We wanted to create an inclusive community that supports non-traditional startup founders at the earliest stages of their startup journey,” Crystal Chisholm states, “Those who often get overlooked can be connected to resources, coaching, and curriculum to help them reach the next milestone in their startup journey in the most cost-efficient way possible so they have an equal opportunity to succeed regardless of their individual skill sets, cultural background, or geographical location.”
The school offers a myriad of curriculum and accessible content, from their 10-week Pre-Accelerator program and On-Demand virtual classes (dubbed “Learning Labs”) to their purchasable kits that help founders create sustainable business models. Square One Startup School is quickly proving itself to be a unique and powerful resource for non-traditional founders, creating a community of support and shared experience.
As Crystal puts it, “Non-technical founders have a tougher time building a technology product because they don’t have the technical expertise to build it themselves.” Coupled with the hefty expense of an outside development team and the tendency for venture capitalists to favor tech teams in terms of investments, these are barriers that Square One hopes to help their cohorts navigate and overcome.
Square One’s Pre-Accelerator Program, “brings together an incredible group of founders from around the world who are in the beginning stages of building their first startup,” according to their website. It offers a combination of lectures, workshops, and guidance from experienced founders and entrepreneurs, and it’s sliding into its 6th Cohort in the Spring of 2023. Broken into three sections to accommodate early-stage founders and their needs, the program offers the Build, Sell, and Scale tracks. The Build Track uses no-code tools to help non-tech founders create a viable product without breaking the bank. Following this, the program’s Sell, or Pre-revenue- track helps founders with an already existing product raise engagement, and customer sales, and create traction surrounding their business. Finally, the Scale Track helps founders with a customer base for their product to raise capital.
For founders with tight schedules, Square One also offers an On-Demand series of online content and podcasts, with courses like “Funding Fundamentals” and “Building a Waitlist Before You Launch” taught by experienced entrepreneurs and start-up professionals. “If a founder misses the deadline to participate in our Pre-Accelerator, instead of waiting until applications re-open, they can access quality content in the form of self-paced online courses and DIY templates at their own convenience.” The school has also launched a podcast known as the Back 2 Basics Podcast, featuring experts in their fields who offer tips, tricks, and advice on building the foundations of a startup. Their Square One: On Demand will also feature Lesson Labs from their recorded live workshops, accessible any time, any place.
Coaches for the many programs that Square One offers are hand-selected from across the country.“Representation matters, especially in technology. We are intentional about the coaches we hand-select to participate in our program.” Currently, their network features over 60 coaches with diverse backgrounds and expertise in varying industries. Some of their coaches include Arlan Hamilton, the General Partner of venture capital firm Backstage Capital, and Ben Chestnut, Co-Founder of the start-up Mailchimp he eventually sold for $12 billion. Both have spoken and provided insight as coaches within the Pre-Accelerator program, joining the ranks of several other industry experts eager to share what they know.
As its 6th cohort approaches in the Spring of 2023, Square One plans to transition their curriculum from theoretical learning to practical application. These workshops will include hands-on experiences for their founders to learn various software tools, email engagement, and other skills that will allow them to build and fortify the foundation and begin a successful journey that will stretch beyond graduation.
This impressive and unique organization has no plans of slowing down anytime soon. “Our plan is to be at the top of the mind of anyone who has an idea for a tech startup so that Square One is the first place they turn to receive the quality information, resources, and community needed to help them progress in their startup journey.” They also have plans to offer more audio and visual curricula via podcasts and videos on media platforms such as Youtube, Product Hunt, Indie Hackers, and Spotify podcasting. Their goal is to provide equal opportunities to the non-traditional founders of the world, regardless of their initial background and skill set. The resources and support that they provide are all-encompassing and effective and have aided in the launch of several startups with their Pre-Accelerator alumni. If there is an idea you’re excited about and ready to bring to fruition, going to SquareOneSchool.com should be your first stop.
Source: Black In Technology LLC
