CO.STARTERS

Benefits

• 10 weeks of hands-on support and feedback from other business founders
• Guest speakers from some of the most notable companies in the Cedar Valley
• Walk away with a 3-month plan to keep your idea moving
• A peer group of other starters & business founders
• Access to an entire community of startup resources and support

Who’s It For?

If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to launch a new product or service, CO.STARTERS is for you. The only real prerequisites are (1) having an idea you’re ready, willing, and excited to share and pursue and (2) a willingness to study, shape and fine-tune that idea in a supportive, collaborative, and welcoming environment. If you’re creative, community-minded, and you’re serious about turning your passion or idea into a sustainable business, we want you.

What To Expect?

CO.STARTERS is an action-driven, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded people. Led by a facilitator who is an experienced entrepreneur, you’ll identify your assumptions about why and how your businesses will work and then talk to customers in order to validate your ideas. This approach enables you to rapidly uncover flaws in your concept and find viable models more quickly. You’ll leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate your model, and repeat the process with your current or any future startup ideas.

Format

During CO.STARTERS, you’ll develop and fine-tune your idea, critically examining every part of it and tweaking your next steps through real-time feedback from people in the community. Over the ten weeks, we’ll cover the following topics.

Week 1: Knowing Yourself (Introduction, Assumptions, Working Styles, Team Building, Obstacles)

Week 2: Knowing Your Customer (Customer, Problem, Alternatives, Idea Testing)

Week 3: Finding the Right Solution (Solution, Benefit, Advantage, Starting Small, Brand Identity)

Week 4: Getting the Relationship Right (Marketing & Message; Getting, Keeping & Growing Customers)

Week 5: Building Blocks (Distribution, Revenue, Typical Offering, Price)

Week 6: Structures & Systems (Legal & Accounting Considerations)

Week 7: Discovering the Bottom Line (Startup & Ongoing Needs, Fixed & Variable Costs, Break-Even Point)

Week 8: Financial Modeling (Break-Even Point, Sales Projections, Cash Flow, Raising Capital)

Week 9: Planning for Growth (Growth Plans, Goal Setting, Celebration Prep)

Week 10: Celebration!