Leadership & Growth for Business Owners | Build stronger businesses and better leaders through structured mentoring and expert-led masterclasses
 

Running a business demands more than just technical know-how; it requires emotional intelligence, leadership maturity, and a trusted circle to reflect with. The LEAP Entrepreneurs’ Mentoring Board (LEAP-EMB) programme is designed for precisely that kind of growth. Offered by IIM Ahmedabad, this unique entrepreneurship mentoring program brings together structured masterclasses, entrepreneur mentorship, and a boardroom-style peer network that doesn’t just talk about change, it helps you implement it.

Think of it as a mix of a leadership coaching program, a business mentorship program, and a safe, tight-knit boardroom where business owners engage in real conversations. Here, you’ll work with faculty experts, fellow entrepreneurs, and trained mentors to navigate leadership, strategy, and the complexities of life inside and outside your business.

Programme Objectives

Here’s the thing: entrepreneurs don’t just need business strategy. They need clarity. The LEAP-EMB programme focuses on entrepreneurial leadership from the inside out. That includes:

• Developing emotional intelligence and self-leadership
• Gaining skills in strategic decision-making, customer management, and people leadership
• Learn through lived experience: Engage with IIMA faculty and a cohort of fellow entrepreneurs; share challenges, exchange insights, and grow through meaningful, experience-based conversations
• Addressing personal and professional challenges through peer coaching and exper mentorship
• Operating within a board-style structure that sharpens your thinking and grounds your leadership in reality

It’s not just a mentorship program for entrepreneurs, it’s a space to evolve as a human and a leader, together.

Programme Highlights: Designed for the Way Entrepreneurs Actually Learn

What sets LEAP-EMB apart from other entrepreneur coaching programs is its design. You’re not passively consuming lectures, you’re actively engaging through:

• Masterclasses by IIMA faculty and guest mentors on topics like mindfulness, branding, strategy, and communication
• Group mentoring sessions that provide targeted insights and lived experiences
• One-on-one support from faculty and peers for personal and professional challenges. Work with faculty and participants to plan for business expansions, future challenges, and bottlenecks
• A board-format peer structure where every participant is both a learner and a contributor
• Life-skill sessions for spouses and children because sustainable leadership includes the people you lead at home

 From day one, the focus is on entrepreneurial mentorship, not in theory, but in action.

Programme Schedule

This isn’t a full-time commitment- it’s a focused one. The LEAP-EMB programme of this year runs from August 22 to December 13, 2025, with monthly sessions on Fridays and Saturdays at the IIM Ahmedabad campus.

Each session tackles a key pillar of entrepreneurial leadership:

• Self-leadership: emotional intelligence, personality development, strategic thinking, communication, culture, mindfulness
• Business leadership: branding, customer management, project execution, HR, growth planning

Dates: August 22- 23, September 19- 20, October 10- 11, November 7- 8, December 12- 13

(*NOTE- Exact dates subject to change based on cohort availability.)

Why Choose IIM Ahmedabad for Entrepreneur Mentoring?

Because credibility matters. With decades of impact, IIMA has set a benchmark and is a trusted hub for leadership training for entrepreneurs across industries. The LEAP-EMB programme brings the rigour of IIMA faculty, real-world entrepreneurship challenges, and research-backed frameworks into one immersive experience.

This is not a generic business mentoring programme. It’s curated, intentional, and rooted in real transformation.

Eligibility and Application Process

If you’re:

• A startup founder
• Leading an SME or family business
• A first-generation entrepreneur
• A CXO or senior executive in a growing enterprise

...this programme is built for you.

STEP 1: Fill out the below Enquiry Form. Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interaction with the faculty.
STEP 2: Upon selection, complete your registration through the payment link provided.
Accepted candidates will receive a formal confirmation and can plan travel accordingly.

Program Credentials and Faculty : Real Stories, Real Growth

Past participants have used this programme to navigate tough transitions in family businesses, revamp growth strategies, and build stronger teams. Many say the peer support structure and direct faculty access became their most valuable leadership resource.

This is mentorship that leads to clarity. Coaching that leads to action.

Prof. Vishal Gupta (Faculty Chair)
Professor in the Organizational Behaviour Area at IIM Ahmedabad, 15 years of training and research experience, covered by top newspapers in India, and is widely known for award-winning leadership skills course on the Coursera platform:

https://www.coursera.org/learn/leadershipskills.

Prof. Vishal’s full profile: https://www.iima.ac.in/faculty-research/faculty-directory/vishal-gupta

Faculty Testimonials

“Vishal, I have to admit that I wasn’t sure what would be involved with your course, but I consider myself very blessed to have been a part of it. The historical aspect was fascinating by itself, and I enjoyed the way you incorporated the epic with current leadership practices. Thank you very much for this unique opportunity!” - Class Participant 2023, University of Northern Iowa

“Prof. Vishal: Thank you for such wonderful mentor/coach/guide/teacher. The way you put up the topic is so interesting; I am loving it. Your examples are such live and it makes the topic more interesting and easier for me.” - Group Head, HR, Rushil Decor Limited

FAQs

Q. Is this a certification course?
A: Yes, participants receive a certificate from IIMA upon successful completion.

Q. Is this open only to IIMA alumni?
A: No. This programme welcomes entrepreneurs from all backgrounds.

Q. Is there any financial aid?
A: Currently, there are no scholarships. However, the value delivered exceeds the investment.

Q. Can spouses or children attend all sessions?
A: Special sessions are curated for family members during select modules only.

Q: What is the duration of the course?
A: The programme is designed to provide the learning experience over a structured timeline of five months.

Q: How can I apply?
A: Fill out the enquiry form below and one of our Academic Counsellors will get in touch with you to help you with the programme information and application.

Q: What is the programme fee?
A: The programme fee is INR 2,97,500 plus applicable GST.

Q: Is there any discount available?
A: Yes, an early bird discount is available. The discounted fee is INR 2,76,675 plus applicable GST for those who enroll before the specified deadline.

Let’s build your next chapter with clarity, community, and real conversations.