The Journey of @ADPList: How a Google Sheet Changed Mentorship | ft. Felix Lee | @DesignSundays

Summary

In this insightful discussion, Felix Lee, founder of ADP List, shares his journey from a simple Excel sheet to raising $1.3 million for mentorship. He emphasizes the importance of mentorship in personal and professional growth, highlighting how it accelerates learning by learning from others' experiences. Lee stresses the value of both one-time and long-term mentorship relationships and offers practical advice on building trust with mentors through preparation and consistent follow-ups.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Mentorship is crucial for personal and professional growth, providing guidance and helping individuals avoid common mistakes.
• 📈 ADPList started as a simple Google spreadsheet and evolved into a platform that connects mentors and mentees worldwide.
• 💡 The initial idea of ADPList was born during the pandemic to support those who were losing jobs or seeking career guidance.
• 🌐 The platform's success is attributed to its global accessibility, allowing anyone to connect with top mentors regardless of their location.
• 🔑 Key to a successful mentorship relationship is effective people management, setting the right expectations, and respecting individual circumstances.
• 🤝 The value of mentorship lies in learning from others' experiences to accelerate one's own learning and development.
• 📚 Books and mentors serve as浓缩 lifetimes of knowledge into accessible formats, allowing for rapid learning and growth.
• 🔄 Having both one-time and long-term mentors is beneficial, with the former for specific questions and the latter for ongoing guidance.
• 🤔 It's important to prepare questions and goals before a mentorship session to ensure it's productive and focused.
• 📝 Consistent follow-up with mentors is essential for maintaining a fruitful relationship and showing commitment to personal growth.
• 🌱 ADPList's growth has been driven by a focus on solving real problems and understanding the nuances of people's needs in different regions.

Q & A

What was the inspiration behind starting ADP List?

Felix Lee started ADP List during the pandemic in 2020 with the intention of helping people who were losing their jobs or looking for support. As a designer, he focused on solving problems and initially created a simple Google spreadsheet that was publicly accessible for people to add their names if they were looking for a job or offering mentorship.

How did ADP List transition from a spreadsheet to a full-fledged platform?

In 2021, Felix and his co-founder James decided to transform the spreadsheet into a proper website to better facilitate the growing community. This transition marked the beginning of ADP List as a platform dedicated to mentorship.

What was the turning point for ADP List to become a 'mass revolution'?

There wasn't a single moment of realization, but rather a series of reflections on the potential of the platform. Felix felt humbled and believed that while the idea was simple, no one had done such a significant revolution before, and they aimed to make a global impact.

What are the key learnings Felix has had while building ADP List?

Felix learned that most challenges and lessons revolve around people management, including hiring the right people and setting the right expectations. He emphasized the importance of being present, respectful, and humble when interacting with team members and partners.

How does mentorship help in personal and professional growth?

Mentorship helps by providing guidance to avoid mistakes and learn from the experiences of others. It accelerates learning and perspective, allowing individuals to extend their knowledge and time for growth.

What is the significance of having a single mentor versus multiple mentors?

Felix suggests that having multiple mentors is beneficial as it allows individuals to get different perspectives and expertise. However, it's also important to have a few long-term mentors for ongoing guidance on various issues.

How can one determine if a mentor is a good fit for them?

One should start with a one-time meeting to see if there's a connection and if the mentor's expertise aligns with their needs. It's important to evaluate if the mentor can provide the necessary guidance and if the relationship is mutually beneficial.

What are the two key secrets to building a strong mentorship relationship?

The two key secrets are being prepared before the session by having clear questions and goals, and consistently following up with updates after the session. These practices help to establish trust and make the relationship more fruitful.

How does ADP List facilitate one-time versus long-term mentorship?

ADP List allows individuals to meet multiple mentors and decide after the initial meeting if they want to continue with one or more of them long-term. It provides a platform for both one-time sessions for specific questions and long-term mentorship for ongoing support.

What is the role of preparation and follow-up in a mentorship relationship?

