Coaches-on-Call is a professional mentoring program for entrepreneurial students provided by the Stanford Entrepreneurship Network (SEN), a campus-wide federation of entrepreneurship programs at Stanford University. The goal is to enable students interested in entrepreneurship to obtain informal, practical advice from industry professionals, who make themselves available during prearranged “office hours.”

Coaches come in for a total of two hours and conduct up to four 30-minute appointments with individual students. Students can ask for advice on various issues ranging from best practices for starting and financing a company to feedback on a particular aspect of a business plan, based on the expertise of the executive with whom they are meeting. The students are not allowed to ask for funding or a job.

This service is only available to Stanford University students.

What is required of me, if I sign up to coach?

We ask for a two-hour commitment on campus, scheduled at your convenience. During that time, you will conduct up to four mentoring sessions of 30 minutes each. All you need to do is show up. Though we will provide you with information about the students’ interests in advance, these meetings do not require any preparation on your part; it is the student’s responsibility to prepare questions appropriate for your area of expertise.

What if there is down time during my visit?

You will have access to the Stanford wireless connection while on campus in order to remain productive during any down time.

Do students sign up in advance and are they given information about my expertise at that time? Am I also given information about them in advance?

Yes. The SEN website will list the coaches coming to campus, their backgrounds, and which time slots are available. A student selects a meeting time from the options presented and submits a short write-up as to why he/she wants to see the coach. We will give you this information in advance, so you will have an idea as to what questions the student will ask.

How do I indicate my interest in being a coach?

Please contact Belén M Torres-Gil.

What information do you need from me and when?

We need your name, contact information, and a one-paragraph bio indicating your area of expertise. We set the schedule at the beginning of each academic quarter.

Who is the contact person at Stanford?

Belén M Torres-Gil: (650) 723-2164. Once you are signed up, she will contact you to schedule your session, send you information, and be available to answer questions and provide assistance.