Axa Assurance Maroc - Insurer Innovation Award 2024
Eg Next Generation Edward Lowe Fndn2
1. Starting a New Conversation
Understanding and working with
second-stage entrepreneurs
2. Why Second-Stage Companies?
Because we believe they have the greatest
positive impact on the economy
• Create jobs
• Attract money
• Attract companies and talent
• Drive culture
• Affect philanthropy
• Drive policy decisions through identified needs
• Bring other companies to the table
4. Important Questions to Ask
• How do we get in front of the second-stage
audience?
• How do we understand them?
• How do we talk to them?
• What programs should we develop?
• Who should help us?
6. An Honest Critique of Your
Current Audience
• What does your audience look like?
• Can you segment them?
• Is there a uniting factor that brings them together?
• Are you the “go to” source for them on at least
three things?
• Are you currently reaching second-stage
companies?
7. An Honest Critique of Your
Current Programs
• What programs are you currently offering?
• Who or what drives program content?
• Do any of these programs affect second-stage
companies?
9. How to Spot a Second Stager
• Moves fast and faces
complex problems, often
many at the same time
• Not attracted to traditional
ways of learning
• Very little time to devote
to learning and it must be
just-in-time
• Content must be relevant
instead of elaborate
• Need to build systems so
they can step away from
the business
• Too much business can
trip them up faster than
too little – capacity issues
• Hard to gain their trust
• Trust their peers
• Process everything
through the lens of their
business
• May love creating but not
managing
• Very positive
10. Culture Rules!
Theirs and Yours
• “Culture is the last mile. It’s the most important
part of an entrepreneurial community—and the
hardest to achieve.”
• “Entrepreneurs dress differently, talk differently
and act differently.”
• “Creating the right culture is about changing
attitudes.”
• “You don’t change culture overnight.”
11. Does Your Culture Look Like
Theirs?
• Do you listen to ideas, then act and implement
quickly?
• Can you live with making mistakes?
• Are you willing to change some of your direction
to serve your audience?
• Do you understand outside audiences well enough
to find and match resources?
• Is it OK if you don’t know everything?
12. Would You Turn Yourself Upside
Down for Them?
The strongest
organizations allow
ideas to flow from the
bottom up instead of
always from the top
down.
14. Avoiding the Problem of
“Here I am, what are you going to
do with me?”
• Don’t make them wait on you
• Your infrastructure must be fluid enough to
implement quickly
• Your team must buy in on culture
• The rest of your audience is ready to come to the
table
15. Now Can I Go Find Them?
• Bigger isn’t always better
• Work with your friends first – testimonials make
powerful recruiting tools
• Be wary of gunshot approaches
16. How to Listen
• Small groups vs. surveys
• Keep mixing up the groups
• Open your mind beyond the traditional
• What do they need they’re not getting
anywhere else?
• What issues are typical only to your region?
• Turn needs into programs
17. It’s Crowded out There!
• The good news:
Entrepreneurship will
save the day!
• The challenging news:
It is on everyone’s
agenda.
• How will you
differentiate your
organization?
18. Partnerships
Avoiding the Bull’s-eye
• You’re not the only one
getting into the
entrepreneurship game!
• What niche can you fill
that no one else is after?
• Your current partners –
What’s in it for them?
• What organizations help
you complete the picture?
19. Programming Makes a Difference
• Keep asking your
audience, “What keeps
you up at night?”
• Turn problems into
programs
• Use entrepreneurs to
deliver the content
• Have respected
experts on hand who
“get it”
• Become specialists in
peer-to-peer learning
20. Becoming The Match Maker
• Understand that
relationships drive
partnerships and sales
• Take time to really
know your audience
• Develop programs that
push people to meet
and talk:
– Speed dating
– Wine tastings
– Pitch development
21. Is Everyone Feeling the Love?
• Find ways to tell and broadcast success stories
• Make the media’s job easier
• Plan innovative ways to celebrate success
22. The Highlights
• Assess current audience and programs
• Look beyond the entrepreneur’s obvious needs
• Understand what makes second-stage companies different
• Culture rules!
• Be willing to turn yourself upside down
• Be ready for the hunt
• Bigger isn’t always better
• Listen well – become a trusted source
• Partner!
• Turn ideas into programs
• Don’t make it too hard!
