Startup Bootcamp, Powered by CO.STARTERS
Ready. Set. Launch.
A four-part plan for launching your big idea
Entrepreneurship is an exciting journey, but the path forward isn’t always clear.
During this four-part Startup Bootcamp hosted by 20Fathoms in partnership with CO.STARTERS, you’ll collaboratively work with peers to strategize, problem solve, and apply business basics to your idea or venture. Our goal is to challenge you, stretch your thinking, and give you concrete tools to bring your business to life. This bootcamp is not about listening; it’s about doing.
There is no cost to attend. Program costs for the fall 2024 cohort are underwritten by grant funding.
Upcoming Courses
Business is hard, but it shouldn’t be complicated. This course is designed with the goal of helping you focus on very practical steps to move more quickly toward your dream of owning and running your own successful business.
Traverse City
Location: 20Fathoms in Traverse City
Time: TBD
Dates: This is a 4-session course happening on the following dates:
- Tuesday, Feb. 18
- Thursday, Feb. 20
- Tuesday, Feb. 25
- Thursday, Feb. 27
Registration form coming soon.
Who is it for?
- Aspiring Entrepreneurs: Individuals who have a business idea but need guidance on how to develop and launch it.
- Early-Stage Founders: Entrepreneurs who have started their business but need help refining their strategy and scaling.
- Small Business Owners: Those looking to pivot or innovate their existing business model.
- Team Members: Members of a startup team who need to understand the business strategy and contribute effectively.
Format & Curriculum
This bootcamp takes place over the course of four evenings. Dinner will be provided during each session.
Session 1: Discover
Understand your business model and how to refine it.
- Cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset
- Building your business model using The CO.STARTERS Canvas
- Refining through customer discovery and starting small
Session 2: Promote
Learn how to market your business.
- Building relationships through marketing
- Crafting your message
- Choosing your marketing channels
- Developing your “pitch”
Session 3: Build
Dive into the building blocks of financial modeling.
- Distributing your product or service
- Knowing your value (before you set your price)
- Understanding your costs
- Calculating a break-even point
Session 4: Launch
Build momentum by goal setting.
- Setting priorities
- Identifying 30, 60, and 90-day milestones
- Getting SMART about tasks
- Creating a plan + staying on track
Benefits
Through this bootcamp, you are engaged with actionable steps. This can include gathering and acting on customer feedback to improve on ideas, products or services, and assimilating these insights into business models and resource planning as you progress through the programs.
The Startup Bootcamp will give you:
- A safe place to share, experiment, fail, and learn together.
- A framework for better identifying and addressing key issues.
- Connections to people and resources to help you make progress in your business.
- Concrete next steps to focus on going forward, starting with the most important.
- Confidence you’re headed in the right direction.
How to prepare for success in this program
In order to get the most out of Startup Bootcamp, we recommend that you have first identified the following:
- Business idea or concept: Have a clear idea or concept for a business, even if it’s still in the early stages.
- Goals and objectives: Understand what you want to achieve from the bootcamp (e.g., refining your business model, learning how to pitch, etc.).
In addition, you should have:
- Basic business knowledge: Familiarity with fundamental business concepts (e.g., value propositions, target market, revenue models) will be helpful.
- A willingness to learn and engage: Be ready to participate actively, engage in discussions, and apply feedback.
- An interest in sharing and collaborating: Be prepared to share your business idea and collaborate with other participants for peer feedback and support.
Instructors
This program is facilitated by local trainers from 20Fathoms.
Delaney Keating
Director of Entrepreneurship, 20Fathoms
Erin Srebinski
Manager of Startup Education, 20Fathoms
This course is brought to you by
20Fathoms is a member of the CO.STARTERS network. Learn more at costarters.co.
This project is being supported, in whole or in part, by federal award number [SLFRP0127] awarded to 20Fathoms by the U.S. Department of the Treasury.
Photography credit: CO.STARTERS