Jean-Pierre Raubenheimer

Easy to follow. I found the pace reasonable, and could move from each stage to the next easily.

Absolutely fantastic service from start to finish. Consultants were clear about expectations and requirements. Fees were transparent and reasonable. I literally gave what they asked for - and got the results that I wanted. Frictionless service.

Connectd does what is says on the tin. So my advice to potential joiners is to understand their offering. As an advisor, I paid the fee and gained access to their platform (network) and events that they hold. In addition I received an education about building a portfolio career, and a "first" job as advisor. Yes one job is pro-bono, but this is how the platform is able to create this ecosystem. It's not a recruiter. Its a platform. In my case I have connected with 3 startups. One is my pro bono job, the rest is left for us to negotiate. Connectd left me to interact directly with my counterparts at various startups. This required effort from my side - but also meant Connectd isn't involved in my negotiations and relationships. My fee for this access translated into around £8-£9 per day. So one less pint at the pub. All things considered - I would say this is good value for money. As long as you understand you are buying access to a platform and network. You're not working pro bono in exchange for a fee. This mental framing is key to appreciating the value. And you either accept it or don't.

In terms of the startups - my personal experience has been that the startups are generally early stage. So lots of work and experience to be gained - but it also means there's a lot of bootstrapping going on. And for sure there is plenty of opportunity to pass on knowledge. This being said, I think its worth recognizing that Connectd is also relatively young still and growing fast and even just launched in the US. As the platform grows and the philosophy of investors/Advisors/founders takes off, there will likely be more later stage startups in the mix too. Investors want good investments. Founders need investment. And advisors bridge that gap between a business that's ready for investment and one that's not.

Startups are not easy. They require money. They require expertise. They require passion.

Investors, Advisors, Founders.

Connectd is what you make out of it. Personally I'm giving it a 4/5 ranking - simply because there's always room for improvement!