CO.STARTERS Core Workbook | Session 1

SESSION 1:

Knowing Yourself This session, you will cover: £ £ £ £ £

What CO.STARTERS Core Is and How It Works Identifying and Testing your Assumptions Knowing Yourself & Building a Team Addressing Personal Obstacles Community Obstacles & Opportunities

GOAL: By the end of this session, you should know the material, know the plan, know the group, and know yourself—your strengths, limitations, and the importance of bringing the right people on your team. With a good understanding of what the program entails, you will commit to working through the venture development process throughout this program surrounded by a supportive group of peers.

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YOURSELF

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Introduction, Assumptions, Working Styles, Team Building, Obstacles

1 | Yourself

SESSION 1: Knowing Yourself AS YOU ARRIVE...

1.

Write your name and business on both sides of the nameplate.

2.

Interview another person in the group and fill in the blanks below. Be ready to introduce each other to the group.

3.

This is

, who is passionate about [name]

and [noun or phrase]

. Once [noun or phrase]

and it was

.

[funny or interesting story]

[adjective]

His/Her venture is

. [name of venture or brief description]

By the end of this program, he/she hopes to [goal or accomplishment]

because

. [motivation]

4.

As each person is introduced, applaud and welcome them to the group!

Introduction: What’s CO.STARTERS All About?

(20 minutes) We are so glad to support you in this exciting adventure of launching or growing your venture. Building a thriving business is a meaningful journey full of twists, turns, and surprises along the way. Sometimes it is difficult to know where to start or what to do next, but the journey tends to go a lot better with a little preparation and the support of others. The goal of this program is to help you learn a process for testing your ideas, making them better, and figuring out your next steps.

What is CO.STARTERS? CO.STARTERS works at the intersection of economic and community development to equip local leaders and starters through global networks and resources. What began as a transformation story on a local Main Street has grown from a program, to a company, to a global community and network with a growing list of offerings. CO.STARTERS exists to help communities thrive through entrepreneurship.

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The way we help communities thrive plays out in three core beliefs. ʋ

Invest in individuals. We believe that people are what really matter, more than the ideas they bring. Regardless of what stage someone is at in launching a venture, CO.STARTERS will help them find the best way to pursue their dream.

ʋ

Community first. We believe that individuals thrive in the context of community. CO.STARTERS is about bringing people together to learn from one another in order to create a strong network of support.

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Keep it simple. We believe by making concepts and language easy to understand, we will help people focus on practical next steps to move more quickly toward their goals.

How will the CO.STARTERS Core program help?

CO.STARTERS Core works best for people who are stuck. If you’ve got a new idea for a venture—or you are an existing business looking to become more sustainable, launch a new product or service, or scale—this program is for you.

The only real prerequisites for this program are:

TIP: You don’t have to be focused on business to find value from this program. Nonprofit ideas, short term projects, events, and more can also be a great fit.

1.

Having an idea

2.

Being willing to question, shape, and fine-tune that idea

3.

Being excited to share that idea with others in a supportive, collaborative, and welcoming environment.

Through the program you’ll: ʋ

Have a safe place to share, experiment, fail, and learn together.

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Learn how to ask the right questions to better identify and address key issues.

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Understand WHY specific business activities matter, HOW they fit together, and WHETHER they are relevant to you.

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Connect with people and resources who can help you make progress.

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Find accountability to accomplish your goals.

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Identify the most critical activities to focus on going forward and knowing your next step.

In addition to finding personal value through this process, you’ll also be a part of shaping a new community narrative and redefining what it means to be successful as business owners, as businesses, and as a community.

The Evolution of a Venture Before we dive in, it’s helpful to identify where you are in the startup journey. Although people use these terms in many different ways, for the purposes of CO.STARTERS, the stages of a venture are: Page 1.2

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Concept Stage = You have an idea you’d like to move forward.

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Startup Stage = You are in the beginning of starting a venture and are trying different things, but still have some work to do to make sure the model works and is sustainable.

ʋ

Operating Stage = Your venture is operating and you are trying to build on that (grow, scale, strengthen).