Preparation ensures that the mentee comes to the meeting with clear objectives and questions, making the session more productive. Consistent follow-ups demonstrate respect for the mentor's time and help in building a relationship of trust.

How does mentorship on ADP List differ from traditional mentorship?

ADP List offers a platform that connects mentors and mentees globally, making mentorship accessible regardless of location. It also provides flexibility for both one-time and long-term mentorship relationships.

Outlines

00:00

🚀 Starting ADP List: A Mentorship Revolution

Felix Lee, the founder of ADP List, shares the story of how the platform began during the pandemic in 2020. Initially, it was a simple Google spreadsheet for people to list themselves as either seeking jobs or offering mentorship. The idea grew, and by January 2021, it had evolved into a full-fledged website. The platform aims to democratize mentorship by connecting individuals worldwide with top mentors and practitioners. The discussion also touches on the importance of mentorship, how to approach a mentor, and the value of such relationships.

05:00

🌟 The Power of Mentorship and Learning

Felix emphasizes the importance of mentorship in personal and professional growth. He discusses how mentorship can help individuals avoid repeating others' mistakes and learn from their experiences. The conversation highlights the value of having both one-time and long-term mentors, depending on the individual's goals and needs. The key takeaway is that mentorship accelerates learning and broadens perspectives, regardless of one's career level.

10:00

🤝 Building Trust and Effective Mentorship Relationships

The discussion turns to the dynamics of mentorship relationships. Felix advises that the foundation of a strong mentorship relationship is preparation and consistency in follow-up. He stresses the importance of being prepared with clear questions and goals before a mentorship session and maintaining regular updates with mentors to build trust and ensure a fruitful relationship.

15:02

🌐 Global Impact and the Future of ADP List

The conversation concludes with a look towards the future of ADP List and its potential global impact. Felix shares his excitement about the platform's growth and the community it has built. He also reflects on his role as a mentor and the importance of giving back to the community. The discussion wraps up with a call to action for viewers to engage with ADP List and support its mission to make mentorship accessible to all.

Keywords

💡Mentorship

Mentorship refers to a relationship in which a more experienced or knowledgeable person helps to guide a less experienced or less knowledgeable person. In the context of the video, mentorship is central to the mission of ADP List, aiming to make such guidance accessible globally. The founder, Felix Lee, emphasizes the importance of mentorship in personal and professional growth, as it provides opportunities to learn from the experiences and wisdom of others, thus avoiding common pitfalls and accelerating one's learning curve.

💡Accessibility

Accessibility in this video refers to the ability for anyone, regardless of their location, to connect with mentors. ADP List was initially created as a public Google spreadsheet, making it easy for anyone to add their name if they were looking for a job or mentorship. This approach democratizes mentorship by breaking down geographical and social barriers, allowing people from all over the world to benefit from the guidance of top mentors.

💡MVP (Minimum Viable Product)

MVP in the video stands for Minimum Viable Product, a term used in product development to describe a version of a product with just enough features to satisfy early customers and provide feedback for future development. The initial Google spreadsheet created by Felix Lee for ADP List is referred to as the MVP. It was a simple yet effective way to test the concept and gather initial users before developing a more comprehensive website.

💡Fundraising

Fundraising is the process of collecting capital from various sources, typically for a specific project or cause. In the video, Felix Lee discusses raising 1.3 million dollars to support the mentorship mission of ADP List. This capital is crucial for expanding the platform's reach and enhancing its capabilities to connect mentors and mentees.

💡People Management

People management is the act of organizing, directing, and coordinating the work of a team. It is highlighted in the video as one of the key challenges and learnings for Felix Lee as the founder of ADP List. Effective people management is crucial for setting the right expectations, managing a diverse team, and ensuring that everyone is working towards common goals, which is a recurring theme in the discussion about scaling the platform.

💡Expectations Management

Expectations management involves setting and communicating clear expectations to ensure that all parties have a mutual understanding of what is to be achieved. Felix Lee discusses the importance of managing expectations in the context of building a team and fostering relationships with mentors and mentees. Proper expectations management helps to prevent misunderstandings and ensures that everyone is aligned with the goals of the mentorship platform.

