7 thoughts on “MentoringMe”

  6. milenab says:

    No, I would not invest in this venture. Although, it is an elevator pitch, the information presented is scarce and unclear. I do not feel as though there is enough information presented or enough confidence in the presenters pitch. Many of the below points are not addressed and the ones that are do not answer or inform the viewer adequately about the venture.

    • Pain Point(the market gap or problem the venture is addressing): mentorship – mentors (more experienced teachers) for new teachers via the web.
    • Solution (the new product or service that resolves the pain): The presenter claims that it is better than a district mentorship programs because it will “transcends time and geographical boundaries allowing for synchronous and asynchronous collaboration opportunities”. It will also allow the mentor teachers to be introduced to new technologies. (this seems unclear, where is their focus? The mentorship of new teachers, or the introduction of new technologies to the more experienced teachers?)
    • Differentiation (the reason someone will buy or use this new service, versus the alternatives): It’s apparently better than the usual mentorship programs that are put in place in schools and school districts.
    • Marketing(where and how buyers/users will be reached): Not addressed.
    • Championship(the competency of the venture’s leaders and advisors): Not addressed.
    • Competition (an overview of competitors and partners): Not addressed.
    • The Ask: It is not made evident how much money is required to take the next steps.
    • The Return (how much and how soon will an investor be recompensed): Not addressed.

  7. jldr says:

    No, I would not invest in this venture – not because I find any fault in the idea presented but because it just doesn’t excite me. The presenter claims that MentoringMe has already launched a pilot project and has met with success but there is no explanation of what that means. Based on the difficulties my school is having trying to get colleagues to collaborate face-to-face, I am not convinced that this would be a successful project.

    A quick Google search shows that there are similar programs for disadvantaged youth in poor countries and for youth and college students so there does seem to be a niche market for this product and the idea may have some merit. However, I would need to be presented with an effective plan for enticing and maintaining users to look at this any further. I would not pursue this venture any further.

    These are the negatives and positives of this pitch.

    1. CEO & Team:

    • CEO Credibility:
    (-) this person does not project the capability, confidence, and experience for a successful venture
    • Management Team:
    (-) no management team is mentioned

    2. Venture Concept:

    (-) the concept is not original but (+) there appears to be a niche market
    (+) the product seems feasible
    (-) the number of potential users has not been determined
    (-) the story is somewhat credible but not incredibly compelling

    (+) Pain Point: young teachers could benefit from more experience, older teachers could benefit from
    learning about technology
    (+) Solution: MentorMe is an online service similar to dating service to connect interested teachers
    (-) Differentiation: there is no compelling reason why teachers would use this new product

    3. Marketability:

    (+) Opportunity Space: the product is targeted to interested teachers
    (+) Competitive Edge: overcoming time and geographical boundaries are offered as advantages over
    traditional mentorship
    (-) Marketing: there is no mention of a cost for this service or whether it would be to the school,
    district or individual
    (-) Competition: competitors are not mentioned

    4. Venture Plan:
    (-) Market Readiness: no timeline is provided
    (-) Exit Strategy: success is not defined
    (-) Investor Affinity: I am not interested in this project

    (-) The Ask: the presenter does not ask for a specific amount of money and the purpose (to expand
    our client base) is too vague
    (-) The Return: no projected return or timeline is offered

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