Call for Volunteers: A Study of the Conversations between Entrepreneurs and Advisors in Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Mohammad Keyhani
Jul 23, 2017 · 2 min read

It is well known that entrepreneurs need to be effective at “pitching” their ideas to potential stakeholders (including investors). However, the conversations entrepreneurs have are not always just about pitching: they also play a critical role in actually developing and clarifying their venture ideas. We want to study this process in detail to take a rigorous look at what actually goes on in conversations between entrepreneurs and advisors and/or mentors. As far as we know, this is the first time any research team is putting these conversations under the proverbial microscope.

For this research, we plan to hold a multi-mentoring event where entrepreneurs (preferably in the ideation phase) are invited to meet with three different mentors in the same day. Members of the research team will interview the entrepreneurs before and after each mentoring session to inquire about entrepreneurs’ reflections on their conversations, and will also be present as a “fly on the wall” in the mentoring sessions. All the conversations and interviews will be audio recorded and later transcribed, but this data will be kept confidential and used for research purposes only.

We are calling for volunteers to recruit mentors / advisors who are willing to dedicate some time to aid this research:

Advisors / Mentors: We need between 6–12 advisors or mentors who are themselves experienced entrepreneurs and who have considerable experience in providing mentoring and advice to other entrepreneurs. The time commitment is roughly 3 hours. Available times and dates are Sunday August 13, 2017, 9am-12pm, or 1pm-4pm. The location will be the Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary.

The research team consists of Dr. Reiner Schaefer (lead) Dr. Mohammad Keyhani, Dr. Alice de Koning, and J. Miles Jonsson. Please contact Dr. Reiner Schaefer at reiner.schaefer1@haskayne.ucalgary.ca to indicate your interest in participating in this project, mentioning the slots you prefer and your contact information.

Mohammad Keyhani

Written by

Associate Professor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Haskayne School of Business, University of Calgary

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