Inspiring Innovators: Chris Motley
Founder & CEO Mentor Spaces, On remembering “Who do you do this for?”
At SAP.iO, we work with innovative people and new technologies that positively impact our world every day, and we think it’s time to share their stories with you! In our series, “Inspiring Innovators,” we get to hear how leaders of cutting-edge startup technologies overcame, thrived, and pursued their goals. SAP.iO’s Alexa Gorman sat down to discuss the road to success and lessons learned with some of our most inspiring startup founders.
Meet Chris Motley
We love talking with our founders to learn more about their unique journeys to entrepreneurship, beginning our conversation with ice breaker questions that are insightful and lead to interesting stories. When we posed the question ‘would you rather be a famous actor or famous musician’ to Chris Motley of Mentor Spaces, he gave an excellent reason for his choice of musician. He admires musicians with longevity for a few reasons: they tend to play their hits like it’s the first time, they occasionally rearrange, or partner with other artists on a song to create something new, and use their art to reinvent themselves over time if they choose.
After our conversation with Chris, we could see similarities between what he does and what musicians do: They both share something of themselves through their passion that makes a lasting impact on those around them, they take what is happening in their environment and make it applicable to their audience, and they partner with others to make what they have even better.
When we asked Chris about what he wanted to be when he grew up, he smiled and listed all the things he thought he might be, ranging from a basketball player to a judge. The takeaway was that Chris wanted to be the things he was exposed to as a child. What he saw, the people he met, and his connections contributed to his journey and gave him a unique way of looking at the world. He would come to learn how important all this was, and it would guide his future focus and desire to give back.
Chris Motley grew up on the South Side of Chicago and was fortunate to be a part of organizations that helped put him on a path to access educational opportunities. That access led to graduation from Columbia University with a B.A. in History, and the Kellogg School of Management, with an MBA in Entrepreneurship. Chris founded a global textile manufacturing business where he spent six years leading its expansion into Ghana, Africa, and building its apparel division.
Previously, Chris spent four years at Goldman Sachs as a Commodities and Interest Rate product trader. Upon reflection on his journey, he thought about what people do when they are not exposed or have access to the same opportunities he was afforded. How do you reach your potential if you are not exposed to opportunities? How does one find support, mentors, and resources to learn about what could be?
When Chris asked these questions, he realized there was a need to provide these resources on a much larger scale. After learning a lot on Wall Street and building a company in Ghana, now was the time to launch Mentor Spaces to address the need in the marketplace for mentorship of underrepresented populations. Mentor Spaces is a venture-backed, community-driven mentorship platform designed to help companies scale DEI efforts while advancing the careers of underrepresented talent. The platform facilitates career conversations between employees and prospective candidates to streamline diverse talent acquisition and retention. This technology allows you to have conversations with people who can help you get where you want to go.
Let’s Chat
What inspired you and your team to create Mentor Spaces?
Chris described that some entrepreneurs develop ideas based on frustrations or observations. Despite being born in what some might describe as difficult circumstances, he went on to earn a position at Goldman Sachs. When Chris was in these rooms experiencing these learning moments, he did not see many people that looked like him, and that gave him pause to reflect on how he got there. He attributes the beginning of his path to a few serendipitous conversations he had in his late teens that introduced him to the existence of Goldman Sachs and the world of investment banking. Chris further observed the absence of representation in large and small companies.
“What I found as we did a tremendous amount of research, in addition to my personal story, was that part of the issue is a lack of confidence among underrepresented populations, and part of that lack of confidence is driven by simply not knowing people and vetted resources that would help. We concluded that mentorship is a good way to build confidence and expand one’s network, and what’s unique about our approach is that we look at mentorship as a strategy that helps our customers accomplish their goals. Most companies have shifted to focus on a strategy around talent attraction, advancement, and retention.”
Tell us about your path to become the CEO of Mentor Spaces?
