Meet the Mentor: Leesa Chesser

As 2023 begins in earnest, we kick the year off strong by introducing our Meet the Mentor series. Through this series, we will be shining a spotlight on some of the amazing mentors that lend their expertise and innovative ways of thinking to the founder community at Stone & Chalk.

With the first iteration of the series, we reached out to Leesa Chesser to hear about her experiences as a mentor to the Adelaide startup community.

Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your professional background

Since 2020 I’ve been supporting the growth of the Adelaide Stone & Chalk community as a mentor and as an advisory board chair to a VR rehab startup and a machine learning mental wellbeing startup. With over 25 years of experience in complex regulatory and political environments, I’ve played an instrumental role in the delivery of NDIS service reform and transformation as a State Government Minister. I am passionate about founder wellbeing, mental health, the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and ending the gender investment gap. As a professional non-executive director I sit on the boards of several national health boards and I’m a geek about governance.

How would you describe your experience as a Stone & Chalk mentor?

It’s been a privilege to see the Adelaide hub grow into a community of possible people. Wednesday afternoon Sweetspots, where wins, big and small are shared and highlighted. Seeing startups graduate to bigger premises and play a role in solving climate change internationally. Companies who have reached the scaleup stage like XDI (Cross Dependency Initiative), working in climate risk analysis, yet still staying connected to the community, demonstrate the community values that run deep at Stone & Chalk.

What are some of your highlights/success stories from your time as a mentor with Stone & Chalk?

Watching the quiet confidence of a founder grow as their business takes off often makes me smile. As does hearing the words “we have our first big customer and revenue”.

What are your top tips as a mentor for startups looking to grow and scale their business?

• Get comfortable with the unknown; you’re on a mission to change the world for the better with emerging tech.
• Accept advice but own your decisions.
  
• Build a great team around yourselves as founders.
  
• Find balance and practice self care; looking after your wellbeing is an investment in yourself, the startup, and what your investors will expect of you.
  

What should founders consider when seeking a mentor?

Being a founder can be an isolating and high-stake experience. Having an opportunity to decompress and problem-solve with a fresh set of ears, perspectives, and connections a mentor brings can be of great value to the startup and founder. It is important to:

• Remember the time your mentor is sharing with you is an investment in you by the community.
• Build trust by leaving your ego at the door and being honest about where you’re at and what helps you.
  
• Realise it adds value to you and your startup.
  
• Capitalise on that value by preparing a few challenges you’re facing or need support with over the 3 months you’re meeting together. Mentors give their time and respect that contribution to your success.
  

There are a wide variety of mentors with specific skill sets, experiences, and understanding of the levers that can be utilised to help grow your startup. Let your Resident Success Managers know what your challenges are honestly. Some mentors might be short term and some might be with you for a longer period depending on what is needed to succeed.

What tips would you have for someone looking to become a mentor?

Listen deeply; show, don’t tell; practise radical generosity and spend some time by the coffee machine, you’ll be amazed by the people you meet and the cool things being created.

If you are genuinely interested in seeing emerging tech startups transform the Australian economy and have senior leadership experiences you’re committed to sharing, lifelong learning, and building that economy, then the Stone & Chalk communities around Australia are a graviton of goodness you should join.

If you are a Stone & Chalk resident, you can join our MentorMatch program anytime. If this article has inspired you to become a Stone & Chalk mentor, please apply with us here.