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Now that we have defined these terms, which stage describes your situation?

CO.STARTERS is intentionally focused on concepts and startups, although established ventures can still benefit from the CO.STARTERS process, particularly if they’re looking to reassess direction. Knowing which stage you are in will help you navigate the remainder of the program.

How the CO.STARTERS Core Program Works In order to get the most out of CO.STARTERS Core, you must be committed.

You’ll only get out of the program what you’re willing to put into it. We encourage you to make the most of your time in this program and put a concentrated focus on figuring out how your venture needs to progress.

During this program, you will explore your venture through: ʋ

Sessions: Each session, you will investigate some aspect of your venture using discussions, speakers, and collaborative activities to deepen learning. The CO.STARTERS Canvas will help you examine your ideas and put them to the test. Every time we reference the Canvas in the material, you’ll see the Canvas Icon. All the information needed for each session is in your binder, so be sure to bring it with you. Doing everything all at once can be overwhelming, so each time we meet we introduce a couple new ideas and explain why they are important for your success.

Ideas build on one another, so it’s important not to skip sessions.

ʋ

Fieldwork: Doing fieldwork activities on your own will move you closer to accomplishing your goals. Most activities involve getting out and talking to people about your ideas since that is the best way to find out whether or not they will work.

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Customer Count: Talking with potential customers is so important that we’ll award a prize to the person who talks with the most by the end of the program. Progress will be tracked each session through stars and the Customer Count chart. You’ll get a star for every face-to-face conversation you have with a potential customer about your business.

You will see the Star Icon each time there is a good opportunity to speak with a customer. Prizes are listed at resources.costarters.co.

ʋ

Canvas Icon

Star Icon

Reminders: Before each session, you will get a reminder of what you need to do to prepare for the next session and links to relevant resources from the previous session.

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ʋ

Surveys: At CO.STARTERS, we’re committed to constant improvement. Your experience and expertise are important to us so that we can provide the best resources and tools to help you and others like you. Throughout the program, you’ll receive requests for feedback. We count on you to tell us what’s up, what’s working, and what you’d like to see down the road.

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CO.STARTERS Resource Center (resources.costarters.co): The CO.STARTERS Resource Center is an online tool that provides additional resources. With links to helpful articles, extra copies of templates, electronic spreadsheets, and links to additional tools, the CO.STARTERS Resource Center provides opportunities for deeper learning. You will see the CO.STARTERS Resource Center icon each time further information is available on the site.

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Celebration Event: For our last session, we will have a party! Invite your family and friends to hear you share your startup journey and celebrate your accomplishments. We encourage you to identify your personal goal for this program and work toward it.

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Your Cohort: The good news is that you are not alone in this journey. You are surrounded by a team of people who want to see you succeed. As you work together, this group will help you ask the right questions, find the answers in your community, and provide encouragement along the way.

Resource Center Icon

Expectations Most of us have different ideas of how to best work together in a group.

By identifying our expectations, we can set the stage for our time together.

ACTIVITY | Expectations As a group, answer the following questions. To help inform the conversation, check out CO.STARTERS Values and how the DISCO informs our work.

What do you personally hope to get out of this CO.STARTERS experience?

How do you see yourself supporting others in the group? How do you hope to be supported? What do you want to get from each other?

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(continued...)

What behaviors or attitudes in a group make it hard to work together?

What behaviors or attitudes make it easy? What sort of “Agreement” should the group have to guide your time together?

1. Bring Your Vision into Focus Start with the End in Mind (15 minutes) You probably have a picture in your head of what life looks like once your business has “arrived.” Can you see it? Because it’s still pretty far away, the exact details might be a little blurry.

Worksheet 1.A

Worksheet 1.A

Draw a picture of yourself once your business has “arrived.” If you are having trouble getting started, try visualizing your ideas through symbols. Or start by adding accessories or drawing the context around you.

SOMEDAY…

HELLO my name is

ACTIVITY | Someday...

Using the questions below for further inspiration and the “Someday…” illustration, draw a picture of yourself once your business has “arrived.”

