1. Define Club Themes and Goals
- Themes: Start by defining a variety of themes for the clubs based on the interests and needs of the community. Beyond startups, there could be themes like technology, marketing, finance, personal development, etc. Depending on the interests of members.
- Goals: Each club should have clear, achievable goals that align with the interests of its members and the broader objectives of the community. This could include knowledge sharing, networking, mentorship, or specific project collaborations.
- E.g., Founders Club could have goals of 1. sharing and gathering knowledge to support the success of each others’ startups and 2. creating a published NorthLawn thought piece(s) to help promote each others’ startups by the end of June 2024
2. Club Formation Process
- Recruitment: Use community Slack channels to express interest and recruit members. Interested members can express interest via Slack with potential initial conversations about what they wish to gain and what they can contribute.
- Group Formation: A club can only be formed only when there are 4 or more members expressing interest.
3. Structure and Meetings
- Size: Limit club size to 4-6 members to ensure intimate discussions and meaningful connections.
- Frequency: Clubs should initially meet every three weeks for 30 minutes, with flexibility based on members' schedules.
- Format: Meetings can be structured with a rotating chairperson role, where each member takes turns organizing and leading a session.
4. Guidelines for Operation
- Self-Governance: Clubs should operate on a self-governance model, with members collectively deciding on their specific goals, meeting structure, and activities.
- Resources and Tools: Clubs have the flexibility to use whichever collaborative tools they prefer (e.g., Slack, Zoom, Google Drive) to facilitate communication, scheduling, and document sharing.
5. Support and Oversight
- Community Support: The Member Circle (and it’s specific Club point of contact) acts as the central community team to provide support, resources, and guidance to the clubs. This Circle can also help with resolving any issues that arise.
- Check-ins: The Member Circle will have periodic check-ins (e.g., every few months) with club leaders to gather feedback, assess progress towards goals, and make adjustments as necessary.
- Recognition: Recognize and celebrate the achievements of clubs and their members within the broader community to motivate participation and highlight the value of the clubs.
6. Feedback and Iteration
- Feedback Mechanisms: Implement mechanisms for collecting feedback from club members on their experiences, challenges, and suggestions for improvement. This can be done by a short survey offered by the Member Circle Club point of contact and by making it clear to the Clubs who they should go to with any feedback outside of the survey cycles.
- Iterative Improvement: Use the feedback to make iterative improvements to the club structure, guidelines, and support mechanisms.
7. Community Integration
- Showcase Events: Host regular community-wide events where clubs can showcase their progress, learnings, or projects. This fosters a sense of belonging and encourages cross-club networking.
- Collaboration Opportunities: Encourage clubs to collaborate on projects or initiatives that align with multiple clubs' interests or goals.
Implementation Steps
- Pilot Phase: Start with a pilot of only the Founders Club to test the structure and processes. For 3 meeting cycles.
- Evaluation: After the pilot, evaluate what worked well and what needs adjustment.
- Scaling: Gradually scale up by adding more clubs based on the lessons learned from the pilot phase.
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Discussion Questions for Founders Club
Below is a list of potential questions that the rotating chair can select to be a focus of a Club discussion. They are also welcome to create their own topic.
- What unique challenges have you faced while balancing consulting work and launching your startup, and how have you addressed them?
- How do you effectively manage your time between client projects and developing your startup?
- What strategies have you found most effective for securing funding for your startup?
- How do you validate a business idea in a cost-effective and time-efficient manner?
- What has been your biggest learning curve in transitioning from a consultant to an entrepreneur?
- Can you share a pivotal failure in your startup journey and the lessons learned?
- How do you build and maintain a strong network of mentors, advisors, and peers, and how has this network influenced your startup's direction?
- What tools or resources have been indispensable in the early stages of your startup?
- How do you approach building a team for your startup, especially when resources are limited?
- What strategies have you used to balance risk-taking with pragmatism in your startup decisions?
- How do you measure success in the early stages of your startup, and how have these metrics evolved?
- What role has customer feedback played in shaping your product or service, and how do you collect and act on this feedback?
- How do you maintain your motivation and resilience in the face of uncertainty and setbacks?
- What legal or regulatory challenges have you encountered, and how have you navigated them?
- How do you prioritize which features or products to develop first in your startup?
- Can you share an effective marketing or branding strategy that has helped you gain visibility and traction?
- How do you manage the financial aspects of your startup, including budgeting, cash flow management, and fundraising?
- In what ways has your background as an independent consultant provided an advantage (or disadvantage) in your startup journey?
- What emerging trends or technologies do you see impacting your startup sector, and how are you preparing to adapt?
- How do you envision scaling your startup, and what milestones are you aiming for in the next year?