Workshops
Networking Like a Boss
Instructors
Idicula Mathew, CEO of Hera Health Solutions and Entrepreneur in Residence at Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts
Marcus Johnson-Smith, Co-Founder & CMO, Kush Groove and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts
About the Workshop
Ever wonder how people who know everyone get to know everyone? It’s simple: They are great networkers. A great network helps you get mentors, get a job, hire people, raise money and generally get things done. But first, you have to build it up. In this hands-on workshop, you will learn skills and tactics that will help even the most introverted person build a world-class network that open doors for you wherever you go.
Get Creative: Harnessing Creativity to Make a Difference
Instructor
Marquis Victor, Executive Director – Elevated Thought
Performing as an All-Star Team
Instructor
Sushil Sasheedran, Boston University Questrom School of Business
Changemaking: How to Mobilize Your Community
Instructor
Katie Quigley Mellor, Program Director – Social Entrepreneurship, Boston University BUild Lab
About
Are you passionate about a social issue and want to make a difference? Learn how to engage and activate your community in a meaningful way through this fun, hands-on workshop. Collaborate with like-minded peers, learn about successful tactics nonprofits use to engage the community, and craft your own grassroots strategy to bring about the change you want to see.
Pitching: Yourself, Your Story, and Your Idea
Instructor
Michael Ciuchta, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing, Entrepreneurship & Innovation at U Mass Lowell
About the Workshop
When raising external funding, entrepreneurs will almost always have to give some form of a pitch to potential investors. In this workshop, we will go over both the performance aspects of the pitch as well as the key elements of the pitch deck. We will emphasize what to include as well as what to avoid. We will use a series of exercises and examples to make the concepts more concrete and relatable. Everyone has a story to tell. Come prepared to tell yours!
I Have an Idea – Now What?
Instructor
Tom Samph, Program Director, Business Ventures – Boston University BUild Lab
About the Workshop
In this hands-on, interactive workshop, we’ll guide participants through a design sprint process to go from idea to prototype in less than 45 minutes. The tools and frameworks that we’ll cover in this workshop can help you answer many important questions about a new idea or a business you’ve already been working on: Do people want what I have? Who is my target customer? Will people pay for my product or service? How are we going to reach our target customers? And more!
Early-Stage Funding: Getting Your Ideas Off the Ground
Instructor
William Yelle, Co-Director, Jack M. Wilson Center for Entrepreneurship at UMass Lowell
About the Workshop
Approaches to venture financing vary based on stage and capital requirements. The workshop will focus on early-stage funding, and how and when various sources of capital should be explored. This will include sweat equity, bootstrapping, contests, incubator programs, grants and friends/family financing. The importance of having a business plan as part of this process will also be addressed. In addition, guidance will be provided as to when angel investors, VCs, debt financing or crowd funding may be leveraged.
How to Land Your First Customer
Instructor
Emie Michaud Weinstock, Founder and CEO – Reveled Up
About the Workshop
You’ve developed an excellent product/service! The next step is going out and selling it, right? But hold up! Wait a minute! There are a few steps that you’ll need to figure out who to sell to and the best methods to sell to them.
Come to this workshop to learn how to identify your target audience and what you can do to make them not only your customers but true believers in your brand. You’ll walk out of this workshop: 1. Knowing how to identify your target audience, 2. Get tactics on how to approach your target audience; and 3. Get tips on how to make your sales Pitch.
Beyond Founding: Careers in Innovation
Instructors
Elaine Chen, Director – Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts
Cody Damon, Co-Founder, Media Cause and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Derby Entrepreneurship Center at Tufts
About the Workshop
Entrepreneurship is so much more than just founding startups! In this workshop, we will explore the various paths one can take towards building an entrepreneurial career in any professional setting. Whether starting in a traditional corporate job, joining a startup or monetizing your side hustle, you will learn how to apply your entrepreneurial mindset and skillset to accelerate your career and achieve your goals.