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Upcoming Entrepreneurship Workshop Series: Starting Your Business Startup

2/28/2017

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Need capital to start your or grow business?
 
This 10-session workshop will focus on what investors look for in startups.  Participating entrepreneurs will tune their business plans, develop market strategies, refine their pitches, and learn how to frame their enterprise as a compelling investment opportunity.
 
The workshop will meet twice a month for 2-hour sessions. Sessions will be led by Jeffrey Thomas, a veteran entrepreneur/investor who founded the Lever incubator in nearby North Adams, Massachusetts. Jeffrey has taught several entrepreneurship courses at Williams College, including social entrepreneurship and tech entrepreneurship. He helped design Business Plan competitions at Williams and at MCLA, through which more than $100,000 of funding has been granted to first-time entrepreneurs.
 
The workshop series will feature guest presentations by expert investors. Participants will also have access to expert mentors who will be available help entrepreneurs refine their business plans, revenue models, market strategy, and so on. Project work and homework will be required.  There will be several opportunities for participants to practice investor pitches. Participants will be encouraged to apply for the Fresh Tracks RoadPitch Competition to be held in early August.
 
Topics
  • The Business Plan
  • Choosing the Right Corporate Structure
  • Product-Market Fit
  • Go-To-Market Strategies
  • Pitching to Investors
  • What investors Look For
  • Debt Funding with Commercial Lenders
  • Debt Funding with Private Lenders
  • Equity Crowdfunding
  • Equity Funding with Private Investors
  • Equity Funding with Venture Capital

 
Tentative Workshop Dates
 
All workshops are on Thursdays from 4-6pm at The Lightning Jar in Bennington.
 
Workshop dates are Thursdays March 16th, March 30th, April 13th, April 27th, May 11th, May 25th, June 8th, June 22nd, July 6th and July 20th.
 
Cost: Free to students and members of The Lightning Jar or Lever.  $300 for non-members.  Scholarships are available.
 
For more information, fill out our contact form here.

Sponsored by Lever and The Lightning Jar
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TED Talk Video Discussion Series

2/27/2017

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Thursday, March 9, 6:00-7:30PM at the Lightning Jar

March's Theme: Facing Rejection
Come watch this TED talk where Jia Jiang describes his bold adventures into rejection. By seeking out rejection for 100 days — from asking a stranger to borrow $100 to requesting a "burger refill" at a restaurant — Jiang desensitized himself to the pain and shame that rejection often brings. By the end of his journey Jia discovered that simply asking for what you want can open up possibilities where you expect to find dead ends.
Join in the discussion following the video and enjoy some free pizza and drinks. Please register so we can order enough!


Directions to The Lightning Jar: 


The Lightning Jar, Bennington's entrepreneurial hub and coworking space, is located in the VSECU credit union branch at 194 North Street in Bennington. This is an after-hours event, so please use our Depot Street Entrance just to the left of RiteAid’s entrance on Depot Street. There’s plenty of parking right across the street in the municipal lot at the Bennington Station restaurant at 150 Depot Street. Make sure to ring the doorbell (on the right side of the door).

Registration and Information
Facebook.com/TheLightningJar
Visit us at thelightningjarvt.org ​
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Feb. 23 Information Session on Entrepreneurship Workshop Series

2/21/2017

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Interested in starting your own business, or just interested in knowing what would be involved in starting up your own business? This workshop could be for you. The Lightning Jar and Lever Inc. are partnering to offer a 10-session workshop on the essentials of a business startup. This information session will give you the opportunity to meet with the instructor and learn more about the workshop.

The Info Session is free.

The workshop series is free to college students, and Lightning Jar and Lever members. For anyone else there is a small fee, however sponsorships are available.
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$50 million Vermont-based Venture Capital Fund Launches

2/12/2017

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​Vermont Works has just launched a $50 Venture Capital fund focused on local Vermont sustainable businesses.

​The fund calls for projects that have a "double bottom line": profitability and a socially minded cause.

Read the full story on VTDigger here.

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Galentine's Day is coming!

2/6/2017

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Ladies, have you RSVP'd for Galentine's Day yet? It's coming next Monday February 13th! 
Doors open at 5:30 p.m. 


Galentine's Day is all about "Ladies Celebrating Ladies." Come enjoy an evening of networking, snacking, and women empowerment.

RSVP on our facebook page

FREE FOR LADIES!! Men who are interested in attending must pay $10 the at door to be donated to an organization that supports women.
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    Bennington's first collaborative coworking space for entrepreneurs, students, and professionals.

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