Grand Canyon University's Colangelo College of Business is partnering with the City of Peoria to host entrepreneurship training for start-ups and small businesses located within the Peoria city limits. The sessions will run every month from April to October. Sessions will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays at the City of Peoria from 5:30 - 7pm.

Ideal participants will have an active LLC, doing business in the City of Peoria. Secure your spot now! Please email [email protected] for questions.

Each month will focus on a different stage of the start-up process. Please read below for detailed descriptions of what each stage entails.

April: Innovation Stage
Ideal for:

• Aspiring entrepreneurs who have a concept or an idea they want to explore
• Early-stage founders seeking to validate their ideas before moving forward

Curriculum Highlights:

1. Problem Definition and Ideation
   • Identifying real-world problems and developing creative, viable solutions
   • Techniques such as design thinking, brainstorming and mind mapping

2. Market Research and Validation:
   • Conducting customer interviews to test assumptions and gather feedback
   • Understanding basic competitive landscapes and market sizing

3. Introduction to the Business Problem Canvas:
   • Mapping out key components of a potential business model by uniquely solving a big or persistent problem

4. Pitch Fundamentals:
   • Outlining the essentials of a compelling pitch and creating a first draft pitch deck

5. Entrepreneurial Mindset:
   • Cultivating grit, growth mindset and agility

Example:

• A student with a mobile app idea who wants to test the concept by interviewing potential users and exploring preliminary market research.

June: Pre-Seed Stage
Ideal for:

• Founders who have validated their problem-market fit at a basic level
• Entrepreneurs ready to build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and seek initial market traction

Curriculum Highlights:

1. Minimum Viable Product (MVP) Development:
   • Best practices for lean prototyping
   • Rapid testing and iteration

2. Customer Validation and Early Traction:
   • Strategies for acquiring beta users and gathering detailed feedback
   • Identifying and measuring key metrics (customer adoption, retention, etc.)

3. Refining the Value Proposition:
   • Zeroing in on what differentiates you from competitors
   • Crafting a clear, concise and compelling story for potential customers

4. Building the Foundation for Funding:
   • Developing a robust pitch deck and executive summary
   • Understanding pre-seed financing options (friends and family, grants, angels)

5. Team Dynamics and Operations:
   • Fundamentals of team-building, co-founder agreements and setting up basic operational processes

Example:

• A solo founder with a prototype of a subscription box service, ready to recruit beta testers and refine the product with real-world data

August: Seed Stage
Ideal for:

• Founders who have an MVP in the market and some initial proof of traction or revenue
• Startups refining their product-market fit and preparing for outside investment

Curriculum Highlights:

1. Advanced Product and Market Fit:
   • In-depth analysis of user feedback and usage patterns
   • Iterating to refine core product features and value propositions

2. Go-to-Market Strategy and Growth Marketing:
   • Crafting a clear strategy for scaling customer acquisition
   • Exploring cost-effective marketing channels, such as paid ads, influencer partnerships and organic growth hacks

3. Financial Modeling and Metrics:
   • Building realistic financial projections (e.g., revenue forecasts, burn rate)
   • Tracking critical startup metrics (customer acquisition cost, lifetime value)

4. Seed-Funding Readiness:
   • Perfecting the pitch deck for angel investors and early-stage VCs
   • Guidance on due diligence and investor relations

5. Operational Excellence and Early Leadership:
   • Streamlining day-to-day operations and establishing team KPIs
   • Introduction to leadership principles and nurturing company culture

Example:

• A B2B founder who has gained 50 paying clients and now needs a stronger financial strategy and a pitch polished for angel investors

October: Early Stage
Ideal for:

• Startups that have raised seed funding or have a stable revenue stream.
• Founders who are looking to scale operations, expand teams, and position themselves for Series A or similar funding.

Curriculum Highlights:

1. Scaling Operations & Team Development:
   • Building organizational structures, hiring strategies, and effective onboarding.
   • Fostering a healthy culture that aligns with company values.

2. Advanced Growth & Revenue Strategies:
   • Exploring partnerships, strategic alliances, and international expansion.
   • Implementing data analytics to optimize marketing and sales funnels.

3. Financial & Legal Preparedness:
   • Advanced financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting.
   • Best practices for IP protection, contracts, and compliance.

4. Series A Fundraising and Beyond:
   • Crafting a compelling story for venture capitalists
   • Navigating term sheets, valuations and investor negotiations

5. Leadership and Corporate Governance:
   • Building a leadership team aligned with long-term growth goals
   • Establishing a board of advisors or directors, setting company-wide objectives

Example:

• A startup founder who has a consistent revenue of $50k/month and aims to expand into new markets while preparing for Series A funding

By progressing through each stage—Innovation, Pre-Seed, Seed and Early Stage—founders will master the spectrum of entrepreneurial skills. From initial idea to raising capital and scaling, this curriculum aims to transform visionary entrepreneurs into successful, purpose-driven leaders.