​Each quarter, Venture Mechanics offers a rotating series of Founder Workshops on specific topics that every startup team needs to master. These are typically 2.5-3 hour evening sessions given by the best of our mentors. While the workshops are intended to be taken sequentially they can be taken out of order.
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​Companies in the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator are entitled to an unlimited free buffet of these workshops during their term. The workshops are also open to startups that aren't in the Catapult, at the regular tuition price.
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​More About This Workshop:

​"Branding and Customer Acquisition"

​In an ever-evolving business landscape, the ability to establish a strong brand, craft effective marketing strategies, and acquire and retain customers is paramount to the success of any startup. This comprehensive course delves into the core principles and practical applications of branding, strategic marketing, and customer acquisition strategies. It also goes into detail on how to legally protect your brand, develop a robust domain name strategy, and leverage social media opportunities effectively, especially when you don’t have funding yet to deploy paid marketing.

​Learn from veteran strategic marketing executives about how to create a powerful, enduring brand, and a successful marketing strategy that will win profitable customers for your business. This workshop combines interactive sessions, case studies, and practical exercises to facilitate understanding and application. Real-life examples and expert guidance ensure participants gain actionable insights.

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‍Course Objectives:

- Understand the fundamentals of branding and the importance of a strong brand identity.
- Develop strategic marketing plans tailored to startup environments.
- Explore customer acquisition techniques and retention strategies.
- Learn how to legally protect your brand and navigate intellectual property concerns.
- Formulate an effective domain name strategy to enhance brand visibility and online presence.
- Master the use of social media platforms to promote your brand and engage with customers without a substantial budget..

Target Audience:
- Aspiring entrepreneurs and startup founders.
- Marketing professionals looking to enhance their skills.
- Business students interested in startup marketing and customer discovery.


Instructors:

​Greta Remington, CMO of Venture Mechanics

Nick White, Head of Marketing, Thinkie Inc.

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‍Details:

​The course begins promptly at 6:00pm.

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Each quarter, Venture Mechanics offers a rotating series of Founder Workshops on specific topics that every startup team needs to master. These are typically 2-3 hour evening sessions given by the best of our mentors. While the workshops are intended to be taken sequentially they can be taken out of order.
‍

​Companies in the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator are entitled to an unlimited free buffet of these workshops during their term. The workshops are also open to startups that aren't in the accelerator, at the regular tuition price. Parking is always free.

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"Human Capital for Startups"

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‍Workshop Description:

​Managing human capital effectively is critical for startups aiming to build resilient and high-performing teams. This course dives into the essential aspects of human resources tailored specifically for startup environments. From planning staffing levels to designing compensation structures, implementing incentives, addressing legal considerations, structuring benefits plans, and exploring automation opportunities, this course provides comprehensive guidance to help startups attract, retain, and develop top talent.

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‍Course Overview:

​Join us for an in-depth exploration of human capital management strategies that are crucial for startup success. Led by seasoned HR professionals with extensive startup experience, this course combines theoretical knowledge with practical insights to equip you with the tools needed to build and manage a strong workforce.

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‍Practical Applications and Case Studies:

​Participants will engage in practical exercises, case studies, and discussions to apply theoretical concepts to real-world startup scenarios. Through interactive sessions, you will learn how to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities in human capital management.

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​Who Should Attend:

• ​Founders and co-founders responsible for HR and team management.
• ​Startup executives and managers overseeing human resources functions.
• ​HR professionals transitioning into startup environments or looking to enhance their startup-specific skills.
  

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​Instructors:

Shannon Swift, CEO Swift HR Solutions

Jaidin McCann, CEO Jasper Consultancy

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​Details:

​The course begins promptly at 6:00pm, but feel free to arrive up to 30 minutes early to network with the instructors and other attendees. IRL attendees are welcome to bring their own dinners. Light snacks and beverages will be available. Free and convenient parking is always available at Venture Mechanics.

​Companies in the Venture Mechanics incubator are entitled to an unlimited free buffet of these workshops during their term. The workshops are also open to startups that aren't in the incubator, at the regular tuition price. Dinner is included, and parking is always free.
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​More About This Workshop:
"Everything Legal" is a high-density workshop that introduces all the contracts every startup will need to be familiar with, licensing agreements, patent and trademark protection (building your “IP moat”), common debt and equity funding structures, stock options,  Sarbanes Oxley compliance in fundraising, and more.
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​
"Everything Legal"

​This workshop takes a deep dive into two vital aspects of protecting the value of the business you’re creating. Part I covers the corporate structure, stock distribution, and about 15-20 legal contracts that startups usually need to develop by the time they’re selling stock, hiring employees and generating revenue. Part II covers your trademarks, patents and other forms of intellectual property.
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​Part I: Some of the most daunting tasks in creating a new startup are things like figuring out the “cap table,” equitably dividing equity between co-founders, selecting the ideal legal entity type (e.g. C-Corp vs LLC), and starting out with rigorous corporate hygiene from the get go, so it doesn’t become an obstacle to closing a funding round later. You’ll learn about all the legal documents that you’ll need to create to support your business and protect its value, spanning from employee agreements to user licensing agreements. You'll also learn about the things that every CEO should know about Sarbanes Oxley rules before speaking in front of investors.
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​Part II: You’ll learn from three highly experienced attorneys how to build a fortress around your IP. Included will be “brand protection” - everything from trademarks to domain names to trade secrets. Next up, how to structure licensing agreements - especially for software companies that will rely on these contracts for the majority of their revenue. Lastly, we’ll dive into patents, including the rapidly changing landscape of AI and machine learning patentability.
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​Learn from a veteran serial entrepreneur, veteran startup lawyer, an expert intellectual property strategist, and a highly experienced patent attorney on the various ways of protecting and enhancing the value of your enterprise, from inception to exit. You will walk away from this workshop with a checklist of legal documents you’ll need to create and filings you’ll need to make in order to comply with the law, optimize your investors’ and founders’ pre-tax and after-tax returns, protect your intellectual property assets, and minimize your overall business risks.

