28 Sep Group Mentorship Study
As part of my Psychology masters thesis at Northumbria University, I am offering a series of free online mentoring workshops for early-stage women entrepreneurs. This information sheet explains what the study involves so you can decide if you’d like to take part.
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Participant Information Sheet
You are being invited to take part in a study testing a new set of entrepreneurial mentoring workshop sessions to see if they impact the way women early career entrepreneurs think about and approach sales and marketing, and other business growth activities.
Before you decide if you would like to take part, please read this information so you understand why the study is being carried out and what it will involve.
Reading this document, discussing it with others, or asking any questions you might have will help you decide whether you would like to take part.
What is the purpose of the study?
This study looks at the effects of mentoring new entrepreneurial workshop sessions to see if they impact the way early-stage women entrepreneurs think about and approach business. The findings will not only contribute to psychology research but could also help shape better support for entrepreneurs.
Why have I been invited?
You have been invited because you are an adult women entrepreneur in the early stages of your business venture. Please make sure you meet the eligibility criteria below:
- An adult women entrepreneur over the age of 18
- Within three years of starting your business
- Running a purpose-driven or mission-led venture (e. the purpose of your business is to make a positive difference, help others, promote wellbeing, or contribute to a wider cause, alongside generating income).
- Revenue is less than £50,000 annually.
Do I have to take part?
No. It is up to you whether you would like to take part in the study. I am giving you this information sheet to help you make that decision. If you do decide to take part, you have the right to withdraw at any time.
What will happen if I take part?
If you take part, you will be asked to:
- Attend three weekly group online mentoring sessions (2–3 hours each) via Zoom, trying your best to attend these online sessions live. Details of how these sessions work is outlined in the next section. You will either take part soon, or be put on a waiting list to join the next available programme.
- Provide survey data on yourself and your entrepreneurial experience on two separate occasions so that we can keep a track on any changes over the duration of your participation in this study. This should take no longer than 10-15 minutes each time.
- Provide some short open-ended reflection questions following mentoring sessions. These are entirely voluntary, but it would be great to hear what you think about the sessions and any impact they have on your entrepreneurial behaviours.
What is covered in the workshops?
The workshops are live, they will take place via Zoom, and they will be attended by a group of entrepreneurs in a similar stage of business.
The workshops will include a mix of teaching around key topics (namely marketing, sales, and entrepreneurial mindset), an opportunity to ask your unique questions directly to me as your mentor, and hot seat coaching and mentoring, meaning we will work through a challenge you’re facing together, but in front of the group so that others might benefit from the conversation too.
What are the possible disadvantages of taking part?
There are no anticipated risks. However, reflecting on business challenges and confidence may cause mild emotional discomfort. If this occurs, you may skip any questions or withdraw. Contact details for support organisations will be provided in the debrief sheet.
You will have to set aside six-to-nine hours of your time to participate. Taking part in this project involves attending three group workshops (approximately two-to-three hours each week, spaced equally over three weeks).
What are the possible benefits of taking part?
Some participants enjoy taking part in studies like this because it gives them a structured way to reflect on their business journey. The mentorship may also provide new ideas, encouragement, and practical strategies you can take forward – while at the same time contributing to important psychological research.
While this time is of course valuable, the sessions are free and designed to help you with your future business activities
Will my taking part in this study be kept confidential and anonymous?
Yes. Your data will be anonymised using participant codes. Identifiable details (e.g. email addresses) will be stored separately from survey responses and will not appear in any reports. Open-ended comments will be reviewed and de-identified to remove names or business references.
How will my data be stored, and how long will it be stored for?
The anonymous data will be collected through Qualtrics (a secure online encrypted platform). Only the research team will have access to this data during the project. Once downloaded, the data will be stored securely – and in accordance with Northumbria University guidelines and the Data Protection Act (2018) – on the University’s password-protected OneDrive. The data will be stored for a minimum period five years after the MSc Thesis Project is submitted.
Will my data be shared with others?
The anonymous data may be made publicly available via an open-access data repository in a format that allows others to verify the findings and use the data themselves.
What data will be collected and processed in this study?
The data collected will include:
- Demographic information (e.g., age range, years in business, revenue bracket)
- Survey responses on self-efficacy, visibility risk, and entrepreneurial action
- Optional open-ended reflections on confidence and visibility
What will happen to the results of the study, and could the data be used in future research?
The results will be published in the form of an MSc Psychology Dissertation at Northumbria University. There may also be an opportunity to disseminate results via other outlets (e.g., academic presentations and peer-reviewed publications). Anonymous data may be reused for future research.
What will happen if I don’t want to carry on with the study?
You have the right to withdraw from the study at any time without a reason. You may withdraw your data within two weeks of completing the survey. After this deadline, that data may be anonymised and therefore cannot be removed.
If you decide to withdraw from the study, you will also be withdrawing from the mentorship programme and will not be able to continue attending the workshops.
Who is organising the study?
Lisa Bean, Supervised by Dr Michael Grugan.
Who has reviewed this study?
This study has been approved via the Northumbria University Online Ethics System (Reference: 11052).
Contacts for further information:
Researcher email: lisa.bean@northumbria.ac.uk
If you would prefer to contact an independent person about the study, or general information on Northumbria University’s approach to approving research, you can contact the Department Chair of Ethics: emma.barkus@northumbria.ac.uk
Records and Information Officer at Northumbria University, Duncan James: dp.officer@northumbria.ac.uk
Thank you for reading this information sheet.