Fort Collins Startup and ARTup Week

At age 12, I started my first business, selling strange baked-dough sculptures at a roadside stand. The product served no purpose other than to be weirdly ornamental, and of the few people who stopped to check them out, most thought they were cookies. I only sold a few, but it was enough to motivate me to pursue other entrepreneurial endeavors down the line, including my current business, Career Solutions Group, which celebrates its 20^th anniversary this year.

According to a Gallup poll, the majority of workers—61%–dream of owning their own enterprise. If you’re among them, you may want to check out the sessions and activities currently happening with Fort Collins Startup and ARTup Week, which runs now through March 3^rd.  The sessions are free, and here’s a sampling of the goings on:

• Top 6 Ways Businesses Get into Trouble: Hear about the common traps that can get you into serious trouble. Resource information will be available to help you navigate or avoid these problem areas.
• Secrets to Attracting Angel Investors: Learn the basics involved in angel or venture capital funding.
• Portfolio Speed Dating: Bring your artist’s portfolio or tablet to showcase in a revolving critique pool with other like-minded creators and aficionados. Also check out Licensing your Artwork, covering how to make your original creations pay off.
• Bootstrapping Your Business: Hear about a diverse range of entrepreneurs who grew their enterprises without outside funding.
• Start and Grow a Profitable Food Business: Discover a winning recipe for a successful business, including how to set yourself apart from the competition and whether your food business will actually make a profit.
• 10 Startup Growth Hacks Marketing Agencies Don’t Want You to Know: Learn how to save thousands of dollars on marketing.

And one course I could have benefitted from when I started my first business: How to Sell Your Artwork, covering the number one behavior a salesperson must master if they are to succeed.

Additional details about these courses and others can be found at https://startupfoco.com/schedule/. Sessions are free, but registration is required.