Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs
The Baton Rouge Community Entrepreneurship and Adversity Initiative seeks to help members of the Baton Rouge community, particularly those facing economic or other hardships, start and grow a business. This joint initiative of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute and the City of Baton Rouge consists of a six-week training program called the Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs open to all adult entrepreneurs—visionaries with ideas, early-stage ventures, and growing businesses.
The Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs occurs on six consecutive Saturday mornings in the summer. The program offers intense, hands-on exposure to the fundamentals of launching and growing a successful venture taught by LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business faculty, subject matter experts, and successful local entrepreneurs.
Topics covered in the Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs address all facets of a successful venture. They range from developing a viable business concept and understanding target markets to designing a profit model, setting up operations properly, marketing your venture, and understanding fundamental financial analysis. The underlying focus is thinking and acting in entrepreneurial ways, including doing more with less and growing a business with minimal resources. The approach is interactive, and entrepreneurs are encouraged to bring business ideas and challenges into the class discussions.
event details
July 20 - August 24, 2024
The program is held on six consecutive Saturdays. Each session runs from 8:30 a.m.
- 1 p.m.
Location: LSU Business Education Complex, Room 1920
Cost: $375
Scholarships ($250) are available on a limited basis; when completing the registration
form, please note your request for financial assistance.
Registration is expected to open June 3. To be added to the interest list for the
2024 Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs, email Fahimeh Abbasi.
SAMPLE SESSIONS
| DATE | SESSION | INSTRUCTOR |
|---|---|---|
| July 20 | Session 1: The Entrepreneurial Dream | Assistant Professor Sohrab Soleimanof |
| July 27 | Session 2: What You Need to Know About the Numbers | Professor Michael Morris |
| Aug. 3 | Session 3: Planning, Thinking Strategically, and Managing Your Risk | Associate Professor Sonja Wiley |
| Aug. 10 | Session 4: Getting Resources (including money)When You Do Not Have Any | Instructor Steven Perret |
| Aug. 17 | Session 5: Customers Drive the Business (Marketing) | Assistant Professor Joseph Cabral |
| Aug. 24 | Session 6: Operations and Other Fundamentals that Matter | Assistant Professor Sohrab Soleimanof |
PROGRAM BENEFITS
- Results-oriented sessions led by business faculty
- Advice from successful small business owners
- Instructional materials, including a binder with session presentations and 80 Steps to Sustainable Success: The UPBI Handbook on Building a Business by Michael Morris
- Graduation ceremony and certificate of completion
- Program shirts
- Refreshments each Saturday during the program
Program Partners
- City of Baton Rouge
- Southern University Law Center
- Baton Rouge Area Chamber
- Nexus Louisiana
- Louisiana MBDA Business Center
- Louisiana Economic Development
- LSBDC
"This was a very educational six weeks. I highly recommend this bootcamp if you are considering starting a business or already have one. There’s always room for growth."
Valencia DeCuir Anderson, Co-owner, Crafted Nibbles
2023 Bootcamp for Entrepreneurship Graduate
Create & Innovate with LSU Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs
Contact Us
Fahimeh Abbasi
Director, Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute
2230 Business Education Complex South
fahimabbasi@lsu.edu