💡Networking

Networking refers to the cultivation of professional and personal relationships to enhance one's career opportunities or business objectives. While the video script mentions that some view mentorship as merely networking, Felix Lee argues that mentorship provides deeper value, such as learning from others' experiences and avoiding common mistakes. The video encourages a more meaningful approach to mentorship beyond simple networking.

💡Global Reach

Global reach implies the ability to extend one's influence or services to a worldwide audience. ADP List's mission to provide mentorship opportunities to anyone, anywhere in the world exemplifies global reach. The video emphasizes the platform's goal to connect people across geographical boundaries, reflecting a commitment to making valuable resources available on a global scale.

💡Problem Solving

Problem solving is the process of identifying challenges and finding solutions to overcome them. Felix Lee, being a designer, emphasizes problem-solving as a core part of his approach to creating ADP List. The video illustrates how the initial spreadsheet was a simple solution to a complex problem of job loss during the pandemic, showcasing how effective problem-solving can lead to innovative solutions.

💡Leadership

Leadership in the video is discussed in the context of guiding and managing a team towards a common vision. Felix Lee shares his insights on the importance of humility, gratitude, and active listening as key attributes of effective leadership. His experiences highlight the role of a leader in setting the right tone for the team culture and in navigating the complexities of people management.

💡Long-term vs. One-time Mentorship

The video script explores the difference between long-term and one-time mentorship relationships. Long-term mentorship is likened to a deep, ongoing relationship where both parties are invested in each other's progress, while one-time mentorship is more transactional, focusing on immediate advice or guidance. Felix Lee suggests that one-time meetings can be a stepping stone to long-term relationships, emphasizing the importance of assessing the fit between mentor and mentee.

Highlights

AWS revolutionized mentorship accessibility.

Felix Lee founded ADP List to democratize mentorship.

ADP List started with a simple Excel sheet during the pandemic to help job seekers.

The platform evolved into a website in January 2021.

Felix aimed to create a global mentorship platform, not limited to Singapore.

People management is central to the success of ADP List.

Leadership involves assuming everyone has personal challenges.

Mentorship is about learning from others' mistakes and experiences.

Mentorship accelerates learning and perspective regardless of career level.

Books and mentors are valuable for compressing lifetimes of knowledge.

The importance of both one-time and long-term mentorship.

One-time mentorship is essential for initial connection and assessment.

Long-term mentorship is built on mutual agreement and progress updates.

The necessity of preparation and consistent follow-up in mentorship relationships.

Being prepared and following up are key to a fruitful mentorship.

Felix actively mentors on ADP List, embodying the platform's mission.

Transcripts

AWS started a revolution to make

mentorship accessible to all and we all

have experienced the kind of impact they

have been able to make in last few years

by providing the opportunities to

connect with top mentors and

practitioners from all over the world

and you can be anywhere in the world and

you can access them in this video I'm

talking to Felix Lee the founder of ADP

list if we talk about how he went from a

bare minimum Excel sheet to raising 1.3

million dollars to support this

mentorship for all Mission we also talk

about what are the right ways of

reaching out to a mentor how to get the

most amount of value from a mentor

mentee relationship and a whole lot more

this video is powered by how to figma

course the most comprehensive guide to

learning figma and creating beautiful

apps and website but more on the course

later

[Music]

