Art of the Start: Turning Ideas into High-Growth Businesses

ABOUT THIS CLASS
Bill Reichert and Guy Kawasaki have partnered on countless new businesses over the years, guiding emerging companies as both professionals and investors. Our seed-capital investment fund, Garage Technology Ventures, provided early support for major startups like Pandora, and we continue to meet with hundreds of aspiring entrepreneurs every year. Needless to say, we’ve seen it all when it comes to business plans and pitches.

In this class, Bill and Guy provide access to the most powerful principles we’ve learned to help you bring your concept to the next level and garner investor interest. Every business is unique, but trust us: there are steadfast principles that position all new business ideas for success.

Here’s a hint: those who set out to make meaning are much more likely to succeed than those who set out to make money. As a former Chief Evangelist of Apple, I know firsthand how building a company on a strong meaning—democratizing personal computing—can lead to amazing success. If you have an idea for a business that you think will make the world a better place, this class will help you organize your thoughts and make it happen . . . right from the start.

Through exclusive video lessons and tactical exercises, we’ll cover:

• Starting: How to position your company for success by making meaning, asking questions, and developing a mantra.
• Launching: The importance of getting your product to market and telling your story. Early feedback from your customers is pivotal!
• Fundraising: What you need to know about the VC world, how to clean up your act to be presentable as a business, and how to communicate what makes your business special.
• Pitching: How to present your business in a professional way by being prepared, keeping your audience engaged, and listening to feedback.
• Socializing. How to build a social platform for communication that your following will appreciate.
(Hint: Think like NPR!)

By the end, you’ll share your own 10-slide pitch deck for your business — and show us your “wow” factor.

CLASS PROJECT
Create and upload a 10-slide pitch deck for your business idea

14 Videos (1h 31m) – presented by Skillshare
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ABOUT THE PRESENTER
Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist of Canva, an online graphic design tool. Formerly, he was an advisor to the Motorola business unit of Google and chief evangelist of Apple. He is also the author of APE, What the Plus!, Enchantment, and nine other books. Kawasaki has a BA from Stanford University and an MBA from UCLA as well as an honorary doctorate from Babson College.

Bill Reichert has over 20 years of experience as an entrepreneur and operating executive. Since joining Garage in 1998, Bill has focused on early-stage information technology and materials science companies. He has been a board director or board observer at CaseStack, WhiteHat Security, ClearFuels Technology, Simply Hired, MiaSole, D.light Design, ThermoCeramix, and VisaNow, among others. Prior to Garage, Bill was a co-founder or senior executive in several venture-backed technology startups, including Trademark Software, The Learning Company, and Academic Systems. Currently, he is the Chairman of the Small Fund Roundtable of the VC Taskforce and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations in New York.