What does your business look like? What is your role? Why is this success for you? Be ready to share your picture with the group. | week 2

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Why are you starting a venture? What do you want to get out of it?

What does success look like for you? Some people start businesses to share something they love, while others do it to make more money or provide a greater degree of flexibility in their lives. What is driving you to do this?

How much control do you want to have? Who is working with you? What is your role? Understanding the amount of control you want or need to have over your business’s operations can help you answer some important questions down the line. Who else do you trust to make decisions? Under what conditions?

1.A

WHY THIS? For many, drawing is an uncomfortable prospect.

However, we’ve found drawing forces you to think differently about yourself and surfaces much deeper insights.

Trust us! You may be surprised with the results

How big will your venture be? When you think about your venture in the future, is it just you or do you have a lot of employees? Are you a simple operation or a huge one? Is there a place to start small and grow?

Will you be a for-profit or a nonprofit? Nonprofits and for-profits differ not only in their legal structures but also in how money can be raised and used. While CO.STARTERS is geared toward for-profits, nonprofit ventures tend to still get a lot out of the program.

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2. The Canvas: Questioning Assumptions Your Business Starts With You (15 minutes) It sounds strange, right? You are here to work on your business, but we want to talk about you. You are the most critical part of your venture.

Your passions, desires, expectations, strengths, weaknesses, and even how you manage your personal finances will influence your business and its ultimate success or failure.

One of the most critical things you bring to your business is your assumptions—those hunches or ideas you have about why and how your venture is going to work. Because people rarely get it right from the start, we want you to constantly test your ideas during this CO.STARTERS program to figure out which of your assumptions are right and which should change. Our role is to guide you through this discovery process.

Developing a Model As you start your business, someone may ask about your “business model.”

If you are new to the world of entrepreneurship, you may wonder what exactly they want to know.

Have you ever seen an architect’s model for a building? Although the architect may have a lot of ideas about how the building will look and work, building a model helps ensure it works in reality, not only theory.

Similarly, a business model is a way of showing the thinking behind why and how your venture will work. Our goal through this program is to help you develop a clear and workable business model for your venture.

Starting with a Blank “Canvas” So, how do you define your business model? While there are many tools that can help, CO.STARTERS uses a version of the “Business Model Canvas” developed by Alexander Osterwalder (strategyzer.com).

How does it work? Like an artist paints a picture by layering paint on a canvas, the CO.STARTERS Canvas will help you create a realistic picture of your business. The Canvas helps you identify, test, and adapt your assumptions about your venture in order to create a sustainable model.

Once the ideas are out of your head, the Canvas provides a process to refine them by talking with customers and starting small. Because you probably won’t get everything right at the start, the Canvas should constantly change as your venture is refined. We’ll use the CO.STARTERS Canvas as the framework each session for working through your venture.

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BREAK (5 minutes)

2. Discovering Your Working Style Know Your Strengths & Challenges (40 minutes) We are all naturally wired to have a particular “style” of working. For example, some types of work may come naturally to you while others are a challenge. Or perhaps the way to handle a situation seems obvious to you while other people’s approaches seem backward.

Understanding your “style” can help you see where your strengths lie and where you might need help. While there are a lot of assessments out there (and we encourage you to check out some of our favorites at resources. costarters.co), we’ll use a simple one for our purposes here.

Worksheet 1.B

ACTIVITY | Working Styles Assessment Read each statement carefully and use the 1–5 rating scale to rank how well each statement honestly describes you. Write the score you give yourself in the box at the end of the row. When you are finished answering all of the questions, add up the total for each column (A, B, C & D) at the bottom of the page.

Read each of the statements carefully and use the rating scale below to rank how well each statement describes you. Be honest. Describe yourself as you generally are now, not as you wish to be in the future.

1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Somewhat Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Somewhat Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

A 1.

B

C

D

I am skilled at getting people to join my side.

2.

People tell me I am a good listener.

3.

As problems arise, I am the one to make the decisions about next steps.

4.

I am good at executing the details.

5.

I often see important things that others overlook.

6.

I am comfortable making hard decisions.

7.

My definition of success is having good relationships.

8.

