Startup Bootcamps Offer Northwest Michigan Entrepreneurs a Path Forward

Entrepreneurship is a dream for many people. For an aspiring entrepreneur, owning their own business can offer the means to strengthen their family’s financial situation, fulfill a need in their community, and pursue professional goals.

But while entrepreneurship can be exciting and rewarding, many struggle with turning their great idea into a successful business. It’s common for founders to feel stuck and discouraged navigating the real-life questions that come with building something from the ground up.

In Northwest Michigan, startup bootcamps hosted by 20Fathoms are helping to turn the dreams of aspiring entrepreneurs into reality. Based in Traverse City and serving all of Northwest Michigan, 20Fathoms is a nonprofit startup incubator and resource center for entrepreneurs and growing businesses.

During startup bootcamps, entrepreneurs learn how to bring their business ideas to life in a supportive environment. They gain knowledge and skills on practical steps like customer discovery, marketing, pitching, financial modeling, goal setting, and much more. Facilitators prioritize creating a safe, welcoming environment that allows entrepreneurs to feel confident and generates peer-to-peer support and community building.

“Each community we work with is just that – a community,” said Shiloh Slomsky, CFO and Tribal Liaison at 20Fathoms. “Participants are often looking within their communities and creating what’s missing. That’s innovation and entrepreneurship and we’re honored to help facilitate this work with each community – in their own way.”

Since last fall, 20Fathoms has hosted seven startup bootcamps in communities throughout Northwest Michigan and nearly all of them have been at capacity, demonstrating the high interest and need for this educational programming. To date, bootcamps have been held in Traverse City, Manistee, and Benzonia.

“Startup bootcamps are a great first step for a community to invite their existing small businesses, people with startup ideas, and early stage startups to join in shared learning and explore new ways to think about validating their ideas, building relationships with customers, and either starting a new business or refreshing an existing one,” said Delaney Keating, Director of Entrepreneurship at 20Fathoms. “We are grateful to the Manistee Area Chamber of Commerce, Grow Benzie, Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce, and New Mexico Community Capital for their vision and partnership in co-hosting these bootcamps.”

20Fathoms hosts two startup bootcamp programs:

“We’ve had such a great experience working with 20Fathoms for both the open office hours and bootcamp programs,” said Jessica Gilbert, Campus Manager at Grow Benzie. “It matches our goal of incubating prosperity in Benzie County without duplicating efforts – Grow Benzie provides program space, advertising, and connections to local entrepreneurs, while 20Fathoms provides the expert coaches, support, and access to capital. It’s a win-win that is helping real people build businesses right here in our community.”

There is no cost to attend 20Fathoms startup bootcamps. Funding for these programs is currently covered by a grant provided by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation. 

Entrepreneurship strengthens communities, launching new small businesses and scalable startups that provide job opportunities and improve quality of life.

“Every entrepreneur I’ve helped has always given back in some way and is keenly concerned with supporting not just themselves, but also their communities,” said Shiloh. “As one example, in the Indigenous culture, sharing knowledge is our sacred obligation so when we provide training for one entrepreneur, we are actually uplifting and training so much more as that knowledge is passed along through families and the community.”

Tammy Willis, Co-owner of Barnadyn Building Service, attended a recent Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials bootcamp. “I think the program was very enlightening,” Tammy said. “It gave me ideas and showed me different roads I could go down. If you have a dream, these programs are here to help people and there are always people out there you can ask for help.”

Tammy also highlighted the benefits that locally-owned small businesses offer communities. “When you open a business, it means someone else can get a job and more families can put food on their tables,” she said.

Entrepreneurs often cite the peer support offered by startup bootcamps as one of the most valuable benefits and the connections made can live on beyond the program. In Manistee for instance, participants in a recent startup bootcamp organized a regular entrepreneur meetup so that they can continue to support one another as they build their businesses.

“Establishing this supportive entrepreneur framework is an important component in supporting the growth of startups,” according to Delaney. “When igniting a culture of innovation, access to education and strengthening the community of entrepreneurs are key ingredients,” she said.

Startup bootcamps are just one way that 20Fathoms and its partners are helping entrepreneurs succeed. 20Fathoms also provides startup coaching, access to capital, pitch competitions, networking opportunities, a coworking space, and additional educational programming.  

20Fathoms is holding their next startup bootcamp in Elk Rapids, hosted in partnership with the Elk Rapids Area Chamber of Commerce. The bootcamp is a 4-part series that will be held 4-7 pm on June 17, 19, 24, and 26 at 8980 Cairn Hwy. Register now.

The next Indigenous Business & Marketing Essentials bootcamp will be held in the fall; dates to be announced.