Instructor: Jacques Habra
Course Description
A comprehensive 4-week course in Entrepreneurship and startup development offered by Jacques Habra, an award-winning, proven, and engaging Entrepreneur. Habra founded his first company, Web Elite in 1996 while still a student at the University of Michigan. Habra’s leadership and drive led to Web Elite growth include several million in revenue and cultivating a 30-person team serving some of the world’s largest and most innovative companies at the time including Sun Microsystems, General Motors, Wells Fargo, and ESPN. Habra’s accolades include being named Entrepreneur of the Year in 2001 by Andersen Consulting, Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year finalist 1999, 2000, and 2001, and receiving numerous company and leadership awards.
Habra has made several 40 under 40 lists across the Country. Habra sold Web Elite in 2002 to a group of investors for an undisclosed sum and went on to launch 9 companies from 2002 – 2013. 3 of those companies were sold, 3 obtained Series A or A & B rounds of financing, and 3 remain active. Since 2013, Jacques has been developing personal projects, consulting with startups and executives, and managing a few strategic angel investments.
THIS JUST IN: Jacques Habra named “2016 Entrepreneur of the Year” by The Santa Barbara Technology and Industry Association.
Jacques lectures around the world at technology and entrepreneurship conferences and is an adjunct Marketing Professor at Santa Barbara City College and presenter at Antioch University.
About the Entrepreneurship Course
The course consists of 8 sessions covering all aspects from ideation to launch. Each session includes a 30-45minute presentation in which Habra reviews best practices on the specific topics and provides real life case studies. Each session includes real-life experience examples. Each week, 2 modules are released – on Monday and then again on Wednesday. Fridays at Noon Pacific are reserved for the 1-hour group live mentoring sessions.
1) Being an Entrepreneur
a) Know your Self
b) Know your product/service – why and how does this connect to YOU?
c) Be the Vision – Show your Passion
d) Have a realistic budget
e) Who are your mentors?
2) Valuation and the Elevator Pitch
a) Why valuation is so key and how to find your formula
b) The Keys to the Pitch
c) Using less words
d) Practicing the Pitch
Week 2 – Research and Understanding Target Market
3) Types of Critical Initial Research
a) Target Marketplace Analysis
b) Keyphrase Analysis
c) Competitive Analysis
4) Defining the Target Market
a) Be specific
b) Know what they read, what influences them, why
c) How big is the market – use firm numbers
d) Chart the business model
e) Talk to 5 randomly… do not sell.
5a) Assuming steps 1-4 validate, proceed
5b) If not, analyze the specific issue, pause, re-calibrate, repeat, and go back to 5a.
Week 3 – Visualizing your Product
5) Build minimum viable product presentation
a) Research the top apps and Web sites in your category
b) Write Technical Specs
c) Design Wireframes
d) Clearly define Business flow
e) Engineering flow
6) Interview Engineers
a) Show initial tech plan and get feedback
b) Begin to discuss/set budget
c) Consider options to engage resource and pay with equity
Week 4 – Scheduling and Critical Startup Considerations
7) Outline 30 day and 60 Goals
a) Month 1
i) Focused Market Research
ii) Complete Technical Requirements for MVP – convert to presentation
iii) How much and what type of help will you need
iv) Establish Corporation
(1) Identify preliminary attorney
(2) Identify preliminary accountant
b) Month 2
i) Select Engineering and begin development with clear milestones
(1) Set Week to Week Plan
(2) Categorize design vs. engineering
(3) Who will project manage?
(4) Schedule for payments/budget
ii) Define the brand values and character
(1) Why are you doing this?
(2) Read the stories of your competitors
(a) Know their personal stories, identify with them
(3) Engage designer for logo/brand development – Describe your brand
(4) Engage consultant for name research
8) Handling Stress and Personal/Life Balance
a) Exercise
b) Your immediate support system
c) Don’t listen to the noise
d) Being Positive by practice
Experiencing the course:
Option 1: Recorded Video
Review course through recorded videos based on your schedule.
Course Cost: $699.00
Option 2: Recorded Video + Mentorship
- Review course through recorded videos based on your schedule.
- Participate in 1 hour weekly live video mentoring with Jacques Habra and other students to discuss course content and your startup questions.
- Guarantee of 4 (30 minute) discussions.
Course Cost: $1199.00
Expectations
Jacques Habra brings 20+ years of actual entrepreneurship experience with results that include helping to raise $10MM for startups, launching numerous companies, and selling several over the course of his career. Habra’s experience as an adjunct Professor and lecturer at national universities and colleges provides the skills and expertise to manage a course with efficiency and efficacy. Each participant is expected to follow work book and complete assignments. Participants can expect to take an “idea” and turn into a viable business ready for launch through the 10 week course.
Key Takeaways
- Truly knowing yourself, your capacity, strengths and weaknesses. Understanding how to weave the self-awareness as a role in your startup.
- How to create and build a brand
- Market research and competitive analysis both technical and qualitative
- Business model considerations and approach
- Product development from design, flow, all the way to engineering
- Sales, Marketing and Communication Plan
- Creating Business and Financial Forecasts Plans
- Investor relations – from Investor deck development to “how to” pitch
- Customer Acquisition planning on-line and off-line (if applicable)
- Critical Management and leadership skills.
- Basic Legal and HR considerations as well template legal documents to get you started
Schedule
The Course is made up of 8 modules released every Monday and Wednesday for 4 weeks. Fridays at Noon PST are the mentorship group sessions for those enrolled.