When I decide to do something, I always see it through to completion.

9.

I pick up on the emotions of others quickly.

10. I am able to work on a task without getting easily distracted.

11. I am naturally curious about a lot of things.

12. I feel better when I have a schedule.

13. I believe that the best way to solve a problem is to talk through it.

WORKING STYLES ASSESSMENT

Use the Working Styles Assessment to find your working style.

Worksheet 1.B

What is Your Working Style?

14. I find it easy to remain focused on the job at hand.

15. I am good at interpreting a lot of data.

16. Giving a presentation to a group of people sounds exciting.

17. I have something in common with everyone I meet.

18. The details of a problem are what I am most concerned about.

Write the score you give yourself in the box at the end of the row.

19. I am energized by sharing my ideas with others.

20. People rely on me to identify potential improvements.

21. When a hard decision needs to be made, I am the one to make it.

22. When talking with someone, I tend to listen just as much as I talk.

23. I like giving directions.

24. I usually learn something useful from my mistakes.

25. When others are happy or sad, I can usually pick up on it quickly.

26. I am able to take a lot of data and create a clear picture.

1 = Strongly Disagree

27. I prefer to complete one task before moving on to another.

28. I am at my best when I am learning something new.

Column Total:

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1.B

2 = Somewhat Disagree 3 = Neutral 4 = Somewhat Agree 5 = Strongly Agree When you are finished answering all of the questions, add up the total for each column (A, B, C & D) at the bottom of the page.

Then in the box below, write down the column (A, B, C, or D) that has the highest number:

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What’s your style?

Column A: Do Doers are energized by putting ideas to work and getting things done.

They come alive when tasks are complete, lists are checked, or projects are tackled. They typically have intense focus, are detailed in their efforts, and extremely productive. Doers are usually so focused, however, that they may forget to look up and communicate what they’re doing with others on the team.

Column B: Lead Leaders are energized by convincing people that an idea is worth pursuing. They are skilled at persuading both team members and potential investors/partners and are decisive in their decision-making. However, leaders can be disconnected from others, not fully understanding all that goes into executing their vision. Because they’re out in front, they sometimes forget to check in with the people following them.

Column C: Love Lovers are energized by connecting people to ideas and building relationships. They are sensitive and always aware of how others feel.

But Lovers may be weak at finishing projects or doing detail-oriented work. They may make people feel great but will struggle with getting “real” work done.

Column D: Learn Learners enjoy taking information and using it to make product or team improvements. They have a clear sense of a product’s past, present, and future, and are always finding ways to use available information to enhance the product based on this vision. Learners acquire knowledge and a deeper understanding of the nuances of a problem through research.

They are deliberate, disciplined, and think strategically. Without others, however, Learners might stay absorbed in the learning process and fail to get much done.

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ACTIVITY | Working Styles Type Divide into four groups according to your dominant working style.

For example, everyone that scored highest in column A becomes the “Doing Group.”

Read through the definition of your working style, then work together through the following questions.

What sorts of business roles or tasks are you most suited ?

Who are you and what makes you special?

What do you love to do?

What do you hate to do?

What support do you need to perform best?

When prompted, have one person share your group’s thoughts with the larger group. What does it mean to be someone with this working style?

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Build a Team Relying on the skillset of one founder is a common reason startups fail.

Most likely, you don’t have all the traits needed to successfully run a venture in and of yourself. How do you get the rest?

The answer is simple: You build a team.

With a team, you can achieve more than you can alone. Especially if your team possesses all four working styles. These four styles, in combination, give a team exponential power, focus, and the balance needed to achieve something great.

The good news is that not everyone in the world is just like you. Other people have strengths that can complement your own and give your business everything it needs. It’s your job to find those people and ask them to support you.

If you’re just getting started out, you may be a ways off from hiring employees. But, teams come in many forms. For example, think about your team in terms of an advisory board. In addition to co-founders and employees, other supporters like mentors, advisors, and subject matter experts will play important roles in ensuring your success. Who can you count on to give advice, feedback, and moral support?

While your business starts with you, it shouldn’t end with you.

