Mentoring Fit, Social Learning, and Venture Progress During Business Incubation

Abstract

We explored how incubated entrepreneurs conceptualize mentoring, and how mentoring affects venture progress. This qualitative study involved semi-structured interviews with 18 entrepreneurs incubated in four Canadian BIs. Interview data was transcribed and analyzed using NVivo software. The conceptual model suggests that the ‘fit’ between entrepreneur’s needs and the provided mentoring services matters to the outcomes of business incubation. Mentoring fit is conceptualized along three dimensions: content, quality, and availability. When fit is high, incubated entrepreneurs learn important lessons directly and vicariously from mentors. But when fit is low, it is inadequate to support social learning and will not have positive effects.