Last year I wrote a post about the Natwest Pre-Accelerator, shortly before I was due to begin the full programme to grow my business. At the time I didn’t realise how much of a ‘taster’ the pre-accelerator was, or how my fear of pitching was going to be tested over and over again throughout the next 6 months.
Once I moved up to the full programme my anxiety doubled, but over time my imposter syndrome eased as I got to know more of the 80+ entrepreneur around me. It also helped that over half of the people I spoke to in my first few days were equally afraid of everyone else in the room.
Despite the accelerator being in Manchester and the journey taking me almost 2 hours from home to hub, I was determined to get as much out of the programme as I could. I took the train into Manchester every week to attend the various events and as spend some time working from the free space.
The events were a mix of sessions about things like working on your business, your mindset, visioning and planning, cashflow forecasting and networking. Most of the events were led by the Natwest Accelerator team, but there also guest speakers and short talks from other entrepreneurs on the programme too.
One part of the Accelerator was the monthly coaching sessions with my assigned coach. Each month I had to set goals for myself and my business, which I’d discuss my progress on the following month. The process was really valuable, especially having someone to help keep me accountable and find areas to make improvements in my business for the first time. Sometimes you get caught up in the minutiae of just doing the work, so stepping back and seeing the bigger picture is really important.
The coaching sessions helped me realise the direction I actually want to take my business in, letting go of anything I thought I should be doing but didn’t really want. It took me a couple of months to actually believe there isn’t just one way to do business, but I don’t think many people are completely confident in doing things their own way from day one.
I think the most beneficial part of the accelerator for me was the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs. My network before the accelerator was full of designers and creative professionals, but meeting people who work in completely different industries enabled me to focus on the business side of things and not just what I make. I learned so much from the people I met and even made some friends from the group who I now socialise with outside the hub.
Being in an environment where everyone is encouraged to share ideas and help each other out brings out the best in some people. Not all 80 entrepreneurs stuck around for the full 6 months, but the ones who did were really generous with their time and knowledge. Many were like me, still new to being a business owners, so we shared our worries and stresses and found comfort in the knowledge that it’s okay to not know anything yet. Other people who have been working on other businesses for years also shared their worries, stresses and knowledge, contributing to group sessions and giving advice when they’d come through similar situations.
My experience with the Natwest Accelerator wouldn’t have been the same if I’d only showed up for a couple of sessions and did the bare minimum. By taking the time to get to know people I was able to share so much more and learn a huge amount from the people around me. I’m so grateful for the people who also turned up and helped me out.
I even won an award for mindset from the team, which meant a lot more to me than I was expecting. It’s so easy to get stuck in the work and the stress of deadlines and making money. To have someone outside of your client list acknowledge your hard work and efforts somehow makes it easier to feel like you’re on the right track.
I’ve actually applied to continue on for another six months, so hopefully I’ll have even more good things to say when March rolls around. Whatever happens, I’m definitely in a much stronger position when it comes to my business thanks to the Manchester Natwest Accelerator team!