ACTIVITY | Build a Team Work individually to write down some thoughts, then share with another person in the group.

What additional working styles do you need on your team to complement your dominant style? For example, if you’re a Doing style, how might you benefit from a Loving style on your team?

Who do you know that is strong in this/these working style(s)?

Why is building a well-balanced team so important?

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3. Identifying Personal Obstacles Your Own Worst Enemy (30 minutes) Starting and running a business is hard work. It takes commitment, persistence, and personal sacrifice to succeed. You will encounter many challenges on your journey, some business related and some personal.

In this section, we’ll explore obstacles you might face, as well as how to deal with them. It’s important to identify obstacles early so you can address them from the start and minimize their impact.

Time Flies It seems like life is constantly busy with every moment of the day filled.

But, starting a business takes a lot of time.

How much time do you currently have available for getting working on your venture?

ACTIVITY | Typical Day Think about your typical day. Write down approximately how many hours a day you spend doing the following activities, then total the number of hours at the bottom of the chart.

Activity

Hours

Sleeping Eating Working Showering/Getting dressed Exercising Riding/Driving/Commuting Studying Preparing meals Watching TV/Reading Praying/Meditating Other: Other: Other: Total:

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How many hours a day do you have left to work on your venture? To find out, use the following equation: 24 – [number from chart] = [number hours available]

Realistically, how much of that time can you devote to your business?

How will this impact your business moving forward?

Where can you change your habits to free up time?

Which activities are urgent? Important? Which can wait so that you can focus on what matters most?

Managing Your Time Most likely, you’ve found that your time is limited. Because every second counts, careful planning can help you get the most out of the CO.STARTERS Core program and get you closer to realizing your personal goals.

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ACTIVITY | CO.STARTERS Plan Think about all you hope to accomplish by the end of this program and list it out here. If something feels overwhelming, break it down into manageable pieces.

Looking at the list above, which three are the most important “big picture” themes that include many of the others? Make sure they can be realistically accomplished in the time you have.

1.

2.

3.

Worksheet 1.C CO.STARTERS ® PLAN

Worksheet 1.C

What three things need to be done by halfway to achieve your CO.STARTERS Milestones?

1.

Work backwards to identify the most important milestones for you to reach by the end of this program. Then, use the chart to plan out weekly tasks to help you achieve those milestones.

PROGRAM MILESTONES

1

6

2

7

3

8

4

9

5

10

1.C

GOALS

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These are your “CO.STARTERS Milestones.” Transfer them to the CO.STARTERS Plan.

SPECIAL SESSIONS

2.

3.

Transfer these milestones to your CO.STARTERS Plan.

Then, use the chart to plan the tasks you must do each week to stay on track to achieve your milestones. Try not to do too much; three to five tasks a week is manageable.

Revisit and update often, as your milestones will most likely change.

Additional templates can be downloaded from resources.costarters.co.

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Where does the money go?

Just as there seems to never be enough time, there is never enough money.

Although your business finances should be separate from your personal finances, your personal financial health will impact your business.

While we respect that your personal finances are private, it is important to take a careful look at your financial situation and consider how it might affect your business. Think about: ʋ

Budgeting: The simple process of setting limits on your spending and tracking your spending habits can help you stay on target financially.

If you don’t do this now, you will have to for your business. Check out resources.costarters.co for free tools for help with budgeting.

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Debt: Do you have school loans, credit card debt, medical bills, or other money you owe? While sometimes necessary, debt can limit your financial flexibility. Knowing your obligations is important for understanding how much money you can devote to your business. Check out resources.costarters.co for helpful resources on getting out of debt.

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Credit Score: Do you know your credit score? Do you even have one?

A credit score determines whether or not you can borrow money or get a credit card. It’s based on your past history of borrowing money.

If you have never had a loan or a credit card, you may have difficulty getting loans in the future. The higher your number (typically in a range of 300 to 800), the better. Additional information on finding and improving your credit score may be found at resources.costarters.co.