tell us more about how you started with

the idea of ADP list and when did you

realize like you know this is turning

into a mass Revolution yeah for sure

thank you so much Rohan um you know

whenever people talk about ADP is I

always feel extremely humble and

grateful and you know we started this in

2020 and it was the middle of the

pandemic and I remember back then right

off Army I had my first job and you know

it was in 2020 May and you know my

thought was just to help people you know

during the pandemic who were losing

their jobs who are looking for help

support and for me you know I I'm a

designer and I just focus a lot on

solving problems and you know I couldn't

quote like very complex website and so

what I did was a to create a very simple

Google spreadsheet that was accessible

by anyone a public spreadsheet and you

could add your name inside if you're

looking for a job or you could if you're

looking to support people through

mentorship you could also put your name

inside out there and and you know as

things grow James which is my co-founder

joined in and in 2021 January we decided

to put it in the website uh a proper

website and uh you know like to a

question you know how when did I

discover that you know this was a

revolution I I guess there wasn't a

single moment but you know it was a lot

of like thinking that you know what

could this become and I think there's a

lot of times where we sort of like ask

ourselves like you know probably someone

else would have done this you know uh

probably it's a very simple idea people

would have you know sort of like done it

as well but I think that you know the

sort of like on the other side of that

is to really say uh think that you know

there's actually no one that has you

know done such a big revolution before

and we wanted to do something different

we wanted to do something you know truly

truly you know different and big for the

world uh globally not just here in

Singapore but also in the US India and

wherever where we are and so that was

when we decided to you know take it full

time uh from a very simple spreadsheet

to something that is bigger than what it

is yeah this is something that I

realized like you know we designers talk

about a lot being a problem solver and I

I remember like you know there were like

you know three tabs in that sheet if you

are looking for a job if you're hiring

and if you just want to provide

mentorship right so I think at that

point of time slowly you guys built a

platform and like you know we talk about

doing MVPs and I think that sheet was

the MVP but let's jump slide like you

know slightly more into it so in the

experience of moving from that what what

are the parts that you have enjoyed the

most and what are a few key learnings

that you have had along the way yeah I I

think that ADP is study something is not

like you know easy obviously I think

everyone sort of like knows that but

it's a little bit harder than anyone who

expects I think it definitely hasn't

been like a straight line you know

um I think people would say that hey how

did adps grow so fast just within one

year you know around the world and the

truth is that there's so much things

that goes on you know behind the scenes

that I think it's just not seen by the

public and you know always sort of like

humbles me as a leader there's so much

that you can learn now one of the things

that I've learned you know through the

past year um really is that a lot of the

problems that I've went through the

challenges and then the lessons that

I've learned has always revolved around

people whether it be people management

expectations management you know it has

always been around you know people in

general I think you know some Founders

or some people might say hey so what

about a product you know what about the

growth stuff what about the marketing

stuff and things like that but I think

all these you know there's a fundamental

truth to that is your team your partners

the people that you work with those are

the most important things and I think

that you know I can tell you to be

honest like 99 of my problem every

single day and week comes from people it

doesn't matter the product it doesn't

matter whatever every single thing dive

down to the problem are you hiring the

right people how are you setting the

right expectations you know how are you

managing those expectations right as

long as you are really good with all

these things with people with whatever

that's in between things naturally flow

right but unfortunately no one is

perfect you know no one can handle that

perfectly you know there are so many

people that we work with on a day-to-day

basis whether it be internal employees

or partners and one of the things that I

that I've already learned is that I

think you know as leader you know we

walk into a room I always like to assume

that you know everyone else has

something going on in their life I would

like to assume for the worst most of the

time you know um obviously if someone is

happy that's great but most of the time

I want to walk into the room assume that

you know someone is going through

something at a point of that like life

and I want to make sure that when I

speak and when I'm there I'm present

with respect with humility with

gratitude and to really go into the room

and really understand where this person

is coming from you know quite frankly

not a lot of people are good

storytellers so they can't tell you

their stories they can't communicate

that you but I think as a leader you

need to walk into the room with humility

with gratitude to listen but most

importantly to also Ensure that you know

what gets done expectations get set as

well so for me you know that's the big

thing that I've learned you know as a

leader is that a lot of problems would

come into you know will come to play

