startGBC: Entrepreneurship Fundamentals Bootcamp

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This program is made possible thanks to the generous support of:

Desjardins logo
City of Toronto logo

What is the startGBC Entrepreneur Bootcamp?

Are you considering entrepreneurship as an alternative career path? Or are you already an early-stage budding entrepreneur? Would you like some guidance on topics that will have an impact on the successful scaling of your business idea?

Enroll in the startGBC Entrepreneur Bootcamp to discover tools that can help support the growth of your skills to achieve an understanding of all the fundamental aspects required for a profitable business.

Fall Cohort Starts (next cohort): Tuesday 10 September 2024

Winter Cohort Starts: Tuesday 14 January 2025

Register now

This 6-week, 12-session Bootcamp meets Tuesday and Thursday between 5:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Sessions will take place in person at 200 King St East.

The next cohort will begin on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this program, you should be able to:

  • Understand what an enterprise/social enterprise/social innovation is and the resources available for start-ups within the GTA
  • Identify financial, marketing, legal, human resource, operations, and general management skills necessary to launch and operate an enterprise
  • Develop entrepreneurial management and growth techniques through strategic plans and product validation research to prepare for product launch
  • Gain knowledge of educational resources to support entrepreneurial growth
  • Understand the key challenges facing an entrepreneur at different stages in the growth cycle
  • Understand different tools/models that can be used to minimize risk at different stages of the entrepreneurial journey
  • Identify possible funding sources/streams/structures that could be applied to your business

Week-by-Week Agenda

Session 1: Program Overview, Mission & Key Business Pillars

Agenda:

  • Review Business Pillars
  • Vision & Mission Statement
  • Value Proposition
  • Ideation

Session 2: Research, Value Proposition & SWOT Analysis

Agenda

  • Value Proposition Canvas
  • Research Skills and Resources
  • S.W.O.T.
  • External Resources

Session 3: Design Thinking & Market Sizing

Agenda:

  • Design Thinking
  • Product/Customer Validation
  • Empathy Map
  • Marketing Sizing
  • Segmentation

Session 4: Business Market Canvas & Business Plan

Agenda:

  • Business Model Canvas/Social Canvas
  • Business Plan Tools

Session 5: Legal Fundamentals

Agenda:

  • Legal Structures and Governance 
  • Intellectual Property
  • DealPrep Contracts Tool

Session 6: Finance & Fundraising

Agenda:

  • Funding/Grant Writing
  • Legal Requirements/Book-keeping 

Session 7: Marketing & Communications

Agenda:

  • Marketing/Communications 

Session 8: Sales & Marketing

Agenda:

  • Sales Skills 
  • Marketing
  • Privacy Policy

Session 9: Costing/Pricing & Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Agenda:

  • Costing & Pricing
  • Minimum Viable Product (MVP)

Session 10: Managing Teams & Technology

Agenda:

  • People Resources: Key People and Team Employment
  • Technology Resources

Session 11: Pitching Skills

Agenda:

  • Pitching Skills 

Session 12: Pitch Practice & Reflection

Agenda:

  • Final Pitch
  • Reflections & Next Steps