Community Entrepreneurship Academy
Have an Idea for a Business?
Dreaming of starting your own business? Want to learn the tools to make your business more successful? The East Harris County Empowerment Council’s Community Entrepreneurship Academy is excited to be an affiliate partner, bringing the Kauffman FASTTRAC curriculum to East Harris County to help unlock your business potential.
Estimated Time
Application Closed.
Enroll By
The application period has ended. Please fill out the interest form to be notified of upcoming academy dates.
Skills Acquired
This free immersive course is designed to provide you with relevant resources and tools to launch your business.
What you will learn at Community Entrepreneurship Academy?
Course details
FastTrac is for any aspiring or early-stage entrepreneur who is looking for relevant information, real-life entrepreneur experiences, and tools to help through your entrepreneurial journey to starting a business.
Course Benefits
Laptop from Comcast, peer-learning, trained facilitator support, and business mentorship opportunities.
This Course Is For You, IF…
Visionary Dreamer
You’re an aspiring entrepreneur with a passion and need structured guidance to transform your idea into a viable business.
Early-stage Innovator
You’ve initiated a startup and seek insights and strategies to refine, scale, and achieve sustainable growth.
Corporate Convert
You have professional experience and want to leverage that knowledge to dive into the world of small business ownership.
Go-Getter
You want to learn the ropes, get your business noticed, and make it stand out in today’s busy market.
Info Sessions
Transforming your idea into a business
SYLLABUS
About the Course
SECTION 1: IDEATE
Purpose: Understand your entrepreneurial traits and align your business idea with your personal vision.
- Characteristics of a successful entrepreneur.
- Evaluating your entrepreneurial traits.
- Defining your personal vision.
- Aligning your idea with your personal vision.
SECTION 2: POSITION
Purpose: Place your idea in the market, identify customers and competitors, and establish the legal and financial foundation of your business.
- Assessing the market opportunity.
- Identifying potential customers and paths to reach them.
- Scoping out competitors and devising a competitive strategy.
- Estimating revenue potential and startup costs.
- Choosing the right legal structure for your business.
- Planning your business exit strategy.
- Next steps based on your findings.
SECTION 3: COMMIT
Purpose: Bring your business to life by reaching customers, ensuring legal protection, and securing finances.
- Defining and communicating your brand.
- Effective marketing and sales strategies.
- Product distribution channels.
- Financial tools for prediction and monitoring.
- Assessing funding needs.
- Protecting your intellectual property.
- Legal compliance and risk management.
SECTION 4: REFINE
Purpose: Utilize feedback and data to improve and prepare your business for a broader audience.
- Interpreting early sales data and customer feedback.
- Identifying and recruiting necessary talent.
- Intellectual property considerations when expanding.
- Seeking advisory boards or mentors for decision-making support.
- Exploring funding options.
- Creating a compelling business plan for potential investors
SECTION 5: LAUNCH
Purpose: Strategically launch your business, instill a positive company culture, and prepare for future challenges and growth.
- Launch strategies and customer outreach.
- Leadership and fostering a positive company culture.
- Implementing and documenting essential business processes.
- Metrics for measuring success.
- Emergency and disaster planning.
- Forecasting financial metrics and outcomes.
- Exiting strategies.
- Evaluating and improving business finances.
PITCH TO YOUR COMMUNITY
Purpose: Strategically launch your business, instill a positive company culture, and prepare for future challenges and growth.
- Launch strategies and customer outreach.
- Leadership and fostering a positive company culture.
- Implementing and documenting essential business processes.
- Metrics for measuring success.
- Emergency and disaster planning.
- Forecasting financial metrics and outcomes.
- Exiting strategies.
- Evaluating and improving business finances.
Program Offerings
Class Content
Content Co-created with insight
Real-world projects
Project Reviews
Student Services
Real-Time support
Alumni Community
Business Resources
Network Opportunities
Tips & Exercises
Your Journey Starts Here
What You’ll Learn
Vision Alignment
Discover and align your business concept with both your personal vision and genuine market opportunities.
Financial Mastery
Set realistic financial goals, chart the path to profitability, and identify potential funding sources.
Product Spotlight
Emphasize your product/service’s unique features and benefits while defining your company’s distinct brand.
Market Insight
Pinpoint your target audience and carve out a niche by understanding your competitive advantage
Operational Excellence
Manage business functions seamlessly and foster a thriving organizational culture.
Community Resources:
Tap into the wealth of resources available in your community for sustained business growth and planning.
Testimonials
Top Students
All Our Programs Include
Real-world projects from industry experts.
With real-world projects and immersive content built in partnership with top-tier companies, you’ll master the business skills to launch your business.
Real-time support
Gain valuable information in the classroom in real-time.
Networking
You’ll have access to a community of business developers like you to advance your business.
More Resources
Access to free materials.
Turn Your Ideas into Reality.
We transform lives by connecting people to resources and opportunities.
