AGLN Blog

So you’ve hit a roadblock.

The process of taking a venture from idea to reality can be a bumpy road. And it can be a lonely one – if you don't have a trusted team to help you get through. When it comes to addressing challenges facing your Aspen venture, we know that a safe space for reflection, discussion and advice is critical. How often can you take a step back to share openly and think big with a trusted sounding board?  Not often enough, we know.

We’re hoping to give you that space and the ability to tap into the wealth of expertise – across geographies, markets, and disciplines – of your fellow Fellows. Peer Consultancies – a tested and disciplined format deployed across the AGLN – provide an ideal forum for the kind of communal brainstorming and feedback needed to give you that extra boost. 
  A featured activity at the Resnick Aspen Action Forum, Peer Consultancies offer a tailor-made opportunity to present a challenge you face in your venture to about 20 Fellows who serve as your personal “board of advisors”. Over the course of 90 minutes, you'll describe your challenge and answer specific clarifying questions. The advisors will offer probing questions, constructive feedback, and targeted advice on how to approach the situation. Sometimes, the power of the consultancy comes not from the answers provided, but from the questions posed – forcing you to reframe your thinking in a different light.

These sessions are designed not just to benefit you, but also those serving as your advisors. You'll very likely expose new problem sets applicable to their own situations, stimulate insights relevant to establishing and growing their own ventures, and help to forge connections among Fellows pursuing similar goals.
 
Whether you’re stuck thinking about how to scale your venture for expanded reach, grappling with which business model can best deliver long-term sustainability, conflicted on how to grow your team while maintaining its culture, struggling to honestly assess if your concept has legs -- or dealing with any one of countless other strategic challenges we know you may face -- then this opportunity is for you.

About 10 Peer Consultancies slots are available at the 2018 Resnick Aspen Action Forum. To explore if you are a good fit to present your challenge, e-mail Alexis Ettinger, Senior Manager of Ventures.