CASE STUDY |

PRODUCT

David: Personal Opportunities & Challenges In between his shifts at a local cafe, David has been studying the art of bread-making. He has watched every online video on the subject and recently shadowed a baker on the other side of town for a few days. Nothing gets him out of bed in the morning like the thought of a perfect crumb density in a warm loaf of sourdough. Recently, he began routinely inviting some friends over for sandwiches, and they won’t stop talking about how great the bread tastes. It makes him wonder if he should quit his day job and turn his passion into a business.

The problem is that David—as much as he knows about yeast, proofing, and kneading­—knows nothing about running a business.

The word ‘spreadsheet’ makes him slightly nauseous and the very thought of how many licenses and industrial-grade pieces of equipment he’d have to buy only gives him a headache.

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He also doesn’t know where he’d find the time to work on his business. He works forty hours per week at his day job, and can’t afford to take a vacation or cut back on his hours. His only outlet to relieve stress is a weekly pickup game of basketball. Even if he did have the time for his venture, he has zero clue where he will get the money. His income from the cafe is barely enough to afford food after his rent, utility, and transportation expenses. He knows starting a business can cost a lot of money. He thinks he could ask some family members for loans, but doubts that would be enough.

David is eager, but he fears starting his own venture will force him to risk his financial future and drain his life of any time left for friends or family. He loves the idea of merging his work and his hobby, but could he really pull it off? ............................................................................

Together, discuss:

What are the challenges David faces?

Thinking back over the concepts we discussed earlier, what are some recommendations you might have for David?

What temporary life changes could David make to get his venture off the ground?

Now, think about your own life. What obstacles might you face in starting your business?

How can you address these obstacles? Who might be able to help you?

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Is It Worth It? Over the course of the program, we’ll explore your business more in-depth.

While we don’t expect you to have the answer at this point, it’s important to consider whether or not the time and money needed to make your venture succeed is worth it in the end. Will what you need to put into it, all things considered, pay off?

4. Community Obstacles & Opportunities Understanding Your Community (15 minutes) Not all obstacles you encounter will be personal. The community around you may have both challenges and opportunities people elsewhere don’t often consider.

But, even if there are obstacles, you have the power to change the circumstances and community story for yourself and others who come after you. Together your businesses will contribute greatly to making your area a desirable place to live and work. As you provide much needed products or services to your community, you’ll create jobs and grow the local economy. As a business leaders, your influence can create a healthy culture and address existing barriers so that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

ACTIVITY | Community Obstacles & Opportunities As a group, discuss the following questions.

What obstacles will you face starting a business in your community?

How can you address these obstacles? How can you help each other?

What about your community makes it a great place to start a business?

How can you take advantage of these qualities?

How will your community be different when all of your businesses are up and running?

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5. Learn from Others Building Connections (10 minutes) One of the best ways to truly understand what it will be like to run a business is by talking with other business owners. By learning from their experiences, you can hopefully both follow their examples and learn from their mistakes.

If you live in an area that does not have many businesses, it might be challenging to identify someone from whom you can learn. Get creative.

Is there someone in a neighboring community doing what you’d like to do locally? Is there a business in another state doing something similar that you could contact or visit and learn from it?

ACTIVITY | Interview Think of someone who runs a successful business similar to what you want to do. It doesn’t have to be exactly the same business (or a competitor), just similar enough to give you a good idea of how your business might run.

Maybe she sells cakes and you want to sell pies, but you like the feel of her business.

Then, go around and share the name of the person or business. If you can’t think of anyone, ask the group for help. Do they know someone that would be helpful for you to meet?

By the end of this program, set up a time to interview or spend a day shadowing this person. Put the person’s name below.

I plan to interview ________________________________________.

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6. Telling Your Story Connecting the Pieces (5 minutes) Most businesses launch because the founder has some profound connection in her individual story. To wrap up this session, we want to help you tell your story.

ACTIVITY | Story Statements

Worksheet 1.D

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I think

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

In the coming sessions, we’ll use the Story Statements to help us better understand ourselves and each other.

STORY STATEMENTS

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

Worksheet 1.D

Without using any word or phrase more than once, fill in the blanks for all five sections to help you tell your story.

