Join us for our first ever workshop! We know that startups are always in search of two things: 1) mentors and 2) ways to improve and perfect their business model! On September 30th, we are going to tackle both.  

Mentorship is an important part of the founder’s journey. As founders work on perfecting their business model, mentors can help connect the dots and fill in missing pieces that are needed to achieve success and move out of the startup phase. This workshop will help startups understand their venture, the market, their customers, their revenue model and determine what benchmarks to set to measure progress. Then participants will determine what areas of their business model need mentorship and drill down on the specific type of mentor they need. Founders will leave with a better sense of clarity of where they are in their business model and the type of mentorship they need to achieve their startup goals.

Workshop Framework:

Part One: The Business Model (60 minutes)

In small groups, participants will work through the following questions about their startup:

1. What does your venture do and what problem are you trying to solve?

2. Do people want your service or product? What feedback backs up your theory that people want this?

3. Who are your initial customers? How well do you understand their needs?

4. How will you generate revenue?

5. What are your benchmarks? What indicators do you use to identify if your startup is viable?

As each group answers the questions, they will give each other feedback on the responses to the question. Each participant will note the feedback regarding their answers to each of the questions.

Part Two: Establishing Mentor Needs and Goals

Using the business model framework that was established in part one and the feedback, participants will be introduced into how to begin to establish mentor needs by understanding the types of mentor roles, use a checklist to establish mentorship goals, and understand how to assess potential mentors. Mentorship is an important part of the founder’s journey. As founders work on perfecting their business model, mentors can help connect the dots and fill in missing pieces that are needed to achieve success and move out of the startup phase. This workshop will help startups understand their venture, the market, their customers, their revenue model and determine what benchmarks to set to measure progress. Then participants will determine what areas of their business model need mentorship and drill down on the specific type of mentor they need. Founders will leave with a better sense of clarity of where they are in their business model and the type of mentorship they need to achieve their startup goals.

Workshop Framework:

Part One: The Business Model (60 minutes)

In small groups, participants will work through the following questions about their startup:

1. What does your venture do and what problem are you trying to solve?

2. Do people want your service or product? What feedback backs up your theory that people want this?

3. Who are your initial customers? How well do you understand their needs?

4. How will you generate revenue?

5. What are your benchmarks? What indicators do you use to identify if your startup is viable?

As each group answers the questions, they will give each other feedback on the responses to the question. Each participant will note the feedback regarding their answers to each of the questions.

Part Two: Establishing Mentor Needs and Goals

Using the business model framework that was established in part one and the feedback, participants will be introduced into how to begin to establish mentor needs by understanding the types of mentor roles, use a checklist to establish mentorship goals, and understand how to assess potential mentors.

Who is this workshop for? 

Any startup founder or co-founders that want to be mentored and is looking to improve their business model.  We focus on connecting founders to other founder because we all have skills and knowledge that may be helpful to others. This workshops goes beyond just networking to help founders connect and engage with each other to be mentors and to be mentored. The workshop will help founders discover where their business model can be improved and what type of mentor can help achieve that.  Founders will not only identify mentors but also identify the type of mentor they can be to other startups.

Space is limited to 16 participants so reserve your spot early!