For each of the points below, we’ll explore the topic for 5-10 minutes, then have room for a couple related questions.

1) Understand what you actually want to achieve. (Do you want this to be a side thing you do for fun? Something to pay for your life with?). No wrong answers – but it’s useful to know what you want as a starting point.

2) What revenue do you need to support the above? What are the associated costs if in a high-expense industry (e.g. carpentry)?

3) What kind of demand do you need to achieve the above revenue? If you are a music producer – do you have enough fans to keep you afloat? If you are a tailor – do you have enough clients?

4) How can you realize the above demand? What kind of marketing makes sense for your business / niche / industry? Is it necessary?

5) What kind of funding do you need (if any) to make these goals come true? Are there any grants you might be eligible for? (discussion about the positives and negatives of different funding strategies, including bootstrapping, equity investments, loans, and grants)

6) Turning all of the above into a business plan / strategy that you can use to organize your goals. Use your time effectively!

7) Various logistical requirements that come with starting a business (e.g. thorough financial / operational tracking, new tax requirements, etc.).

8) Various resources available for entrepreneurs in Canada / BC, and various awesome online resources.