To complete the sheet, fill in the blanks for all five sections, but do not use any word more than once. In doing so, you’ll have to dive deeper into your story. We’ll be taking turns sharing our stories during future sessions.

I believe

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I see

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

The Story Statement worksheet was developed by Victor Saad, founder of Experience Institute. You can learn more about Victor’s work at expinstitute.com.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I know

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

Ia

The Story Statements worksheet was developed by Victor Saad, founder of Experience Institute. You can learn more about Victor’s work at expinstitute.com.

Used by permission | CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2020 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.D

How are we doing?

Session Feedback (5 minutes) Our experience together is only as valuable as our collective commitment to the process and to each other. How are things going? What could be improved to help you engage more fully?

Please take a couple minutes to fill out the feedback form, share your experience, and let us know how we are doing!

Page 1.18

SESSION 1 | Yourself

© Copyright 2023 CO.STARTERS

1 | Yourself

FIELDWORK...

(5 minutes) o Look back at your list of people who have the strengths you lack.

If you weren’t able to think of people, ask your friends, family, or fellow group members to help you identify them. Share your business idea with at least two of the people you’ve identified and get their feedback. Are they excited? Would they be interested in being on your team?

Worksheet 1.E

the one-page Business plan

Answer each question with one or two short sentences.

OVERVIEW

HUSTLING

What will you sell?

How will customers learn about your business?

What will you sell?

o Complete the One Page Business Plan at the end of this section’s content. Always ask “What am I assuming?” The $100 Startup One-Page Business Plan was developed by Chris Guillebeau, author of The $100 Startup. You can find more excellent resources at 100startup.com.

HUSTLING

OVERVIEW

Who will buy it?

How can you encourage referrals?

Who will buy it?

How will your business idea help people?

SUCCESS

How will customers learn about your business?

How can you encourage referrals?

How will your business idea help people?

The project will be successful when it achieves these metrics: Number of customers

KA-CHING

or

or

Annual net income

How will you get paid?

Annual net income

(or other metric)

How else will you make money from this project?

(or other metric) How else will you make money from this project?

OBSTACLES / CHALLENGES / OPEN QUESTIONS Specific concern or question #1

OBSTACLES / CHALLENGES / OPEN QUESTIONS Specific concern or question #1

Proposed solution to concern #1

100startup.com

Proposed solution to concern #1

1.E 100startup.com

Used by permission | CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2020 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

Worksheet 1.F

Worksheet 1.F

Use this form to take notes and guide you through the interview process.

Name of person: _____________________________________________________________________

INTERVIEW FORM

o If there wasn’t time to finish your CO.STARTERS Plan during the session, please complete it by the next session.

The project will be successful when it achieves these metrics:

What will you charge?

How will you get paid?

o Complete the Story Statements and have them ready to share with the group.

SUCCESS

Number of customers

KA-CHING

What will you charge?

o Schedule time to shadow or interview the business owner you identified. Be prepared to share your experience and what you learned with the group. The Interview Form may be used to guide your conversation.

Worksheet 1.E

the one-page Business plan

Answer each question with one or two short sentences.

Name of business: ___________________________________ Number of years in business: ______ Tell me about starting your business. Why did you start it?

What is your role/job? What sort of responsibilities do you have?

What is your typical day like?

o Make your best attempt at filling out the CO.STARTERS Canvas for your venture. Don’t worry if you’re not sure what to put where.

Just make your best guess and we’ll work through it together in future sessions.

What is the best thing about owning your own business?

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2020 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.F

Next session we will start by sharing our progress in these areas.

Be ready to share!

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | costarters.co

SESSION 1 | Yourself

Page 1.19

Page 1.20

SESSION 1 | Yourself

© Copyright 2023 CO.STARTERS

Worksheet 1.A

Draw a picture of yourself once your business has “arrived.” If you are having trouble getting started, try visualizing your ideas through symbols. Or start by adding accessories or drawing the context around you.

SOMEDAY…

HELLO my name is

| week 2

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.A

Read each statement carefully and use the 1–5 rating scale to rank how well each statement honestly describes you. Write the score you give yourself in the box at the end of the row. When you are finished answering all of the questions, add up the total for each column (A, B, C & D) at the bottom of the page.

