Florida State offers a new program for entrepreneurs in the in the Big Bend region
The three-phase program is designed for those facing economic or other hardships to start and grow businesses of their own.
Earlier this month, 40 local entrepreneurs concluded the first-ever Community Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs as part of the Leon Entrepreneurship and Adversity Program (LEAP).
The program was introduced by Florida State University’s Jim Moran College of Entrepreneurship and the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship and brought together by close partnerships with local nonprofit groups, government offices, small businesses, and other university partners across Leon County.
Run by Susana Santos, Jim Moran Associate Professor of Entrepreneurship, and Marina Lickson, the Northwest Florida Director at the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship, the LEAP program seeks to support those in the Big Bend region (Leon, Wakulla, and Gadsden Counties) and other adjacent communities facing economic or other hardships to start and grow businesses of their own.
LEAP is a 10-month program where participants advance through three main stages: training, mentoring, and consulting.
The first stage of the program was the Community Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs, where participants attended six Saturdays of training taught by experienced Jim Moran College faculty, subject matter experts, and successful entrepreneurs from the community. This training addressed the nature of the entrepreneurial journey and introduced essential tools and concepts that are critical for new venture success.
In November, stage two of the LEAP program begins. The participants will be paired with mentors from a pool of successful entrepreneurs from the community for 18 weeks. The final phase is 14 weeks of consulting.
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