What phase is your startup actually in, and what must you prove before you move to the next one?

Founders rarely stall because they lack ideas. They stall because they are solving the wrong problem for the phase they are in. That can mean building before the vision is clear, scaling before the model is repeatable, or adding complexity before the business has earned it.

On August 13, Gregory Shepard will take Startup Grind San Marcos through The Startup Lifecycle, a seven-phase framework from Vision to Exit. You will learn how to identify where your company is now, focus on the proof that unlocks the next phase, and spot the damage caused by skipping a step.

This is built for founders making real decisions right now. Bring the bottleneck, tradeoff, or growth question you are facing. You should leave with a clearer next move and people locally who can help.

WHAT YOU'LL WALK AWAY WITH

• A practical way to identify your startup's current phase

• The proof your company needs before moving forward

• Early warning signs that a skipped phase is creating hidden risk

• A sharper filter for deciding what to build, fix, scale, or stop

• New relationships with local founders, operators, investors, mentors, and advisors

THE SEVEN PHASES

Vision, Product, Go-to-Market, Standardization, Optimization, Growth, and Exit.

WHY GREGORY SHEPARD

Gregory Shepard is the author of The Startup Lifecycle, Founder and CEO of Startup Science, and an entrepreneur with 12 successful startup exits. His work combines firsthand operating experience with years of research into why startups break, where founders lose momentum, and what helps a company become ready for its next phase.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND

• Founders launching their first company

• Entrepreneurs growing an established business

• Operators responsible for product, growth, or execution

• Investors, mentors, and advisors supporting founders

• Local business leaders helping strengthen the startup community

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Thursday, August 13, 2026
Time: 3:00 to 5:00 PM Pacific
Venue: ICON Industries Inc.
Address: 925 S. Orange St., Escondido, CA 92025

COME WITH ONE QUESTION

If you could solve one thing before your startup moves forward, what would it be? Bring that question.

Reserve your place and invite a founder, operator, investor, mentor, or business leader who should be in the room.