ETI Business Plan Boot Camp - 8 Weeks of Education

< Back

ETI Business Plan Boot Camp - 8 Weeks of Education

Wednesday Nov 18th, 2020

The Erie Technology Incubator is offering a Business Plan Boot Camp. This 8-week boot camp concentrates on a certain aspect of a business plan. The 8 weeks are broken out as follows:

  1. Introduction to a business plan
  2. Market and Competitive Analysis
  3. Advertising and Branding
  4. Pricing and Revenue Forecasting
  5. Management and Personnel
  6. Financial Projections
  7. Funding Sources
  8. Putting it all Together

ETI Week 1 Business Plan Boot Camp - Overview

Join Dave Cullen, CEO and Founder of Evident Financial and ETI Affiliate member as he introduces participants to what a business plan is. Learn how to write a statement of purpose, description of your business, and the description of your location.

ETI Week 2 Business Plan Boot Camp - market and competitive analysis

Professor Kurt Hersch, Entrepreneurship at Gannon University will teach participants about market and competitive analysis by creating a description of market, learning how to research industry trends and who your target market is.

ETI Week 3 Business Plan Boot Camp - Marketing/Branding

Tom Laird, CEO of Expivia Interaction Marketing Group teaches participants about the importance of marketing and branding and what tools are most effective.

ETI week 4 business plan boot camp - pricing and revenue forecasting

Dr. Joe Kuvshinikov, Associate Professor of Finance and Economics at Gannon University teaches participants the thought process to pricing your product or service and seeing how the pricing compares to your competitors, as well as the importance of creating a three-year sales forecast.

eti week 5 business plan boot camp - management and personnel

Learn first hand from seasoned entrepreneur, Karen Rzepecki, Founder and CEO of Mason Jars Company and Makerplace, Inc. about what key players and support people you need for your business, including how to think about how to hire, who to hire, and for what positions.

ETI Week 6 Business Plan Boot Camp - Financial Projections

Join Dr. Renee Castrigano, Professor and CPA, Accounting and GMBA Programs at Gannon University, as she teaches participants how your financial projections are your key to success, especially when seeking financing by creating an assumptions page, balance sheets, income and sash flow statements, and a break-even analysis.

ETI Week 7 Business Plan boot Camp - Funding Sources

Through a panel discussion, learn firsthand from the funders themselves about the different funding options available and what they are looking for in a startup investment. Panelists include:

Brian Slawin, Director and Portfolio Manager, Ben Franklin Technology Partners Central & Northern PA

Cathryn Easterling, Erie Office Director, Bridgeway Capital

Jordan Fuller, Director, Secure Erie Accelerator, part of Erie Regional Chamber & Growth Partnership

ETI Week 8 Business Plan Boot Camp - Putting it all Together

As we wrap up the Business Plan Boot Camp, Brad Gleason, Director of Entrepreneurial Operations and Kathy Roach, Entrepreneurial Coordinator, take the recruits through the key takeaways from each class, as well as having each presenter share a few words of wisdom.

Professor Kurt Hersch of Gannon University provided entrepreneurial feedback as each of the participants gave their elevator pitch to the class. The event ended with the bestowing of diplomas.

EF logo PNG

"One of our secrets to success is being part of the ETI community of aspiring entrepreneurs. With the leadership, training, mentor support and the resources of Gannon University, ETI is one of the hottest accelerators to build a startup. ETI fosters a culture of innovation and hard work. Both play a huge role in the success of Evident Financial. Our business is mostly conducted face-to-face, so it is important we have an office environment that makes our clients feel welcomed and comfortable. The beautiful lobby and office space of the CBI building is fresh and vibrant, the perfect complement to our brand. As Founder of Evident Financial, I could not overstate how important ETI is to the growth of Evident Financial. We are fortunate to be part of the ETI family." 

David Cullen, CFA

Founder and CEO - Evident Financial

It is said 90% of startups fail. The ETI gives entrepreneurs the resources to beat the odds through world-class mentorship, a collaborative professional environment, and an invaluable network of industry connections.

Nate Carlin, Co-Founder

Olympia Technologies