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The EBV is designed around two central elements: a) focused, practical training in the tools and skills of new venture creation and growth, reflecting issues unique to disability and public benefits programs; and b) the establishment of a support structure for graduates of the program. The practical elements of the program will involve three phases:
- Phase I: delegates participate in a self-study curriculum, facilitated by an online discussion and assessment module, which will be moderated by entrepreneurship faculty and graduate students from one of the partner EBV Universities. During this phase delegates will work on the development of their own business concepts.
- Phase II: during the nine-day residency at one of the four EBV Universities, delegates are exposed to the ‘nuts and bolts’ of business ownership through experiential workshops and lesson from world-class entrepreneurship faculty representing nationally ranked programs around the country.
- Phase III: delegates are provided with 12 months of ongoing support and mentorship from faculty experts at the EBV Universities.
Topics to be addressed include:
- What’s a good business concept and how can I determine if my idea is a good one?
- Do I really need a business plan and, if so, how can I write a great one?
- What do I need to know about my customer and market, and how can I get answers?
- How much money do I need and how do I get it?
- How do I make sense of the numbers, and which numbers really matter?
- What’s a business model, and does mine make sense?
- What is guerrilla marketing? Are there ways to do more with marketing while spending much less?
- Which activities should I outsource and what do I need to know about hiring employees?
- Where do I go to get the information I need to organize my new venture?
Shemin Grant Micro-Fund
The Whitman School of Management offers EBV participants the opportunity to apply and be selected for the Shemin Grant Micro-Fund for New Venture Acceleration. The Shemin Micro-Fund is designed to further new venture creation and business growth among graduates of the Whitman EBV program. The fund provides small grants to recipients that will support activities specifically associated with the early stages of new venture creation (i.e. design, targeted marketing campaigns, legal fees, licensing, etc.).
The first Shemin Micro-Grant was awarded to LaTondra Collier, ’07 EBV. Collier is the founder of Proverbs 31 Investment, LLC (P31), a company that provides promotional items, awards, trophies, flags, office supplies, janitorial supplies, and business solutions to government agencies. P31’s mission is to be one of the leading online promotional agents in the marketing industry, with a central focus on customer service. |
