This article describes the mentoring relationship between startup founder, Princess Chiamaka Onwuka and her mentor, Theresa Fehle as part of IFC’s SheWins Africa program. VC4A 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. IFC’s SheWins Africa 2024 program, implemented in partnership with VC4A, is dedicated to supporting female-founded startups across Africa. The program aims to improve opportunities for women-led startups to access early-stage financing. Among other program components mentorship is an important component and this case study is showcasing one of the many mentor matches part of SheWins Africa. Princess Chiamaka Onwuka is the co-founder of Safeticha, a platform providing safer recruitment and professional development services for educators. As part of the mentorship aspect of the program, Princess was matched with investment, strategy, and business development professional Theresa Fehle, who currently is Chief of Staff at Ignitia. The objective of the mentorship was to help Safeticha refine its business model, streamline its target market, and find product-market fit. About Safeticha: Safeticha is a recruitment and professional development platform for educators and schools. Sector: Edtech Location: Lagos, Nigeria Learn more about the company: See Safeticha “As we now work towards investment readiness, our mentor has helped us identify and properly track the metrics investors look out for. She has also made valuable introductions for us.” – Princess Chiamaka Onwuka, Co-founder, Safeticha Goals and expectations of the mentorship Princess and her co-founder sought mentorship to help put their early-stage business on the right track. Through the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace, they were able to be matched with Theresa whose expertise they hoped could help address their challenges. Theresa took on an advisory role in her mentorship support, working closely with the founders to deconstruct their old business models and build a new one. She provided hands-on support, with a focus on improving Safeticha’s financials, and served as a sounding board for the founders. The challenge: Technical support to improve business structure and skills gap The initial challenges faced by Safeticha were primarily skill gaps in areas including finance, strategy, and professional skills. To address these, Theresa provided coaching, technical guidance, and access to her network and resources, including templates, articles, and connections to potential partners. Theresa also noted that Safeticha stands out by uniquely focusing on teacher empowerment, providing a platform where educators can host, customize, and monetize their own courses, thereby tapping into an under-explored side of the education sector. This presented a key opportunity that she helped the founders leverage. Specifically, Theresa provided the following support: Coaching and technical guidance Worked closely with the founders to deconstruct their old business model and build a new one Provided hands-on support, focused on financials Access to resources and networks Shared templates, articles, and other resources to help the founders strengthen necessary skills. Made introductions to potential partners, including an edtech company in East Africa. The mentorship process and actions taken The mentorship involved bi-monthly meetings, and direct WhatsApp check-ins. Theresa’s support spanned coaching, technical guidance, and introductions to potential partners. The mentorship had a significant impact on Safeticha’s progress. The founders were able to pivot their business model, going from “chasing the market to the market chasing them”. “We recorded our first revenue within 12 months, thanks to Theresa’s guidance. The company also experienced a 300% growth in its user base during this period.” – Princess Chiamaka Onwuka. Theresa helped the founders develop their pitch deck and elevator pitch, and also recommended a brand specialist to help Princess grow her personal brand. She also connected Safeticha with an edtech company in East Africa for a potential partnership. Princess appreciated Theresa’s expertise in finance and her valuable introductions, while Theresa noted that Princess’ dedication, commitment, and accountability throughout the mentoring relationship helped them succeed in the program. Results Business model pivot: Safeticha was able to pivot their business model, which helped them become more appealing to customers. Platform pivot: Pivoting their platform to serve teachers, a unique and lesser-explored side of the education sector. Product-market fit: Through Theresa’s guidance, Safeticha was able to achieve a product-market fit, and the market responded positively to their new business model. Lessons learned and the journey ahead Key learnings for the mentee, Princess: Focus on traction in one business model/revenue stream at a time. Get investment ready (pitch deck support, financials, data room). Securing strategic partnerships are just as important as revenue play. Key learnings for the mentor, Theresa: Coaching over instructing: Founders often have the solutions within them, they just need the nudge. Giving them space for reflection is more effective than imposing your ideas. Focus on high-impact goals: Rather than trying to solve everything at once, focusing on 2-3 high-impact goals allows for actual progress in targeted areas. Building from the ground up: While Theresa’s background has been mostly in growth-stage startups, this experience gave her insights into what it takes to build traction from the ground up. With the foundational work laid by Theresa, Safeticha is well-positioned to continue on its growth trajectory. The lessons learned and the access to networks gained during the mentorship will create a path to success for Safeticha’s goal towards becoming a leading platform in the edtech sector. Testimonials Princess Chiamaka Onwuka: “My mentor has been the highlight of this program for me. She is a finance expert which is what we needed as an organization. In a few months, she has transformed our bookkeeping and improved our finances. As we work towards investment readiness, she has helped us identify and properly track the metrics investors look out for. She has also made valuable introductions for us.” Theresa Fehle: “Participating as a mentor in the She Wins Africa program has been an incredibly rewarding experience. What stands out the most was Princess’ dedication, commitment, and accountability to the program and our mentorship. By sharing her journey with me, I learned the importance of asking the right questions—and believing in the founder’s own ability to find answers and solutions.” How to get involved in mentorship on VC4A For aspiring entrepreneurs and mentors, this case study highlights how important mentorship is to unlocking a startup’s full potential. If you are a startup looking for guidance, the VC4A Mentorship Marketplace has supported hundreds of founders just like you, with reliable mentors who are only interested in your success. If you are a professional interested in mentoring, consider joining VC4A as a startup mentor. AI Case Studies edtech mentorship startup VC4A Mentorship Marketplace