um from a perspective of the people

rather than the things that are more

quantifiable well that's that's like you

know I I think

um as you summarized the paid and and

the joy both a very like you know crispy

and I'll I'll just mention that you know

when you're working with people when

you're building something you have to

eventually work with people and you

can't do all on your own and like you

know caring for them that you know is

everything all right with them but still

getting the work done still setting that

expectation it's super important like

you have to like you know the work can't

be lagging behind but you have to still

care and I I generally think that that

sums it out uh thank you Felix and let's

get a little bit into the mentorship and

the the whole thing that you're trying

to solve so let's start with something

very some simple but I think most people

just feel that it's a networking thing

but according to you why are uh like you

know mentors important or how can

mentorship help someone grow yeah for

sure speaking from personal experience

when you know when I was like growing up

you know uh from a student and stepping

into industry there's so much things

that I think we just don't know in

Germany I think you know we we sort of

think think that you know

um we we there's so much things around

the world that we just have no Clarity

on have no answers to and you know we

kind of wish that you know the railroad

is a lot like like a school you know

there's textbook there's answers and

there's ways to do things but the thing

is that the truth is that you don't you

don't know all this right and there's no

answers to that and one of the things is

you know we hear a lot is that you know

it would be we hear a lot so too often

that you know I kind of wish someone had

told me that when I was younger right I

kind of wish someone had told me that

when I started my career right what

should I do what should I look out for

and stuff like that and I think

mentorship is really about that you know

it's not really just about being or

starting in a career but it's really

simply about you know how can we sort of

like avoid the mistakes or rather like

learn from the mistakes of others right

and then you know grow from there and

for me that that that simple Mantra is

the most important thing right um we

have all of us have 24 hours and seven

days we have 365 days and I can assure

you that none of us are smart enough to

learn everything in our lifetime none of

us you are in India and today I'm in

Singapore what you learn in India is

what you know I might learn differently

here in Singapore and if I do not get on

a call to speak with you and to learn

with you you know to be honest then I'm

never able going to learn what you have

learned and I see that mentorship at all

levels whether you whether it be you're

an entry level or you're a director it's

the same you know it helps to accelerate

your perspective it helps to accelerate

your learning because it's almost like

you only have limited time but when you

speak to someone when you speak to

someone you extend that level of

knowledge you extend that time where you

can learn as well from people absolutely

and

um I think the the way you have put it

it's very amazing this connects with

something that I'll keep saying like you

know people ask me like you know why do

you buy like you know tens and twenties

and 30s of book every week and my simple

reason is like you know someone has

lived their life someone has spent 30

years on on this planet and they have

literally summarized this into or 200

Pages book yeah what else do you want

and you can literally buy it like you

know it's it's books are like you know I

I feel it's so much knowledge like you

know journey of a lifetime uh and and

convert it into a very small nugget and

and I rightly think the same about the

mentor you can you can actually struggle

10 years to learn the same lesson and

which you can get on a call 30 minutes

on ADP list and so guys if you haven't

already do check out

8dpls.org these guys have have done some

amazing work but like you know more so

let's talk a little bit about according

to you uh Felix do you think it's it's

like you know it's it's good to have a

single go to Mentor or multiple mentors

be like you know based on concerns yeah

I think this is a great great question

and I think I want to obviously you know

um address that as well you know I think

one of the key things about one-time

mentorship and the long-term mentorship

is really dependent and I'll tell you

what what that means right uh and if

anyone is really in the in a chat and

the YouTube you know I see a lot of

comments so please invite your friends

as well here I think it's an important

conversation you know there has been a

lot of talks around one-time mentorship

and it feels almost like a networking

session and then people don't find

meaning out of it but I'll give a

perspective you know if today I walk in

a meeting expecting that this person is

going to be a long term but the question

is this right what if I just don't don't

fill it with that Mentor or that mentee

right what if I just don't connect with

them I think it's impossible to go into

a long-term relationship without first a

one-off meeting right you know because

if you if you do not have that one-off

meeting you will never know if you are

able to really connect with this person

and I think a long-term relationship is

mutual right you know both person has to

agree it's not just a mentor or it's not

just a member or the mentee both person

have to say yes I want to continue to

see your progress I want to continue to

update you on my progress and I think

it's important for us to understand that

without the one-off the long term it can

never happen right today you go on ADP

