Entrepreneur BootCamp

Imagination Catalyst Study Week Boot Camp Feb 20 - 23, 2018
Tuesday, January 16, 2018 - 10:45am to Sunday, February 4, 2018 - 11:45pm

Sign up for the Imagination Catalyst’s Entrepreneur BootCamp and learn what it takes to start a business using the lean startup methodology.

Over the course of four days (Tuesday, Feb 20 to Friday, Feb 23, from 930 am to 430 pm) you will -

  • find out how to sell your ideas to others
  • build your business toolkit using your available resources
  • learn how to identify and find your ideal customer

Open to students of all levels of experience. Ideal for those who want to experience what it takes to start a business, or thinking of turning their thesis project into a business. 

Valued at $250, this program is FREE to OCAD U students with a $25 deposit, refunded after completing the workshop. Lunch will be provided every day.

Deadline to apply is midnight (11:59 pm) Sunday, Feb 4th.

Only 20 spots available. Sign up online today!  http://bit.ly/2k0cfOz

 

Venue & Address: 
OCAD University 100 McCaul Street, Toronto ON
Website: 
www.ocadu.ca/ic
Email: 
kellis@ocadu.ca
Phone: 
416-977-6000 ex. 4364
Cost: 
Free to OCAD U Students $250 Non-OCAD U

Imagination Catalyst Study Week BootCamp

Hey, What's the problem? A Entrepreneurship BootCamp for Art & Design Students
Tuesday, February 21, 2017 - 10:00am to Friday, February 24, 2017 - 3:00pm

Successful entrepreneurs don’t just create great businesses, they solve problems.

During this 4-day free Study Week BootCamp, you will work with fellow OCAD U students to hack a business.

Learn how to evaluate your product and service ideas, find potential customers and design a sustainable business model. You’ll also find out how much time and money it takes to start a business. If you think your thesis project can be turned into a business, this program is for you!

Tuesday to Friday, February 21-24, 10 am to 6 pm

Only 24 spots available. Lunch and dinner will be provided every day!

Deadline to apply is midnight, Sunday, February 12th. Apply online today! http://bit.ly/2k0cfOz

Questions? Contact kellis@ocadu.ca

 

Venue & Address: 
100 McCaul Street
Website: 
http://www.ocadu.ca/ic
Email: 
kellis@ocadu.ca
Phone: 
416-977-6000 ext. 4364
Cost: 
FREE

Art, Design & Independence - How to Start your Creative Business INFO SESSION

IC & CEAD Info Session - Nov 23
Wednesday, November 23, 2016 - 11:15pm to Thursday, November 24, 2016 - 1:30am

Join Imagination Catalyst and the Centre for Emerging Artists and Designers on Wednesday, Nov 23 to hear four OCAD U alumni talk about how they started their businesses. 

Natalie Catania, Founder of Ms. Dress Up, Brian Deck, CEO of SmoothPayChristina Guo, Founder of U-Dimensions, and Tanner Short, Founder of Bowtie, Team Building Solutions will talk about how they got started, what they learned through the process, and share the best and worst advice they ever got!

You'll also hear from special guest Oliver Pauk, Co-Founder of Akin Collective and representing the Toronto Studio Commons.  

Space is limited - Register HERE

Agenda

615pm - Networking with refreshments

630pm - Introductions

645pm - Presenations, Q & A

8pm - Networking

Venue & Address: 
OCAD University, Sharp Centre for Design Room 544
Website: 
http://www.ocadu.ca/ic
Email: 
ic@ocadu.ca
Phone: 
416-977-6000 x4364
Cost: 
Free
IC & CEAD Info Session Poster

How to start your own design company

Sure, you can find a great job. But, why not make your own? Fourth-year OCAD U advertising student Elliott Muscat and his friend and business partner, Chris Godfrey, have started their own design firm, 83 Annette.

Here are the three top lessons Elliott learned along the way:

Need a little pick me up?
 
Poster-ad for EM Fitness

Take a chance!

We didn’t think too hard about the logistics at the beginning. We were two friends who were both passionate about design, and we decided to put ourselves out there. Many people tend to exaggerate the difficulty of doing your own thing. There are a lot of challenges when starting your own business, but taking the first step shouldn’t be one of them. Just go for it!

Photo of woman with overlaid text reading Jan 8th The Hyatt in Delrey. Kristin Spencer
 
Event poster for Kristen Spencer Music

Be confident, be social.

First of all, the core of the business has to be strong. You’ve got to provide a great product or service. Once you have something you feel confident about, it’s all about putting it out there to as many people as you can. All our early clients came from friends, family, family friends, etc. Go to as many social events as you can, hound your clients for references and talk to everybody!

Illustration of two candy fruit slices
 
Social media content for Louie’s Fruities

Values are valuable.

Something you will inevitably learn along your path as an entrepreneur is that the values you want your business to portray need to be defined. As you take on different clients and projects, you’ll be tugged and pulled in every direction. Make sure you know what your business stands for, and keep your brand consistent. People will want to work with you for a reason, so make sure you know what that reason is.

Photograph Elliott Muscatt and Chris Godfrey sitting on black chairs.
 
Elliott Muscatt and Chris Godfrey

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Startup Grind Toronto

The Startup Grind
Thursday, January 16, 2014 - 11:30pm to Friday, January 17, 2014 - 2:00am

A chat with Daphne Kis (Golden Seeds) at OCAD U

Daphne Kis is Managing Director of Golden Seeds, one of the largest and most active angel investing organizations in the US. Golden Seeds pursues above average returns through the empowerment of women and the people who invest in them. With nearly 25 years experience in the technology industry and world of startups, Kis serves on the board of directors of Applywise, Style for Hire, FilmBuff, HitFix, and iPerceptions, a publicly-traded Canadian web analytics company where she also chairs the compensation committee. She is especially interested in women and entrepreneurship and regularly mentors young women-led companies. Kis is a board director of Young Audiences Arts for Learning, a national affiliate network that serves more than five million schoolchildren around the country. Prior to selling her company to CNET Networks, she was President & CEO of EDventure Holdings, publisher of Release 1.0, the information technology ‘s leading monthly report on emerging trends, and executive producer of PC Forum, the industry’s premier annual executive conference. She has been angel investing since the early 90′s when EDventure Ventures, an early stage fund in which she was a partner, funded the first internet provider in Hungary.

Agenda:
6:30 Networking
7:00 Fireside Chat
8:30 Networking

Venue & Address: 
Room 230, Central Hall 100 McCaul St. Toronto, Ontario
Website: 
http://bit.ly/1a4j9t7
Cost: 
Free