Connectd

What impact has completing the Transition to Portfolio programme had on your career path?

I had been interested in moving into advisory and ultimately NED positions as part of my career development path for a few years but didn’t really know where to start.

When I came across Connectd and what they could offer, I jumped at the chance to get involved in a structured training, mentoring and support programme specifically tailored toward my career goals.

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Which aspects of the programme did you find most valuable in preparing you for board advisor roles?

What really struck a chord with me in the Board Advisor training were the sessions on translating past successes into my future career. Reflecting on my career journey to date and identifying how I can bring value in an advisory role was a valuable exercise.

This helped shape my approach to building a board adviser CV, refining my personal brand, and preparing for interviews. That said, I’m definitely someone who learns best by doing, so I know I'll revisit elements of the training as I dive into this new role.

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How have the skills and knowledge you gained during the programme helped you secure your first portfolio role?

Above all, it was the approach to personal branding that helped me secure my first advisory role. The founder had seen a video of me being interviewed at a recent conference. It was a great reminder of how powerful video content can be for personal branding, especially when you’re able to speak passionately about a market or area of business.

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Can you share a specific moment or lesson from the programme that significantly shaped your approach to advisory work?

For me, I found the mentoring sessions most impactful in terms of bringing the course material into focus and being able discuss the practical applications to my new board advisory role with my mentor.

Having an actual board advisory appointment in place certainly brought our discussion into sharper focus and I’m sure I continue to find the mentoring sessions helpful as I move forward into the first few months of my advisory role.

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You've managed to secure your first board advisory role - congrats! Do you feel more confident and prepared to take on board advisor or fractional executive roles after completing the programme?

Starting anything new for the first time brings a mixture of excitement and trepidation. However, I certainly feel more confident having worked through the Board Advisory course and, most importantly, having my mentor by my side to ask questions and provide valuable guidance.

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Learn more about our Transition to Portfolio programme here.

Our Trustpilot reviews...

I'm delighted to have joined Connectd, a platform that brings together start-ups, investors and advisors/NEDs – the latter being my interest. Having left full-time employment, I became a founding Non-Executive Director of a Community Interest Company and a Trustee of a local charity. I had also been looking for additional Non-Executive roles when I was introduced to Connectd. I was impressed by the sophisticated nature of the ecosystem, which enables searches for roles through detailed filters, as well as providing training through the NED Academy, help with CV writing, mentoring, template documents and other resources. Connectd also guarantees a placement with a business.

An additional feature of the platform is the Connectd Investor Community, where investors can interact, conduct due diligence, share deal-flow and learn together. The functionality allows like-minded investors to connect, with separate groups for each; to share deal flow (not just with companies on the platform) and to co-invest; to access partnerships such as Crunchbase membership and Vauban discount codes; and to create public or private groups.

I'm now working with a start-up that I was introduced to through Connectd, initially pro bono. There's a lot going on and a lot to do - we're raising funds and there's an exciting future in prospect!

Steve Hutchings