FastTrac Fall 2024

The Kauffman FastTrac® series is an educational program, created by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs, which is designed to help you evaluate and perfect your business concept, as well as complete a comprehensive business plan. Whether you’re starting a food truck or a factory, a construction company or a consulting firm, you need a plan. This 10-week series offered twice a year can help. This program is most appropriate for those who: are within a year of launching your business, have launched within the past year and are seeking a plan for establishing your business, or have yet to draft the necessary comprehensive business plan needed to secure business capital. You will study with a group of entrepreneurs, experienced facilitators, and people with start-up business experience who understand the pitfalls of starting a new enterprise.

Each week, you'll meet for class online and hear from our expert facilitator and a guest expert. You’ll also receive lifetime access to an online FastTrac® Toolkit. The Toolkit houses the business planning templates, action steps, activities, videos, and other helpful materials.

When you finish the program, you will know if your idea has profit potential, and will have an actionable, comprehensive business plan you can use as a roadmap or take to investors.

In this ten module FastTrac® program, you will:

• Explore entrepreneurship and develop your business concept.

• Identify and research market needs.

• Set financial goals and determine start-up costs.

• Develop research skills and determine the unique features and benefits of your product/service.

• Research and analyze the market and prepare a marketing plan.

• Create a business image and marketing strategies.

• Build the organization team and understand legal structures.

• Plan for a profitable business, evaluate pricing and profitability.

• Learn how to monitor cash flow and seek funds.

• Determine and implement next steps to launch your business and complete your business plan

This Fall 2024 FastTrac course will be a virtual series.
Course Dates are Tuesdays, 6:00 - 9:00PM ET – 10/1, 10/8, 10/15, 10/22, 10/29. 11/5, 11/12, 11/19, 11/26, and 12/3. Attendance at every class is mandatory to successfully complete the course.

You must submit an application to be considered for FastTrac acceptance.

Applications are due 11:59PM Friday, September 20, 2024.

The online application form is linked below.

Hear from graduates about their experience:

"This class has taught me so much about my business, but more importantly it has taught me so much about myself. In one word, this class is priceless."

"The program has given me the ability to materialize years of thoughts and dreams into actionable steps. The process of preparing a Business Plan allowed me to find the potential pitfalls and benefits before operations. Completing my Business Plan has given me the confidence and knowledge to succeed."

We will be offering limited scholarships for those applicants whose businesses (or business ideas) are feasible, promising, and/or have proven consistent market traction. Financial aid is available to those who qualify with financial need. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. For an questions about accommodations, scholarships, financial aid, or general inquires please email WBC Director Allie Mullins at amullins@wbeceast.com.

Funded in part through a cooperative agreement with the Small Business Administration (SBA).

Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance. Contact us at (215) 790-9232 to arrange.