Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce Newsletter June - In Progress | Página 3

Coulee Region CO.STARTERS is BACK!

The Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce, in cooperation with Couleecap, will be offering a
CO.STARTERS entrepreneurial training course in Sparta beginning in July. The 9 week class, intended for
entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs, will be held regularly on Tuesday evenings, beginning July 9 and
ending September 3.
CO.STARTERS is an international organization that assists people in developing successful business plans.
CO.STARTERS uses a version of the “Business Model Canvas” developed by Alexander Osterwalder to help
participants develop workable business models. Participants will learn to understand, test, and refine their
ideas. More information about CO.STARTERS can be found on their website www.costarters.co.
This is the second time the CO.STARTERS course has been offered in Sparta. Comments from last year’s
participants include “I would say that the Cohort gave me the tools and perspective I needed to put me on the
path of starting my own business. The class itself was invaluable given the wide range of information provided.”
And “…the ability to sit with a group of class mates that could bounce ideas off of each other was a huge benefit.
The cohort provided real world interaction and is exactly what made it successful for me.” Classes will be held
at the Barney Community Center and will run from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM.
Anyone interested in finding out more about the CO.STARTERS course being held on Sparta beginning July 9 is
encouraged to attend an open house and information session to be held at the Cork & Barrel, 124 North Water
Street in Sparta on Tuesday, June 25. Individuals interested in learning more about the class for entrepreneurs
may stop by anytime from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM and meet with a representative of Couleecap and the Sparta Area
Chamber of Commerce.
There is also a training available for those interested in serving as facilitators for CO.STARTERS. The two day
course will be held on June 5 and 6 at The Gig Co-Working Space, 119 N. 19th Street in La Crosse. Please con-
tact the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce or Aaron Reimler, Business and Income Developer at Couleecap
(608 797-5746).
In CO.STARTERS, facilitators don’t teach the materials, rather they help facilitate a collaborative,
action-driven process that allows participants to think through the ideas and concepts of identifying a value
proposition, and creating a business model. The sessions work from award-winning materials created by the
CO.STARTERS team in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Facilitators also receive an honorarium for helping with the
nine-week course.
Being a CO.STARTERS facilitator provides you an opportunity to further examine your own business in a fun,
collaborative environment. Expand your network with a class of new, and existing entrepreneurs.
The CO.STARTERS class in Sparta is being made possible through a grant from the Wisconsin Economic
Development Corporation and Couleecap, with the assistance of the Sparta Area Chamber of Commerce.