Sunday, March 22, 2015

The Best Form of Startup Training: A Startup Job


I plan to launch my own venture in seven years after I retire from the military. I want to make the most I can of every day between then and now to manage the risks associated with being an entrepreneur. I try to make it a habit of immersing myself in the startup world. One of the ways I try to keep up is by reviewing presentation on SlideShare on a weekly basis.

This week, I was reviewing a presentation about Launch Fest 2015. One of the featured insights was from angel investor Halle Tecco, She is the

Managing Director of  Rock Health, a seed and early stage venture fund that supports startups building the next generation of technologies transforming healthcare.

She stated that the best from of startup training is to Get a startup job and learn on teh job. You will get paid and have the upside of learning regardless of the startup's fate.

Because I am in the military, I cannot just start working for a startup. What I can do this summer, is make the most of the opportunities around me. I am in the final 8 weeks of the Executive MBA program at Colorado State University which has presented me with a great opportunity to action the advice above.

Our capstone class is taught by Peter Adams, the director of the Rockies Venture Club, the sixth largest angel investing group in the country. The project is to develop a startup business plan with 10X potential and pitch it on the final night of class to a group of Angel investors.

A group of us has linked up with a Denver Heathcare startup to help them develop a business plan and pitch it to investors. With any luck we can develop an advisory relationship with the company and continue our education via real world experience.

Stay tuned for the adventure, in the future we plan to offer live case studies to the MBA grad community to help MBAs keep their skill sharp and help startups solve real world problems.

What problem would you like help with in your startup? Let our team of MBAs help.