• Breakfast Sessions – 8:00 A.M. – 10:00 A.M.
• Second Tuesday of each month starting August 8th, 2006
• Location will be KHIC facility off I-75 exit 38 in London, Kentucky
• Limited to (1-2) people per company – Recommend Company Owner and/or Executive level resource
• Limited session size (15-25)

• Cost: No charge to company

• Schedule:

• August 8, 2006  -  Introduction to Entrepreneurship & Challenges to Success
• September 12, 2006  -  Building a Sustainable Business Model
• October 10, 2006    -   Understanding your Market and Target Customer
• November 14, 2006  -   Funding Sources and How to Secure Capital
• December 12, 2006  -   Sales Channels & the Importance of Partnerships

• Confirmation:

• bwilson@khic.org   or call Ginia at 606-864-5175 to confirm
• Class size is limited so please reserve early
• It is recommended that all sessions be attended 

Course Description:

• Course 1:  Intro to Entrepreneurship – this session will focus on the opportunities and challenges of deciding to become an entrepreneur. We cover issues such as your entrepreneurial readiness, current trends relative to entrepreneurship, timing of your new venture, capitalization, and other critical issues pertaining to becoming an entrepreneur. The main focus is on the challenges facing a new entrepreneur or start-up venture. We also discuss the customer value proposition, the importance of a sound business model, and sources of support for entrepreneurial companies.

• Course 2:  Building a Sustainable Business Model – this session will focus on understanding how you plan to secure customers and make money. The reason most start-ups fail is the lack of a solid Business Model and the understanding of the transitions that early start-ups must make to succeed. We will discuss the elements of a successful Business Model and how to build an execution plan that is fundable and sustainable. We will also discuss liquidity options and what needs to be done to position a company for success and possible exit.

• Course 3:  Understanding your Market and Target Customer – this session will focus on understanding how to do effective market research, competitive analysis, customer surveys, etc. to help you determine who is the right target for your product or service. We will discuss the importance of developing and articulating a solid “value proposition” for your target or “niche” market. We will also discuss the various ways to deliver your message to the market. All successful businesses start with an understanding of their markets and their customers.

• Course 4:  Funding Sources and How to Secure Capital - all entrepreneurial companies need cash to operate, grow, and build sustainable operations but not all companies get funded and this is the reason that many fail. This session focuses on the various sources of funds for start-ups and how a company must prepare and position itself to secure funds from these sources. The money is out there but there are numerous applicants and this session will discuss what you can do as a company to improve your chances of securing necessary funding against huge odds.

• Course 5:  Sales Channels and the Importance of Partnerships – how you take your offering to market must be evaluated and chosen carefully as you don’t get multiple chances to get it right. We will discuss various sales channel options, when to choose each, how to identify the best approach for each stage of your development, and how to staff and fund each approach. It is also imperative that all start-ups understand the importance of Partnerships at all levels of their development and we will discuss the options in this area as it pertains to sales, product development, service, support, and funding.