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Innovation Hub

Resilient Entrepreneur Program

Empowering Community Members to Create and Grow Successful Businesses

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We believe that entrepreneurship can be a viable pathway out of poverty. By leveraging campus and community resources, we can assist disadvantaged entrepreneurs as they navigate the entrepreneurial journey. These entrepreneurs face a unique set of obstacles beyond those confronted by all entrepreneurs. Our underlying philosophy is that anyone is capable of being an entrepreneur and that all start-ups matter. We view entrepreneurship as a learnable process, but also as a journey that involves a definable set of steps. Our approach centers on activity-based metrics and the belief that, for every step we can help a disadvantaged entrepreneur take, she or he will take two or three more on their own.

The Resilient Entrepreneur Program provides a unique approach and toolkit to help support these entrepreneurs as they build sustainable enterprises. This program is an initiative under the Urban Poverty and Business Initiative, a collaboration among universities and non-profit organizations working together to help individuals in underserved communities start and grow successful businesses. 

 Program Overview
      • Training Programs: Community members participate in a six-week boot-camp, that introduces the basic tools, concepts, and principles relevant to launching and growing a successful venture. The boot-camp is designed for people with little to no resources or background.​
      • One-on-One Consulting: Following the training, a consulting initiative pairs faculty, graduate students, and other community partners with the entrepreneurs to work one-on-one solving particular problems.
      • Mentoring: Participants receive mentorship from successful entrepreneurs with related experiences in their field, or industry, or with experience resolving the types of issues facing the entrepreneur.
      • Resource Connect: Entrepreneurs are connected to valuable resources in the community through community forums, an internet platform, and other communication vehicles.
      • Microcredit: Local organizations and financial institutions create a micro-credit fund that provides low-interest and no-interest loans and grants to individuals as they attempt to launch ventures.
      • Research and Tracking: The program will conduct research documenting the challenges facing entrepreneurs, tracking their progress, and identifying elements that are successful in helping them move forward.
The Resilient Entrepreneur Program will be offered this fall at CSU San Marcos at the Innovation Hub and is a 12 month program that starts with a six-week bootcamp in September and October:
 
                                 Week 1 - Sep 7th                                   Location:
                                 Week 2 - Sep 14th                                 Innovation Hub at CSUSM
                                 Week 3 - Sep 21st                                 288 Campus Way, Ste 102
                                 Week 4 - Sep 28th                                 San Marcos, CA 92078
                                 Week 5 - Oct 5th                                    Click Here for Directions/Parking Info
                                 Week 6 - Oct 12th         
                                     (Class Hours:  8:30am - 1pm)
 
Eligibility & Cost

​Anyone in the community who suffers from adverse economic, physical, or related circumstances, is eligible to participate in the program. We focus on supporting community members living in poverty who have a dream of starting and growing a venture, including those who have already started a venture but are struggling.

The price of the Resilient Entrepreneur Program is $500. However, scholarships of $400 are available for anyone with financial need. All applicants are considered for scholarship.