Chris describes that about five years into his career as a commodities trader, he was having a lot of fun but felt like he could make more of an impact. Appreciating that he felt fortunate to have ended up at that point in his career, he started to think about the things that were important to him. Growing up with a strong community focus and commitment to helping others, he knew he was looking for that type of fulfillment in his job. Chris had an idea to create a manufacturing company using his knowledge of commodities and launched a business in the apparel industry. Building a manufacturing operation in Ghana, his company employed nearly 500 women, one of the largest employers in a single location. They introduced their employees to a more formal economy, having debit cards and bank accounts.
“I will never forget being at a ceremony with the Minister of Trade and the President of Ghana and seeing the smiles and all these faces, and my business partner at the time came to me, and he said, ‘you know, in my 25-year career of doing this work, this is my proudest moment,’ and it was.”
This moment profoundly influenced Chris. Shortly thereafter, he started to think about how to create a business that could have the same effect but on a massive scale. These moments were a catalyst for him to get involved in technology and figure out how to positively impact potentially millions of people. Chris believed that as an entrepreneur, he could focus on how technologies could work to solve a big issue that the world is facing.
What are some challenges you have overcome?
Chris explained that there are many challenges, from what to name your company to creating a business model that can work and scale, determining your pricing structure, and proving ROI to his customers. One fundamental challenge for the team to meet was explaining what they do plainly enough so everyone could understand and society would see the true value of Mentor Spaces.
“I think, how would I explain this to my grandmother? I had many ideas in the past, and she would look at me and say, ‘baby, I don’t get it.’ I remember telling her my idea about Mentor Spaces, and she said ‘Oh, I’d get that. I get that. Can you give me a mentor?’ I always think of her, and if I can explain it to her and she understands, I’m doing something right.”
Another challenge that Chris faced was fundraising as a founder of color. The statistics prove that underrepresented populations receive less funding. It is difficult to get funded when you don’t look like the people you attribute as technology entrepreneurs. In this situation, there are a whole host of challenges.
“The way I overcome this is to never forget why I do the work in the first place. Thinking back about that specific moment in Ghana reminds me of exactly the feeling that I want to recreate for myself and others, and that’s part of why I do the work.”
Chris explains that if you fall in love with the journey itself and rise to the challenges, your contribution to society tends to be the motivation that helps break through the walls when inevitable challenges occur. He suggests going into launching your business knowing difficulties will happen, so you are not surprised or disappointed when it does because that is just part of the founder life.
What is a goal you have for the future of Mentor Spaces?
Chris shared that the tangible goals for Mentor Spaces near term is to raise a Series A round of funding to help them scale across North America and into Europe. Secondly, there are a few key roles they are looking to hire for, particularly in community management and marketing, specifically performance marketing, that would round out the executive team. Last but not least, a big goal is of course reaching those top-line revenue numbers and growing market share. He hopes that their partnerships, like their relationship with SAP, will support all three goals.
What advice do you have for a person thinking about launching a business?
If Chris were to mentor someone launching a new venture, he would tell them to stay focused on their true north and remember why they do the work because that tends to be the fuel that powers you through. Chris has a unique way of looking at fundraising; keeping in mind who you are trying to bring value to, he looks for people who want to change the world with him. This changes the nature of the conversation more positively, and you can work together in a partnership from the beginning.
Obsess about the person you are trying to bring value to.
What we learned
From the kid getting the opportunity to learn about the commodities market, to launching a business in Ghana, to becoming the CEO of a company who is playing matchmaker between mentor and mentee, Chris Motley has significantly impacted society on a large scale. His experiences were the steppingstones to finding his passion. Chris advised that you need to remain focused on your goal, and not only on the problem you pose to solve, but on who you are trying to solve this for and why you are trying to solve this for them. If you keep this in mind, you will reach your potential because you’re giving the customer what they need, showing them value, and helping them move forward.
Chris has an amazing story, and we were delighted to play a role in it through our work with Mentor Spaces. If you are a startup looking to work with us, check out our upcoming programs here.
