Running a company: Where are our support networks?

Convener(s): Sebastian Warrack

Participants: Dee Evans, Sebastian Warrack, Lisa Maguire, Jonathan Petherbridge, Annie Rigby... Many more (please write names below)

Summary of discussion, conclusions and/or recommendations:

• Working for a small organization means that you don’t have a support network close to hand – whether this is practical support or emotional support
• Who can you turn to?
• The need for reassurance
• To know that there are others who are in the same boat
• Often this is most useful from people doing a similar job
• The “imposter syndrome”
• We all feel that we are imposters and that everyone else knows what they are doing – we’ll be found out!
• This can be debilitating, isolating
• It is a relief to discover that we are all feeling our way
• Is there support from the board – that is what they are there for
• Sometimes they are not supportive
• Sometimes they are supportive but don’t have the requisite skills
• Hence the need to choose board members carefully – skills audit
• Does the Arts Council offer useful support?
• Often the personnel don’t come from the sector so don’t have the skills
• Important for ACE to consider this when recruiting in the current major wave of recruitment
• Peer mentoring is an important way of getting support
• The need to share information
• Improbable has a mentoring scheme
• ITC has the General Managers’ Forum
• Actors’ Centre surgeries – primarily aimed at young companies just starting out
• Creative mentoring is often easier to find because we work in the creative industries and we are mostly creative animals, mixing with other creative animals. It comes more naturally
• There is a real need for business mentoring
• Who can match-make?
• Where can these mentors be found? How can relationships be brokered? ITC? ACE?
• Cross sector mentoring can also be really useful – not only refer to one’s obvious peers
• E.g. Subsidised sector seeking advice from commercial sector
• Also cross arts  mentoring – theatre, dance
• Also important to acknowledge the need for well-being support
• Hard in small organizations for staff support, owing to limited number of staff and time – everyone so busy
• Should support networks remain informal or have a bit more structure so people recognize their responsibilities
• Should large well-funded organizations have these responsibilities included in their funding agreements?
• Important to acknowledge that large organizations also have a lot to learn from smaller organizations – the ability to be flexible, media and technology
• Networks for companies can feel invisible – more “in the air”
• Online support, run by users
• This can mean more people have access to this advice and support – greater benefit
• No need for repetition
• Individuals should commit to hosting a session
• What specific support has one to offer?
• This support should stimulate the giver as much as the receiver
• National Theatre Wales has a website for news and one for community use – on line community
• Young Vic model for directors
• Stan’s Café on line support – setting up a company