Unveiling the Essence of Consulting

Throughout the year, the Accelerates have delved into the heart of consulting, immersing themselves in various facets of the profession. From mastering the art of captivating PowerPoint presentations to unraveling complex problems through analytical thinking, they have embarked on a journey of continuous learning. The program has provided them with invaluable tools and techniques, equipping them to navigate the intricacies of the consulting landscape with confidence.

Making a Difference Through Pro-Bono Projects

An incremental part of the Accelerate program is the undertaking of driving and delivering pro-bono projects for companies whose businesses resonates with Ascend’s “doing good policy”, i.,e., social responsibility and positive community impact. During this spring, the Accelerates have successfully delivered three pro-bono projects and are, at the time of writing, in the delivery phase of a last project. The first pro-bono project was for a humanitarian organization based in Sweden, where the Accelerates helped in mapping and analyzing the behavior of the organization’s monthly donors to suggest hands-on tools for mitigating the churn-rate of said donors. Second, the Accelerates helped Sensenode, a start-up focusing on energy optimization in the manufacturing sector, to analyze potential of entering new markets to expand the company’s business. Third, the Accelerates delivered a project for Leyr, who offers a unified API platform that enables healthcare start-ups to connect to multiple Electronic Medical Records in one go. The project resulted in mapping the customer decision-making process, and provide hands-on sales activities and tools to match this process.

The pro-bono projects have provided an invaluable opportunity for the Accelerates to independently shoulder a responsibility for the entire project lifecycle – from conceptualization to delivery. Naturally, the pro-bono projects have posed several challenges, such as balancing the time spent on the pro-bono project and “regular” projects, finding the right limitations for the scope of the project, and winning over the most skeptical stakeholders on your side.

Growth Beyond Consulting Skills

Beyond developing technical expertise in PowerPoint, stakeholder management and problem solving, the Accelerates have embarked on a profound journey of personal growth. They have discovered the power of independence and embraced the responsibility of engaging in meaningful customer dialogues. Through self-reflection and the guidance of experienced mentors, they have learned to navigate ambiguity, build lasting relationships, and adapt to diverse contexts. Ascend Accelerate has fostered an environment where the Accelerates can grow as individuals, ready to make a lasting impact in their careers.

A Legacy for coming generations

As the third generation of Ascend Accelerate approaches the end of their program, they carry with them a wealth of knowledge and experiences. They have not only learned about consulting, but have also uncovered insights about themselves as resilient, adaptable, and forward-thinking professionals. Their journey has laid the foundation for future generations, leaving a legacy of excellence and innovation within the Ascend community. We are now looking forward to welcoming the fourth generation of Accelerates, as they will, just like the third generation did, take their first stumbling steps into consulting this coming August.