Lessons From Building a Peer Support Group at Google for Startups

Being a first-time founder is not a “walk in the park” and can be lonely, stressful and difficult. Over the past year, while working at Google for Startups Israel, I've accompanied various founders, for whom the trepidation and sleepless nights involved in the initial stages of building a company, have become more pronounced as a result of the Coronavirus. 

Even before the pandemic, research on the role of emotional resilience in leadership has led me to embrace a holistic approach in my work with founders. While providing business and technological support remains a key pillar in helping startups accelerate their growth, creating a culture that supports resilient leaders has become just as important, if not more. Take, for example, the burnout many founders experience: research shows that being a member of a community with meaningful ongoing relationships, reduces burnout risk factors.

The Catalyst

Over the past few months, following dozens of 1:1’s with startups from our community, it became evident there was a deep need for a peer to peer structure amidst the “new-normal” remote reality. This led us to create a first of first of its kind program for our founders.

This week marked the culmination of ‘Founders Circle’, which I had the privilege to build and co-lead along with Executive Coach Oren Hod  (an ex-founder himself, whose startup Veed.Me got acquired by Fiverr.com). The program was created with the purpose of providing a safe and open space for founders to connect and receive support, leveraging the collective experience of the circle's members, using a mix of tools and resources from the executive coaching world.

The program

• The Concept: Over the course of 4 months, selected founders gathered in remote, bi-weekly group sessions, facilitated by Oren. The program was based on the premise that to enable a transformation process from a startup-founder into an effective leader, there is a need for interdisciplinary tools across focus areas of mental and emotional health. The circle brought to the surface topics like self-care routine, setting support structures, identifying individual strengths and the value of authentic leadership and communication, in an intimate, non-judgmental setting. 
• Selection Process: When we set out to curate the program’s members, it was clear that beyond ensuring the founders are in similar business stages, it was vital they have the right mindset. The path to creating a safe space between strangers heavily relies on the openness level and vulnerability of the group’s members, and having a transparent conversation and expectation setting in the initial interview stage in that aspect was key. 
• Q&A Circle: The Circle's core mission was to create a space where founders can raise tough questions and be understood without judgment. That's why we decided to add an optional, monthly Q&A session, enabling a deeper dive into personal dilemmas that don’t receive much attention in the daily hustle. As mentioned by one of the founders, "publications refer to successes and the feeling is that sharing difficulty may come out and hurt the company... The circle allowed me to share anything, get reinforcement and consult both on personal difficulty, insecurity, and also on business steps".
• 1:1 Coaching: As part of the program, each founder got to meet with Oren for 1:1 executive coaching sessions - ensuring the support is given on both a group and personal level.
• Ongoing Communication: From the outset, we hoped the most valuable tools founders will gain from the program, would come from listening to others’ experience, or simply put - peer mentorship. This was done in both the sessions themselves, as well as a designated whatsapp group. In addition, each founder was matched with a “buddy”, ensuring meaningful connections are forged alongside the group experience. 

According to one of the founders who took part in the program, “As a first-time entrepreneur, I experience constant stress and a need to prove and execute. Stress comes at a mental and health cost. The circle helped me find tools and strength. Although the startup ecosystem is supportive, and there is a lot of information, there is almost no one to share the real difficulties with. Mentors and consultants have their own agendas, and only entrepreneurs can truly understand and share from their personal experience". 

The Value

Nothing about being a founder is easy, but having the right support system to make it through the highs and the lows makes a difference. This system doesn’t just mean the investors, mentors, or advisors a founder meets throughout the way; It's about the peers going through similar struggles, who can provide support where few others may be able to relate. 

At Google for Startups, I've realized the biggest value we can provide founders - beyond the ongoing business support - is rooted in curating a supportive community, where resources, knowledge, and support are shared without questioning. At times where the word “mentor” is often overused, the power and insights which can be gained through peer mentorship are tremendous. 

Yes - creating intimacy in a remote group setting isn’t easy. It takes thoughtful facilitation (kudos to Oren, who managed to create an open atmosphere, by asking open ended, thought provoking questions and creating authentic dialogue throughout). Moreover, paying attention to the founders’ mindset and setting expectation as to the commitment required prior to the program, has proven to be particularly powerful, eventually creating a sense of camaraderie: a space to share frustrations, celebrate the small wins, and fuel with inspiration to push through the hard moments. 

Above all, bringing like minded founders into the same (virtual) room, especially at times of uncertainty, has managed to create a unique sense of belonging, empowerment, and friendships, eventually creating the peer-to-peer support structure that is so critical in building successful companies today.