Since I started my business full-time in 2008, achieving a lifelong dream, I’ve had numerous people, most of whom are friends and family, ask me what it takes to become an entrepreneur.

Helping others start the adventure of entrepreneurship is a passion of mine, and one we’ve wanted to foster at The Div, so we’ve teamed with a couple of veteran entrepreneurs to do the Pre-Entrepreneurship Bootcamp: What You Need to Know and Do Before Starting a Business on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2011 from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.

This event is designed for aspiring or budding entrepreneurs – those who have an idea, itch or passion to run your own business, but need some direction and help getting started.

We want to provide basic training where entrepreneurs find answers, tools and help to start and grow great businesses that change the world.

WHO’S PRESENTING

Here are the people who will be sharing their experience and expertise in entrepreneurship for this event:

* Michael S. Smith — ran Gemini Industries in El Reno for a number of years and took it from $8 million to $35 million in sales before eventually selling the company. He now leads Oxygen for Organizations, mentoring entrepreneurs.

* Christian Brim – is a CPA who founded and runs Core Group, an accounting and financial services firm with locations throughout Oklahoma, and a member of Entrepreneurship Organization.

* Cory Miller – that’s me. I co-founded iThemes in 2008 and since starting our business in my home we now have 23+ team members scattered throughout the world, three primary brands (and more coming), an office in Edmond, Oklahoma, and this summer started The Div, our nonprofit tech foundation where the bootcamp will be held.

* Dan Trang - is the manager at VentureSpur. VentureSpur is a venture accelerator and seed capital fund dedicated to identifying and developing the best early-stage, high-growth ventures in Oklahoma.

* We also have a couple of local attorneys who are going to be on hand to present and be available during the event for those who need direction on how to get legal help for your business.

SCHEDULE & TOPICS

8a.m. – Registration and Coffee
8:30 — Welcome and Intros

9 a.m. – SESSION 1: IS IT FOR YOU? (Cory Miller) — We’ll weigh the costs and benefits of entrepreneurship, talk about the purpose and role of an entrepreneur and what they do for the world and ask some hard questions.

9:50 a.m. – SESSION 2: MONEY (Cory Miller) – We’ll talk about the role of your personal finances in becoming a full-time entrepreneur, along with the role of money and how to get your financial house in order.

10:30 a.m. — SESSION 3 (Michael Smith): PERSONAL & TEAM ASSET INVENTORY – Taking inventory of your skills, strengths, experiences, expertise will help you on the journey.

11:15 a.m. – SESSION 4: THE COMPELLING VISION (Michael Smith) — Knowing where you want to go will help keep you on the right path.

Noon – Working Lunch (Lunch is provided by VentureSpur) — During our working lunch Dan Trang from Venture Spur will discuss funding options and field questions.

1:00 p.m. – SESSION 5: LEGAL (Brandon Baker) — Things you need to know about getting your business legal and how to find the right help.

1:50 p.m. – SESSION 6: YOUR ONE-PAGE BIZ PLAN (Michael Smith) — you need an initial game plan for your business idea. We’ll talk about the basics of a good plan and how to start one.

2:30 p.m. – SESSION 7: ACCOUNTING (Christian Brim) — Without money, and good accounting practices, your business is dead. Get nuts and bolts tips for vital aspect of running a business.

3:15 p.m. – SESSION 8: SUPPORT (Cory Miller) — Getting the right support system in place before you start is key to your continued success. We’ll talk about the key people you need on your team.

4 p.m. — SESSION 9: RECRUITING & RESOURCES (Cory Miller) — How to gather the right resources and recruit the right people to your team.

4:45 p.m. — SESSION 10: WORK-LIFE INTEGRATION (Cory Miller) — The work of an entrepreneur almost never stops. Here are some do’s and don’ts, including personal stories, pitfalls and experiences.

5:30 p.m. – FINAL WORD & CHALLENGE & Q&A

* Please note times will vary. We want to provide practical help for those eager to start their entrepreneurial adventure.

REGISTRATION

I believe you’ve got to have a deep level of commitment, drive and passion to be an entrepreneur, so we’re asking for a donation of $50 per registrant for this special bootcamp, with all proceeds going to support The Div and our work through this nonprofit foundation, including lunch for the day.

We are also offering an online version of the bootcamp via webinar for those not in Oklahoma. The donation for this will be $40 a person.

If you have any questions about the bootcamp, please contact The Div through our contact form.