richmond, VA, to help female entrepreneurs lead fulfilling lives and perform in their careers.
• Social Media. In an effort to stay connected with colleagues and partners around the world, I share my every-day adventures of working in startup acceleration via Twitter and Instagram. Social media is my outlet for thoughts, questions and observations from the startup world. It's a great way to stay engaged with thought leaders, the Social Venturers I meet, and engage in events anywhere in the world.

What you get

• International expertise: As the founder of Social Venturers, I am well connected with impact-focused support organizations around the world. 
• Facilitation: I have more than a decade's experience in facilitating groups from high school students to senior entrepreneurs.
• Lean Impact: I am experienced in transferring lean startup methodology to the world of social impact. 
• Experiential learning: I believe that entrepreneurship is best experienced, not studied. In line with Lean Impact, all of my program design is built on the principle of getting out into the world and validating value propositions as early as possible.
• Ecosystem approach: I take an ecosystem approach to my facilitation work. I want to ensure that participants get exposed to their local community (local social issues, entrepreneurs, foundations and other relevant stakeholders) as early as possible to ensure their program work revolves around real-life issues with real people and relevance. Learn more about my approach to ecosystem building:

Social Venturers

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HQ Support

Who is this for?
I am mildly obsessed with structures and systems (I AM German after all). Whether you are looking for a project manager or fractional operational support - from local businesses to national organizations, I have supported clients through goal setting, strategy and accountability mechanisms to define and reach their next milestones. 
 
What you get: ​
Depending on your needs, I work through a tiered process:

1. Initial goal setting to define the project scope, relevant stakeholders, timelines.
2. Depending on the level of support needed, outline of an execution road map including milestones, reporting requirements and accountability mechanisms.
3. Regular check-ins and progress monitoring. 

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Pricing 
Depending on project scope. Contact me for details.

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Research & Storytelling 

Anchored at the intersection of social impact, entrepreneurship and systems thinking, I love exploring how we might nurture and grow entrepreneurial ecosystems for social change.

Who is this for?
The role of an ecosystem builder isn't so much anchored in a specific position; entrepreneurial ecosystem builders are people who want to see entrepreneurs in their communities thrive by connecting them to the resources they need when they need them. Entrepreneurial ecosystem builders put the needs of founders at the front and center of their work. They work hard to nurture an ecosystem that reduces barriers and increases equal access to opportunities for entrepreneurs of every ethnicity, all ages, beliefs and orientations.

How I can help

• Entrepreneurial ecosystem building is a nascent field and new - dare I say innovative - approach to economic development. If you are looking for someone who can explain the concept and garner interest in your community, I'll be happy to help! 
• Are you familiar with ecosystem building but need help mapping the various actors, their interests, goals and challenges? As a third-party ecosystem mapper, I assess who plays what role, what is missing and how we can convene key players to move the ecosystem forward. ​
• If you are in the midst of creating a strategy for your local ecosystem and have rallied your troops, I am happy to come join your team as a consultant and share my experiences from this field of work to help you avoid common pitfalls. 
• I love telling the stories from the front lines of ecosystem building for social change. Head over to Social Venturers to learn more! 

Pricing
Pricing for this service depends on the level of involvement, the location (travel and accommodation) and longevity of efforts. I'm happy to chat more, simply reach out! 

What you get

• I have been working in the field of ecosystem building since 2014 and have shared my findings and experiences in various publications (see Social Venturers research, Social Venturers and Unsung Heroes of Ecosystem Building) and speaking engagements.
• With Social Venturers, I am building a community of ecosystem builders for social change. Through interviews, digital and in-person events with this rare breed of systemic changemakers, I have deep insights into the challenges and international good practices from the field.

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