SmallBizLady: TELL US YOUR THESTARTUP.COM STORY, WHERE DID THIS IDEA COME FROM?
Brian T. Church: I have been involved with Startups, new businesses and have had an incubator for 15 years. We have been helping people for quite a while and have discovered several items in the incubation phase for startups that could be improved upon. We came up with our first digital product 7 years ago and have grown this company and the digital tools that we have created into a unique incubator and a unique set of digital tools for entrepreneurs.
SmallBizLady: WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY A NEW KIND OF INCUBATOR?
Brian T. Church: We focus on The Idea, The Business and the Life of the Entrepreneur.
It’s all three of these items that will make or break a new venture and an entrepreneur and we are focused making sure they are doing well on all three.
We’ve found a way to deliver advice & guidance to entrepreneurs that is not bound by proximity or time and can be scaled. We stay with our companies for the entire journey & we’ve found a way to elongate the continuum of care for entrepreneurs.
SmallBizLady: WHAT DO STARTUPS AND ENTREPRENEURS NEED?
Brian T. Church:
- Validation
- Education
- Guidance
- Organization
- Connections
SmallBizLady: WHY IS MENTORSHIP IMPORTANT?
Brian T. Church: We use the term Sherpa when referring to our mentors. Every entrepreneur needs someone who has made a similar climb before them that will provide guidance and advice as to where to go and where the dangers are.
These Sherpa’s have breathed the thin air on the mountain and know how to stay alive. Everyone needs Guidance that can lower risk and save time on the journey.
SmallBizLady: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STATIC AND DYNAMIC GUIDANCE?
Brian T. Church: Static is bound by a printed document, a building and by time. Dynamic is not bound by these three items.
SmallBizLady: WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MENTORING AND DISCIPLESHIP?
Brian T. Church: Mentoring is a teacher and student relationship. Discipleship denotes that you are following someone who is a Master Craftsman (person.)
It’s a more hands on and longer relationship.
SmallBizLady: WHY DO YOU USE THE MOUNTAIN METAPHOR TO DESCRIBE THE BUSINESS BUILDING PROCESS?
Brian T. Church:
- Trek
– Exploratory - Base Camp
– Getting Prepared - Mountain
– The Climb - Summit
– The desired outcome financially and lifestyle
SmallBizLady: WHAT IS THE IMPORTANCE OF INNOVATION?
Brian T. Church: You innovate or die.
You must stay the course but if you are not able to change course and are not able to pivot, you could have issues. Innovation is the process of disrupting yourself on a regular and structured basis.
It’s the solving of new problems, the creation of new products that manifest along the journey.
SmallBizLady: TELL US WHY ENTREPRENEURS TEST OUT NEW IDEAS AND BUSINESSES?
Brian T. Church: Every Entrepreneur wants validation. They need validation, but they do not always know the right questions to ask in the early stages.
We created a platform for people to test their ideas in a safe and educational environment. We also give them a full SWOT analysis and Review Analysis completely for free. The software is called the Ideasphere and it can be found at TheStartup.com.
SmallBizLady: HOW CAN ENTREPRENEURS SCALE THEIR BUSINESSES?
Brian T. Church:
- Technology (Automation) – Codification
- Processes – procedures that can be repeated
- Omnipresence – time and proximity are minimalized
Startup Communities can scale the delivery of Startup Advice/Guidance thru our proprietary platform called the Ecosystem.
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