Fall 2018 dates TBA

Thursdays 5:30-9:00 pm, and every other Sunday 12:00-6:00 pm

Email Carmen Tall to register today, ctall@mercyconnections.org

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Ready to take action in starting or expanding your business?

This course is where you can turn your idea into a reality.

 

This rigorous course is ideal for those who:

• Have a solid business idea

• Are able to make a significant time investment in bringing their idea to reality

 

The hallmark WSBP class, Start Up has run continuously since 1989. This class churns out women who know business. Using the framework of a business plan, students learn the language of business and build an outstanding personal and professional network along the way.

 

To give you a holistic perspective on the business planning process, the class is taught in 3 content areas: Marketing, Operations, Financials, by 3 seasoned entrepreneur-instructors.

 

Building a Professional Network

The class also features a host of guest speakers who are experts in their fields. When you graduate from Start Up, you'll know who to go to when the myriad questions come up in your business. WSBP is unbiased and does not have binding relationships with the resources it brings to the class. This allows for the network you build to be the network you need, without any gimmicks. 

 

Throughout the class you'll hear from:

• Successful entrepreneurs 'tell-all'

• WSBP alum

• Attorney

• Accountant

• Web strategy expert

• Market research guru

• Financing expert

• Social media strategist

• Sales process expert

 

You'll also have the opportunity to participate in Resource Night, a specialized networking event where you can connect with people and resources more directly related to your specific business arena. 

 

Tons of Feedback

Throughout the class, you're building your plan by handing in individual pieces to the content area instructors for feedback. You'll meet with the full instructor team for feedback. Then, at the completion of the course, you'll meet with a final review team and a lender. These folks are people for whom business plans and processing is a part of their lifeblood: service providers, entrepreneurs, academics. They'll give you even more feedback on your strategy. Then, you'll have a 'mock interview' with a lender, who will give you feedback specialized to the financial part of your plan. You'll leave the class with a business idea seriously fleshed out, based on multiple perspectives and how they fit with your vision.

 

Content

Here's some of the things you'll be doing in the class: 

 

Marketing

• Identifying your customer

• Defining and describing your products and services, given your customers' needs and the competitive environment

• Identifying the competition and determining how you'll stand out

• What's your USP (Unique Selling Proposition)?

• Pricing your product/service

• Building a promotional and advertising strategy, schedule, and budget

• Building a brand and incorporating social responsibility values

 

Operations

• Developing your personal skills to help you take care of yourself in business start up

• Defining your business vision + mission

• Determining why you're writing the plan, who needs to see it, and what you need

• Developing a schedule of tasks that need to be done in your business and how they'll get done

• Need to hire someone to do those tasks? Navigating the hiring process

• Outlining your production and service management strategy

• Determining how you'll manage relationships with clients and suppliers

• Developing skills like negotiations and assertive communication

• Pitching your business idea in a variety of ways

 

Financials

• Creating a personal spending plan and Net Worth Statement

• Determining when and how much risk you can take on to start the business

• Understanding and creating the major financial documents you'll need for business: Cash Flow Statement; Income Statement; Balance Sheet

• Researching start up costs

• Calculating when you'll make enough in revenue to cover your costs

• Working the numbers so they reflect the story of your business

• Projecting (in a good way) financials for the business up to 5 years

• Identifying potential funding streams and funding your start up

 

 

What's your definition of success?

Not everyone who enters the class finishes the business plan. Sometimes, participants find the current iteration of their idea isn't feasible at this time, or they realize they don't want to pursue bringing the idea to fruition. Sometimes, students start the business or find success growing their business during the class, and that takes them away from being able to finish the plan. Every class, though, we can guarantee: you'll build a network second to none.

 

The WSBP Network

You're in a class with up to 15 other women doing the same thing as you: attempting to start or grow their business. In an environment that's very hard to find elsewhere, you'll find the personal and professional support you'll need to start answering the loads of questions you'll have once you start - and not just the ones about your business. In the safe, supportive, fun classroom environment, you'll build a support network where you'll share resources, information, time, laughter, and the occasional freak-out - and you'll be supported the whole way, no matter what comes up. Once you graduate, you're not on your own. You'll have access to the 26-year, 1500+ member WSBP alum network. Find support and guidance from the hundreds of women who have gone before you.