Retrospectives

Related Services: Narrative Coaching, Growth Planning, Leadership Support

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Why Retrospect?

The early stages of founding a venture are busy. Once the work begins, it gets busier. Once the venture is established, maintenance, expansion, increased visibility and impact compete for attention and time. Despite the endless tasks involved in bringing an idea to life, it is important to find moments to take stock of where you are and how you are doing. These check-ins come in the form of meeting with advisory boards and donors and funders. Here you have the opportunity to present your successes, shortcomings, request help and guidance and show them what you as the founder/s have accomplished and your future goals.

“A retrospective is a tool to examine the past, reconnect with your ethic and aesthetic. It is a means to collate the words and artifacts to share an authentic and persuasive narrative”

In the earliest stages of a venture when you are still inviting an advisory board or beginning to look for funds, undertaking a deliberate reflection on your past endeavors is essential to share a clear narrative. A retrospective is a tool to examine the past, reconnect with your ethic and aesthetic. It is a means to collate the words and artifacts to share an authentic and persuasive narrative of yourself and your venture. It is also a learning tool to determine your areas of competence and weakness and move forward with a more deliberate plan of talent needed and why.

A retrospective should add more depth to your vision and mission, nuance to your values and practice, engender gratitude for your partners, bring joy for your accomplishments and a hunger for the future!

When to Retrospect?

The timing can be determined based on when you feel ready or feel a need for it but a good rule would be soon after a major milestone. Completing a major prototype, completing a significant client engagement, raising your first round of money, reaching your target customer pool - any major milestone in the lifecycle of your venture should be followed by a brief pause to look back, reflect and move forward more energized than before.