The new year is a great time to reprioritize and set new goals, especially if you have a dream that you long to make into a reality. If your dream is to start your own business or make something you love economically profitable, the City of Lynchburg has just the opportunity for you: CO.STARTERS. CO.STARTERS is a nine-week class for entrepreneurs that teaches the necessary skills and processes of getting a business idea off the ground.
Start Here
It starts with an idea, an idea that you’re interested in pursuing, an idea that you’re willing to work hard at with others in order to bring it to life. That’s all you need to succeed in the CO.STARTERS class. CO.STARTERS will take that idea and help you shape it. It will help you figure out the right questions to ask and the correct answers to those questions. It will help you look at your idea from different perspectives and figure out where there may be flaws or gaps—and how to fix them. You’ll also have the assistance of your classmates and the real-life experience of other successful businesspeople from the community who will share what they have done and why it has worked for them. The facilitators of the program are trained to guide you through these discussions.
What CO.STARTERS Involves
Each CO.STARTERS cohort is made up of 10 to 16 individuals who are ready to learn together for three hours at a time, one night a week for nine weeks. With facilitated discussions and the collective experience and connections of the people in the classroom, you’ll gain a broader knowledge about what it takes to be an entrepreneur. You’ll have the opportunity to research business models and learn from the successes and failures of everyone involved.
Each class will cover a different topic of entrepreneurship, such as knowing yourself, knowing your customer, building a business model and strengthening it and planning correctly so you’re ready for growth and the future. You’ll have help creating and rehearsing a business pitch, which you’ll give as your final project the last evening of the cohort.
How CO.STARTERS Helps the Community
The City of Lynchburg is undergoing tremendous economic growth and local, small businesses add to the rich fabric of our community. There’s no time like the present to take an opportunity to start a business in the City. We invest in your entrepreneurial journey because it helps starters build sustainable ventures and also provides valuable services to the citizens of Lynchburg.
How to Apply
The CO.STARTERS program requires every prospective entrepreneur to fill out an application. Once accepted, the cost of the program will be $195 for residents of the City of Lynchburg and $245 for non-residents, which can be paid the first evening of the class or through a payment plan.
You can even get a sneak peak at this year’s program right now, as we’ve announced the facilitators for the 2020 cohort. You can also find encouragement and inspiration through the stories of previous CO.STARTERS graduates who’ve already gone on to build successful businesses.
So if you have a business idea that you’re itching to pursue, why wait? Get started with CO.STARTERS today!