CO.STARTERS Program Launch

The Douglas County Chamber, in partnership with the Douglas County Economic Development Authority, Douglas UnitE³, BB&T, Regions Bank and Mercer University, is thrilled to announce the 2019 CO.STARTERS program for entrepreneurs and start-up companies. The program first launched in 2018 and graduated nine participants. CO.STARTERS is a nine-week, cohort-based program that equips entrepreneurs of all kinds with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into action. The Chamber is currently accepting applications for the fall 2019 program.
 
Drawing from the experience of successful entrepreneurs and start-up veterans from around the globe, CO.STARTERS walks creative small-business owners through lean, effective business modeling methods in a simple and intuitive way, and with the help of a supportive community. Rather than treating a start-up like a large corporation and writing a detailed business plan, CO.STARTERS participants are encouraged to build and test small models first. In the process, participants receive real-time customer feedback, update their models to meet customer needs and avoid creating businesses based on incorrect assumptions. The CO.STARTERS program has a global reach, serving numerous communities across the United States, New Zealand, and Australia.
 
In Douglas County, CO.STARTERS will be implemented and facilitated by the Mercer University’s Douglas Campus. The nine-week CO.STARTERS program will kick off in August and finish with a celebration open to the community in October. The program is sponsored by the Douglas County Chamber, Douglas UnitE³, BB&T, and Regions Bank. Cohort participants will receive high level training weekly on Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. at Mercer’s Douglas County Campus located at 975 Blairs Bridge Road in Lithia Springs.