It’s often a single individual starting a new business, but the process doesn’t have to be solitary. In fact, connecting like-minded people with each other, local experts and resources is the better way to begin. According to Dr. Nichole Thompson, Executive Director of The Lab on Dexter, that’s the idea behind Co.Starters, a national platform that focuses on creating a community to inspire, support and educate entrepreneurs. “Part of the Lab’s existence is to assist entrepreneurs, and that assistance varies, but our pillars are ‘educate, collaborate, accelerate, innovate, create’” she said. “On the education piece, we’ve realized that there often needs to be more than a one-day class or event, so we wanted to put the people already taking advantage of the lab in a more immersive program.”
After a careful search of the countless training programs out there, Co.Starters stood out as the best fit. “It’s built with community in mind, and that’s what we were after,” Thompson said. “We were very intentional in choosing it for that reason.”
The 10-week course is designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with everything they need to jump-start their business, and that includes not just insights and information (bundled into an accessible curriculum), but also the benefits that come from brainstorming with others in the same boat. The first cohort’s small size—only nine were in the group—encouraged open discussion and experience sharing. While the Lab got the ball rolling, Co.Starters’ emphasis on community meant partnering with other local organizations was a priority. “In bringing this program to Montgomery, that’s the Lab making good on the education piece of our mission, but the collaboration piece is just as important,” Thompson said. The Montgomery TechLab and local subject-matter experts are playing key roles, but Trenholm State Community College is the Lab’s primary partner, offering Co.Starters as a course under its entrepreneurship program and