list you might meet 10 mentors let's

just say 10 different mentors and

perhaps eight of them are like a good

one-time session and you want to

continue only with two of them that's

fine right and so for me it's always

that to have a long term that is always

a sort of like a short-term involved at

the start you know and then you progress

from there but I always also encourage

people to have a couple of long-term

mentors where you go to for for for

different issues now at the same time at

the same time you know the there is a

benefit to having some one-off coffee

chat right that's one time you know

which is hey look if I just need to

clarify some things in design research I

do not need someone in design research

for the long term because that's not my

expertise I can go to a design research

Mentor I can have my questions prepared

just for one session and that's it right

I let the men don't know hey this is a

question this is where I am at well I'll

be happy to you know update you but you

know uh this is more of a one-off

session right and I think that Mutual

understanding is important because

sometimes you just have a clarification

for a certain point in your career and

doesn't require you to be long term and

I think both are fine as well you know

it really depends on what is your goal

and then what you're learning as well so

yeah that's my that's that's my

perspective on the one time versus long

term I also have the very same feeling

that if you so like you know I I'll say

that you don't decide first what what is

your goal right and for like you know

you to have multiple those sessions or

to have a long-term relationship with

someone or a mentor right you have to

see him for the first time and then

decide you know do you want to see them

for the second time you can't go in like

you know I want mentorship they might be

great at what they do and at the same

time not a very good Mentor and that is

something you have to evaluate over time

and see like you know if that works out

and as like you know Felix mentioned you

have to see like you know the problem

that you're facing is more of a one-time

thing or a long-term goal based thing

and if it's a one-time just like go

straight in be nice to them not like you

know just stepped in and start asking

them questions questions be nice to them

but ask them your specific questions say

thank you and that's that's the way to

go out but like you know we we talked

about having that first connect with the

better and then taking a call over the

long term that if if you want to stay

connected with them or not so how can

someone build a relationship of trust

with their mentor and and make it a more

fruitful relationship in the first place

I think this is you know like which is

actually a very simple question and but

I think it's very very powerful I would

sum it up in two different ways to do

that actually

um the first one is really about you

know the first one is really about being

prepared you know preparing your

questions

um ahead of time preparing your goals

ahead of time I think that is one of the

key things to you know have a really

good Mentor relationship or a mental

relationship is that you know you

prepare your questions what you want to

do in that session way before time so by

preparation is the first step right to a

great relationship to a great mentorship

relationship now the second thing is

being consistent with your updates and

stuff like that I think a lot of people

think that you know they just go for

one-off and whatever or they just come

and go as and when they like but being

prepared is the first part to a great

relationship the second one is really

about you know um keeping the updates

consistent you know you don't want to go

into a meeting and meet a lot of people

but you know you don't share any updates

of your progress right you want to

constantly update your mentors the

people that you've met you know whether

it be as a mentor or a mentee you want

to share updates right if you're live

you know with what's going on in a

career and if you ask me what's the real

secret if all of you can write down on

this video here today and tell your

friends tell publicly to eat whatever

write a LinkedIn post it's just two

things being prepared before the session

happened and the follow-up being

consistent with the follow-up these are

the two biggest secrets that will really

accelerate your learning and your

relationships with literally anyone with

anyone in the world these are the

biggest two things that we've observed

and I have personally used as well so

guys for those two things in the chat so

being prepared and following up with the

mentor the these are the two things uh

like you know the person who is actually

making sure these all things happen

through the thousands of conversation

and I know him to be a person who uh

like you know who mentors till date on

the platform as well not just like you

know he has created the platform he he

mentors people as well and I think this

is super powerful having that meeting is

one thing but making them invest in your

journey by like you know uh preparing by

uh following up with them it actually

makes a difference so thank you so much

Felix thank you so much man I I think

that where we left last time this

conversation literally picks the same uh

energy up and thank you so much for

giving us those tidbits those like you

know actionable insights and the

principles of how do we go about

mentoring how do students go about

mentoring how do mentors go about

mentoring and we all are super excited

to see like you know what ADP the list

does next and always like you know

supporting rooting for you guys to

create something wonderful thank you

thank you so much appreciate it awesome

messages

[Applause]

do check it out I'll see you inside the

course