This article describes the mentoring relationship between founder Sampson Agboola and his mentor Jessica Oku as part of the VC4A community. We interviewed both participants and learned key insights on the outcome of the mentorship and how they were able to navigate their business challenges with the necessary support and guidance. Sampson Agboola, founder of imisi Healthcare, began his journey with VC4A through the Startup Academy, where he first realized his need for mentors. He has since had four successful mentorship relationships on the platform but reached out to Jessica Oku when the guidance he needed was around the company’s finances. Jessica Oku is the Chief Business Finance Coach at Scaleup Coaching Inc. She brought her extensive experience in the financial sector to help Imisi Healthcare become viable for investment. About Imisi Healthcare: Imisi HealthCARE is a digital health ecosystem that seamlessly connects patients, providers, facilities, and stakeholders to deliver prompt and personalized care across Africa. Sector: Healthtech Location: Port Harcourt, Nigeria Learn more: About imisi Healthcare Goals and expectations of the mentorship At the start of the mentorship, Sampson’s primary goals were to seek guidance to develop a fundraising strategy, consultations on creating a pitch deck that will interest investors, and to source contact information of some health-tech investors once they were investor-ready. Sampson’s initial expectation was to secure funding by the end of the mentorship. Jessica helped him manage this expectation and understand the full investment readiness process, which helped align their efforts throughout their time together. Challenges and opportunities Sampson faced several key challenges at the beginning of the mentorship, including the development of a unique fundraising strategy and pitch deck, establishing contact with investors, and aligning with investors’ expectations to generate funding interest. Jessica addressed these challenges by providing resources and advice. She helped educate Sampson on financial responsibility and how to allocate capital to drive business growth. Jessica also provided feedback on their financial records to ensure they were viable for investment and provided contact information for investors and grant opportunities. Mentorship process and actions taken Duration and frequency of meetings: The mentorship was initially for three months but was extended to six, with meetings held once a month. Types of support provided: Jessica provided coaching and technical guidance. She provided templates that Sampson used to put her recommendations into action. Progress and achievements The mentorship led to measurable improvements for Imisi Healthcare. Pitch deck: Jessica helped Sampson transform his pitch deck into a compelling presentation that earned responses from investors and accelerators. This refined deck helped Imisi Healthcare gain acceptance into a Swiss-based, Africa-focused accelerator called CV VC and the Lisk African Incubation Hub. Fundraising strategy: Jessica helped Sampson create a targeted strategy to engage investors aligned with their sector, which she considered a key achievement for her as a mentor. Mindset shift: Sampson, who was previously trying to do too many things at once, shifted his mindset to focus on launching one or two products first and then building on that as the business grows. He also became more confident in his interactions with investors. Lessons learned and the journey ahead Sampson is now focused on fundraising and feels he has all the knowledge he needs for this stage of his business. He is not actively looking for mentors at this stage. His actions, such as having access to investor details and applying for investment, are taking him closer to raising the funds his business needs. A key recommendation from this mentorship is to provide more visibility for founders to investors. Testimonials: Sampson Agboola “Jessica is very helpful and resourceful. She was also very generous with her time. She was also very friendly and relatable. If I were to rate her over 100 I would give her 100.” Jessica Oku “He is tenacious, resilient and passionate about his business. His product has great value and is scalable. His only limitation now is funding but he has all it takes to succeed.” Take the next step in your entrepreneurial journey with VC4A This case study shows the impact that a great mentorship match can have on a startup’s journey. Like Sampson, you can find the guidance you need to overcome challenges and achieve your startup goals. Are you a founder looking for a mentor? Find the right expert to guide you on the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace. Are you an experienced professional interested in giving back? Join the VC4A community and become a startup mentor. Every story shared is a step towards collective growth in the ecosystem. Health care Mentor-Driven Capital VC4A Mentor