Stephen Bird is the founder of Abrdn, a startup similar to Upwork. He is a tech veteran who is always looking to do more with less. When he founded Abrdn, Bird saw his opportunity to try something new, which was reverse mentoring.
- About Abdrn Company
Abrdn is a UK Global investment firm that helps creative people turn their ideas into a business. To make that happen, Abrdn invests in entrepreneurs who have invented products and services that solve real-world problems. With a fixed rate of 6%, Abrdn spreads the risk for its investors by investing in multiple projects and giving them more capital to scale up. It offers access to a vast network of global investors, industry experts, and founders who will help you grow your business faster than you could.
- Stephen Bird’s StartUp Journey
Bird founded Abrdn after a lucrative career as a trader in London. When he was 38, he sold his trading business and took some time to travel. He soon realized that he did not know how to follow his dreams. He was watching Shark Tank, and an idea hit him: there are creative people who have ideas but do not know what to do with them. Bird, who enjoys helping others with their endeavors, decided to form Abrdn and give creative minds the tools they need to succeed. More information can be found on Crunchbase
- Reverse Mentoring and the Abrdn Team
Reverse mentoring is when experts teach wisdom to new talent. Bird was looking for a way to help young people in Abrdn and decided that reverse mentoring was the best way to do so. The idea of reverse mentoring is that senior company members talk with junior employees and give them advice.
Stephen Bird has learned that reverse mentoring provides a fresh perspective to new ideas and is an excellent way for young people to understand. It is essential to take risks to grow, and reverse mentoring is a risk that has worked out well in Abrdn. It has benefited the company’s growth, and there are likely more positive outcomes.