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​Our Instructors:

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​Brooks Lindsay,

​Founding Attorney, Light Legal PLLC

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​John J. Murphy,

​Principal Attorney, Audentes Fortuna Law PLLC

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​Jonathan Olsen,

​Patent Attorney, ÆON Law

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​Details:

​​Free and convenient parking is always available at Venture Mechanics. The course begins promptly at 6:00pm, but feel free to arrive up to 30 minutes early to network with the instructors and other attendees. Feel free to bring dinner with you, only light snacks and drinks will be served.

Each quarter, Venture Mechanics offers a rotating series of Founder Workshops on specific topics that every startup team needs to master. These are typically 2-3 hour evening sessions given by the best of our mentors. While the workshops are intended to be taken sequentially they can be taken out of order.

Each quarter, Venture Mechanics offers a rotating series of Founder Workshops on specific topics that every startup team needs to master. These are typically 2-3 hour evening sessions given by the best of our mentors. While the workshops are intended to be taken sequentially they can be taken out of order.

‍

​​Companies in the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator are entitled to an unlimited free buffet of these workshops during their term. The workshops are also open to startups that aren't in the incubator, at the regular tuition price.

‍

‍

​More About This Workshop

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The workshop will be delivered in an engaging fireside chat format.  This will enable the two presenters to interact with each other and the audience as they share their presentation.  The session will combine both the theory and practical aspects of the sales process with plenty of real-world case studies discussed.  Attendees will also learn how to create and execute an effective go-to-market (GTM) strategy.

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​Workshop Objectives

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​By the end of the course, startup founders will be able to:  

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1. Reframe their mindset about sales by becoming an “Ambassador of Possibility” and developing a unique POV about creating value for their customers.
2. Create messaging that gets results with their target market and decision-makers
3. Map the buyer’s journey to better understand customer expectations and deliver the right content to the right person at the right time.
4. Design a sales funnel that drives conversions at each stage, from awareness to purchase.
5. Identify and avoid common pitfalls in sales and revenue considerations for product teams.
6. Develop a clear, actionable sales process to scale sales and achieve market traction.
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​Who Should Attend

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• ​Aspiring entrepreneurs and startup founders
• ​Startup team members responsible for sales, marketing or product development
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​​Instructors

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Mark Kotzer - Chief Growth Officer, Growth Jumpstart

Rob Mathewson - Sales Leader, Deepen AI
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​​Details

‍

​The course begins promptly at 6:00pm, but feel free to arrive up to 30 minutes early to network with the instructors and other attendees. Attendees are welcome to bring their own dinners. Light snacks and beverages will be available. Free and convenient parking is always available at Venture Mechanics.

​Each quarter, Venture Mechanics offers a rotating series of Founder Workshops on specific topics that every startup team needs to master. These are typically 2.5-3 hour evening sessions given by the best of our mentors. While the workshops are intended to be taken sequentially they can be taken out of order.

‍

​Companies in the Venture Mechanics Catapult Accelerator are entitled to an unlimited free buffet of these workshops during their term. The workshops are also open to startups that aren't in the Catapult, at the regular tuition price.

​More About This Workshop:

‍

​"Pitch Clinic for Startup Fundraising"

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​Learn to build pitch decks that keep investors engaged. With investors, first impressions are important. When you show investors your pitch, whether by email or live, you need to be clear, concise and compelling. This pitch workshop at Venture Mechanics Incubator/Accelerator will provide you with the necessary tools to create a winning pitch deck.

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​Learn how to:

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• ​Think like an investor
• ​Prepare a pitch that is sharp, to the point and powerful
• ​Save time in developing the narrative and the deck
• ​Avoid ‘Powerpoint Poisoning’

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​Don't miss out on this chance to elevate your pitching skills! Discover how to craft a compelling story that captivates investors. Find out why having more than one deck is crucial and what elements to include in a teaser deck.

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​Join us for an evening workshop with Q&A, practice sessions, and dinner included. You don’t need a pitch deck ready to benefit - this workshop will kickstart your progress.

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​Bonus:

• ​Dana will provide feedback on each participant's deck after you've had time to create it.

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​About Dana Sather Robinson

Dana is an angel investor, pitch trainer and creator of the Pitch 4 Impact Framework. As a professional presentation skills trainer, she understands how to help clients communicate with impact, clarity and authenticity. Dana is an active member of E8 Angels, an innovative cleantech angel investing group. The Pitch4Impact program was created from two perspectives, as an investor and as a trainer of presentation skills. Dana emphasizes how to make the most of your own natural style to be memorable and authentic.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dana-sather-robinson/

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​Details:

‍

​The course begins promptly at 6:00pm, but feel free to arrive up to 30 minutes early to network with the instructors and other attendees. Attendees are welcome to bring their own dinners. Light snacks and beverages will be available. Free and convenient parking is always available at Venture Mechanics.

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​Due to the interactive nature of this particular workshop virtual attendance is not available.

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