A 1.

I am skilled at getting people to join my side.

2.

People tell me I am a good listener.

3.

As problems arise, I am the one to make the decisions about next steps.

4.

I am good at executing the details.

5.

I often see important things that others overlook.

6.

I am comfortable making hard decisions.

7.

My definition of success is having good relationships.

8.

When I decide to do something, I always see it through to completion.

9.

I pick up on the emotions of others quickly.

B

C

D

10. I am able to work on a task without getting easily distracted.

11. I am naturally curious about a lot of things.

12. I feel better when I have a schedule.

13. I believe that the best way to solve a problem is to talk through it.

WORKING STYLES ASSESSMENT

1 = Strongly Disagree, 2 = Somewhat Disagree, 3 = Neutral, 4 = Somewhat Agree, 5 = Strongly Agree

Worksheet 1.B

What is Your Working Style?

14. I find it easy to remain focused on the job at hand.

15. I am good at interpreting a lot of data.

16. Giving a presentation to a group of people sounds exciting.

17. I have something in common with everyone I meet.

18. The details of a problem are what I am most concerned about.

19. I am energized by sharing my ideas with others.

20. People rely on me to identify potential improvements.

21. When a hard decision needs to be made, I am the one to make it.

22. When talking with someone, I tend to listen just as much as I talk.

23. I like giving directions.

24. I usually learn something useful from my mistakes.

25. When others are happy or sad, I can usually pick up on it quickly.

26. I am able to take a lot of data and create a clear picture.

27. I prefer to complete one task before moving on to another.

28. I am at my best when I am learning something new.

Column Total:

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.B

Worksheet 1.C

CO.STARTERS ® PLAN

PROGRAM MILESTONES

Work backwards to identify the most important milestones for you to reach by the end of this program. Then, use the chart to plan out weekly tasks to help you achieve those milestones.

6

8

1

3

9

7

4

10

2

5 SPECIAL SESSIONS

1.C

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I think

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

STORY STATEMENTS

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

Worksheet 1.D

Without using any word or phrase more than once, fill in the blanks for all five sections to help you tell your story.

I believe

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I see

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

I know

I am __________________________, I come from _________________________.

I’ve been to ____________________ and ___________________. _____________ is my home.

Ia

The Story Statements worksheet was developed by Victor Saad, founder of Experience Institute. You can learn more about Victor’s work at expinstitute.com.

Used by permission | CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.D

ences.

the one-page Business plan

Answer each question with one or two short sentences.

OVERVIEW

HUSTLING

stomers learn about your business?

What will you sell?

How will customers learn about your business?

ou encourage referrals?

Who will buy it?

How can you encourage referrals?

How will your business idea help people? will be successful when it achieves cs:

customers

income

Worksheet 1.E

n

SUCCESS The project will be successful when it achieves these metrics: Number of customers

KA-CHING What will you charge?

or How will you get paid?

Annual net income

metric)

(or other metric) How else will you make money from this project?

CHALLENGES / OPEN QUESTIONS

ncern or question #1

olution to concern #1

100startup.com

OBSTACLES / CHALLENGES / OPEN QUESTIONS Specific concern or question #1

Proposed solution to concern #1

1.E 100startup.com

Used by permission | CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

Worksheet 1.F

Use this form to take notes and guide you through the interview process.

Name of person: _____________________________________________________________________

Tell me about starting your business. Why did you start it?

INTERVIEW FORM

Name of business: ___________________________________ Number of years in business: ______

What is your role/job? What sort of responsibilities do you have?

What is your typical day like?

What is the best thing about owning your own business?

CO.STARTERS Core version c.0720 | © 2023 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co

1.F

Worksheet 1.F

INTERVIEW FORM

What is the hardest thing about owning your own business?

How long did it take for your business to start making money?

What advice do you have for someone wanting to start a business? What do you know now that you wish you had known when you started?

Could I spend a day with you seeing what you do?

Other Notes:

1.F

Core version c.0720 | © 2020 CO.STARTERS | costarters.co