Stop chasing trends. Build something real.

Most people think finding a business idea means waiting for inspiration to strike. That's backwards. Real opportunities come from understanding markets, spotting gaps, and testing fast. Our approach walks you through the messy, practical work of turning observations into income.

Explore Our Program
Business strategy planning session with detailed market analysis
Analyzing customer feedback and market validation data

You don't need a breakthrough

Look around. Successful businesses often solve boring problems. Someone figured out dry cleaning pickup. Another person streamlined appointment scheduling. These aren't sexy, but they work because they address genuine friction points. We teach you to spot those friction points in your own world—maybe it's scheduling chaos in your neighborhood gym, or the lack of reliable pet care options. Start with what's broken around you.

Testing business concepts through practical experiments

Validation before commitment

Here's where people mess up. They spend months building before asking if anyone actually wants this. We flip that. Our curriculum emphasizes quick tests—landing pages, email surveys, even face-to-face conversations at local meetups. You'll learn to gather signals from potential customers without spending a fortune. By the end, you'll have real data, not guesswork.

What you'll actually do

Map your context

We start by examining your skills, networks, and local market. No generic advice—just tools to analyze where you have an edge.

Rapid testing framework

Learn structured methods to test business concepts in weeks, not months. Build validation habits that serve you long-term.

Iteration cycles

Most first ideas need tweaking. We teach you to embrace feedback loops and adjust quickly based on what the market tells you.

Darren Thorsby business program participant
"I spent years thinking I needed a totally new concept. Turns out, I just needed to look at my current job differently. The validation exercises helped me identify a niche consulting angle I'd never considered. Now I'm piloting it on weekends."

— Darren Thorsby, Milwaukee

How this works in practice

1

Discovery phase

Complete structured exercises to identify problem areas in your community or industry. We're talking about real observation work, not brainstorming sessions.

2

Hypothesis building

Turn those observations into testable business hypotheses. You'll learn to frame assumptions clearly so they can be validated or rejected quickly.

3

Low-cost experiments

Design and run simple experiments—pre-sales, prototype demos, waitlists. The goal is learning, not perfection. Expect some ideas to flop. That's progress.

4

Results analysis

Review what your experiments revealed. We provide frameworks for interpreting data and deciding whether to pivot, persevere, or move to the next concept.

Kayla Fennimore program instructor and business mentor

Ready to move from ideas to action?

Our next cohort kicks off in September 2025. You'll get structured guidance, practical assignments, and feedback from people who've been through this before. It's not about guarantees—it's about giving you tools that actually work. If you're tired of waiting for the perfect idea, maybe it's time to start testing imperfect ones.