Introduction to Notebook Mentor
There’s the growing concept of journaling – the art of reflecting and writing in your notebook. This can be as simple as writing an idea down that’s been buzzing in your head or you might journal your career or life story. Getting stuff out of your head and on to paper is a form of reflective writing. It’s at the heart of the concept of Notebook Mentor and goes beyond just taking notes in a meeting or writing out your action plans.
The concept of Notebook Mentor
Notebook Mentor sprang to life as an idea on the 20th floor of an office block in the East of Hong Kong Island. Our Founder, Elisa Nardi was at work, in an executive meeting, unable to fully focus on the risk and governance conversation that was taking place. She found her mind drifting back to the evening before, spent drooling over stationery, pens, paper, and journals in a local store. Elisa had already resigned from her role and knew a new life beckoned. She was simply looking for a way to combine her work experience with her personal passions.
Having dealt with a life-changing illness, leaving the high powered, corporate world seemed like a sensible move. Elisa didn’t want to bin three decades of being a human resource professional and business executive at the top of her game. Indeed she had loved her corporate career and still felt she had much to give back to those in work.
As a seasoned leader, she was often sought out as a mentor, wise counsel, and coach. Putting these skills together with her passion for notebooks to create a new concept in workplace journaling, felt very natural.
About Elisa Nardi, CEO and Founder
Aged 15 Elisa wanted to be a writer and journalist. At the time it wasn’t an easy career to train for or break into. She went off to University, and the moment passed.
Elisa instead pursued a three-decade career in human resource management. She made it to the top of her profession, working for fifteen years as a group chief people officer for three well known global brands. Throughout her time as a subject matter expert in all things ‘people,’ she never lost her passion for storytelling or for using the written and spoken word to inspire others and engage them in personal development and learning. She has supported thousands of people through complex work, career, and life situations and wants to share what she has learned. Elisa has honors degrees in both Psychology and Sociology. She holds the Institute of Leadership and Management’s Level 7 qualification in Executive Mentoring and Coaching.
In 2019 she joined the Board of the British Medical Association as an independent non-executive director. She chairs both the remuneration committee and the culture and inclusion oversight group.