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I’m biased in saying this… but Startmate offers some pretty epic L&D opportunities. In the last 5 years, we’ve built a number of programs (and now memberships) that have helped thousands of people pivot, upskill, excel and thrive in their careers. 

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But too often people miss out on highly impactful, career-excelling, possibly life-changing experiences because the cost just isn’t feasible. 

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We often get asked two things:

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1. Does this program/membership count as L&D?
2. Can my employer pay for this course?

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Our answer to these questions.

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1. YES, our offerings fall under the category of almost any definition of L&D.
2. YES, if your employer wants to keep you, they should invest in you.

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With that being said, asking for your boss to pay for L&D can feel awkward and/or scary. How do I approach the conversation? What should I say? How can I justify this expense? 

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This article will give you some hot tips for persuading your employer to invest in your education – even if there’s no set L&D budget or tuition reimbursement policy. 

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P.S. Scroll to the bottom for an example email template if you are time-poor and cbf to read the full article. 

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Do your research 

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When seeking approval for an L&D, it's crucial to demonstrate that you understand all the details and have carefully weighed the costs and benefits. It’s not just about the specifics – it’s about showing that you’ve put serious thought into this request.

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Anticipate the questions your employer might ask:

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• What is the course fee, and what are the payment terms?
• What will be the time investment on your part (and will it occur during regular working hours)?
• Is the course content relevant to your industry or business model?
• What outcomes are you hoping to gain from the course?
• Have other companies similar to yours participated in this program?

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You know your manager best, so think about the questions they might ask. Gather all the information and present it in a concise, clear summary.

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Show what you’ll learn and how it will help your organisation

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When preparing your case, provide specific examples of how your newfound skills will benefit your company.

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To be as precise as possible, use this framework:

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• Identify a Challenge or Initiative: Mention a specific challenge your team is facing or a new initiative you're considering.
• Highlight Knowledge Gaps: Explain the knowledge or skill or network gaps preventing you from addressing the challenge or maximising the initiative’s potential.
• Connect to Course Content: Draw clear parallels between these gaps and the content covered in the course.

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Offer to share learnings

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Propose a plan to share the knowledge gained from the L&D opportunity with your team. Maybe you send a fortnightly slack update, offer to present learnings at a team meeting or create a resource library. This approach not only maximises the business value of the investment but also shows your commitment to the team's growth.

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Be flexible and negotiate

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Be prepared to discuss different options or compromises. If the course takes place during work hours, maybe you need to make up some lost time in the evenings. Your boss might also suggest paying a percentage of the cost. Show your willingness to find a solution that works for both parties.

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Conclusion + Check out this ready-to-send email template

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At the end of the day, learning is a lifelong process. The more skills you gain, the better you are at your job, the better you are at your job, the happier your boss will be. 

It’s a win-win for everyone. 

To finish off - we’ve whipped up some simple but effective emails for each of our offerings. You can literally copy and paste and send it to your boss. Good luck. 

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• Ladymates Leadership
• Ladymates Collective
• First Believers
• Engineers Collective

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Example

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To: [Direct Manager / People Team Rep]

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Subject: Career development opportunity (ask: $xxx)

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Hi [Name],

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I’d like to apply for Startmate’s Ladymates Leadership membership but before I do, I wanted to check whether this is something [Company name] might invest in as a part of my career development. 

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The membership is designed for women in leadership in the ANZ startup ecosystem. It is a 12-month L&D commitment that includes:

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• Exec coaching - recurring mentorship from a top exec coach
• IRL workshops - tailored upskilling masterclasses on key leadership growth areas (i.e. having hard conversations, navigating board room discussions, presenting through storytelling etc)
• Peer-to-peer advisory groups - in-person, curated groups to soundboard and navigate challenges 
• Role-based advisory groups - virtual meet-ups with women in similar roles to me to share knowledge and solve problems together

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It is a highly-selective membership and if I am accepted, I’ll be joining a group of exceptional women leaders from the likes of Eucalyptus, Verve Super, Who Gives A Crap, Great Wrap, Athletic Ventures, & more. 

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I would love to participate in this membership and believe it will help me to [align with your career goals e.g. “build confidence as a leader and have greater influence over functional and company-wide strategy”] and deliver value to [your employer] by [<reasons e.g. “learning how to think and present through a storytelling lens and build confidence in my ability to lead large teams - this would be very useful for <current work challenge x>”]

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There is more information on the membership here https://www.startmate.com/offerings/leadership including a bunch of great reviews from other members of Ladymates Leadership. 

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The ask: 

Please sponsor the Silver $3000 / Gold $5000 / Platinum $13,000 fee as a part of my career development and ongoing learning. The fee includes exec coaching, live workshops, community events and access to all course materials, templates, and readings.

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Thank you for considering this opportunity for me and please let me know if you have any questions or need additional information.

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Thanks,

[Your name]

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