The Small Business Accelerator is an intensive training program designed to help small businesses headquartered in Austin seek new markets and enhanced value for their enterprise. The program leverages online learning platform, Coursera, to deliver a detailed accredited curriculum focused on growing a small business. In addition to the online learning, participants will regularly meet in-person for enriching supplemental lectures, activities, and peer-to-peer coaching sessions.

Altogether, this program offers over 35 hours of online and in-person training held weekly beginning September 26, 2019 to December 12, 2019, with final presentations on January 16, 2020.

 

Application Process

To determine selection of applicants, we will take into consideration the following:

  • The number of months that the business has been in operation
  • Average annual revenue
  • Total number of part-time and full-time employees
  • Likelihood that the business will hire new employees in the next 12 months

Up to 20 individual business owners will be selected from the application process. Upon acceptance, participants will be required to pay a non-refundable and non-creditable $200 tuition. Classroom in-person sessions will be held on Thursday evenings at the Entrepreneur Center of Austin, 4029 S Capital of Texas Hwy, Austin, TX 78704.

 

Small Business Accelerator Timeline

Application Deadline: July 1 - August 18, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. CST

Final Participant Selection: August 19, 2019

Fees Due to City of Austin: August 30, 2019

Weekly Classes Begin: September 26, 2019

Final Presentation: January 16, 2020

 

Course Outline

WEEK 1 - SEPT 26

Course Introduction,
The Truth and Myths about Growth
Deadline: OCT 9
In-person Meeting: SEPT 26

WEEK 2 - OCT 4

Continued The Truth and Myths
about Growth
Deadline: OCT 9
In-person Meeting: OCT 10

WEEK 3 - OCT 11

Is My Business Ready for Growth?
Deadline: OCT 23

 

WEEK 4 - OCT 18

The 4 P’s of Growth
Deadline: OCT 23
In-person Meeting: OCT 24

WEEK 5 - OCT 25

Four Ways to Grow a Business
Deadline: NOV 6

WEEK 6 - NOV 1

Creating a Growth Plan
Deadline: NOV 6
In-person Meeting: NOV 7

WEEK 7 - NOV 8

Grow to Greatness Part II – 
The Entrepreneur Must Grow Too!
Deadline: NOV 20

WEEK 8 - NOV 15

Continued Grow to Greatness 
Part II – The Entrepreneur Must Grow Too!
Deadline: NOV 20
In-person Meeting: NOV 21

WEEK 9 - NOV 22

The Secret of High Performance is 
High Employee Engagement
Deadline: DEC 4

WEEK 10 - NOV 29

Growth is Much More Than a Strategy –
It Requires a System
Deadline: DEC 4
In-person Meeting: DEC 5

WEEK 11 - DEC 6

Building a Senior Management Team
Deadline: DEC 11
In-person Meeting: DEC 12

WEEK 12 - JAN 16

In- person Growth Plan Presentation:
JAN 16