Do you know somebody who has a passion? Something that they’re really, really good at, but only do it in their spare time? Are they driven and interested in turning their hobby and talent into a revenue stream? Or, are they already in the process of starting up a business?
… Is that person you?
Regardless of whether the business is still an idea, a fleshed out startup concept, or a fully operational small business, CO.STARTERS is the perfect program to help entrepreneurs in Lynchburg, Virginia turn their passions into great ideas, and great ideas into viable revenue streams.
What is CO.STARTERS?
CO.STARTERS is a nine-week program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to start, grow and scale their business.
What differentiates CO.STARTERS from other entrepeneur training programs is its collaborative approach. Rather than slogging through course material independently, entrepeneurs can meet like-minded individuals to help them shape, grow and refine their business idea.
The group meets each week for three hours, for nine consecutive weeks. Meetings are led by the facilitator, a local leader in the business community. The facilitator’s role is to help draw upon the knowledge in the cohort, point entrepreneurs to local resources, ask the right questions, and, ultimately, help guide participants through the CO.STARTERS curriculum in a way that points them in the right direction.
Each week explores a different topic. Guest speakers are often brought in to enrich the conversation and allow participants to learn from other local entpreneurs and established professionals in the community.
WHAT YOU WILL LEARN EACH WEEK:
Week 1: Knowing Yourself
During this week, participants learn more about themselves and the rest of their cohort – both as leaders and workers. They also begin to explore the Business Canvas, while developing an understanding of potential obstactles or barriers that they need to overcome.
Week 2: Knowing Your Customer
In week 2, the group examines their customer and how their needs relate to the new product or service. They also uncover the and understand the customer’s problem, competitive alternatives, what differentiates their solution from substitutes, and how their solution benefits the customer.
Week 3: Getting The Relationship Right
The group dives into world of marketing and building meaningful customer relationships. This week helps the entrepreneurs define a strategy for attracting new customers and delighting their current customers.
Week 4: Building The Model To Scale
Now that the business is properly positioned in the market place, it’s time to look at the numbers. During week 4, participants take a look at their distribution, revenue streams, typical sales cycle and begin to think about appropriate pricing.
Week 5: Strengthening Your Structure
How will the business scale after it is launched? Will it be an LLC, joint venture, or a sole proprietarship? During week 5, the CO.STARTERS group will analyze the pros and cons of different business structures, licenses, intellectual property and the hiring process.
Week 6: Discovering The Bottom Line
How much money do you need to startup? What will you need to earn in order to sustain your business? This week uncovers fixed and variable costs, and what it will take to break even.
Week 7: Accounting For Growth
What happens once you break even? And, how do you properly project sales to anticipate upcoming cash flow trends? This week will helps understand and plan out accounting tasks to keep your business on track.
Week 8: Planning For The Future
You’re almost finished CO.STARTERS by this point! This is when the group begins to cast future growth plans. They also learn how to raise capital and set realistic goals, and how to pitch their business idea.
Week 9: Celebration
During week 9, participants get to celebrate their journey as entrepreneurs, recognize what they’ve learned, and share their story.
How much does CO.STARTERS cost?
- 1 on 1 support from a seasoned entrepreneur
- Service hours from a law firm, a graphic designer, and a web developer
Interested? The next training starts on March 14th, 2016. Registration closes on March 1.
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