Identify, refine, and grow business ideas using assets, mentorship, fundraising, effective marketing and sales strategies.
Select the right idea, target customers, and develop a solid business case with an MVP for market traction.
Craft and deliver compelling elevator pitches, capturing attention with the right language, passion, and a clear call-to-action, both in-person and online.
Master sales skills to enhance client relations, use proven techniques, boost purchases, manage time effectively, and excel in presentations.
Enhance customer experience, grasp brand personality, and deliver exceptional service to attract and satisfy clients, boosting business success.
Learn essential marketing strategies, identify and target ideal customers, develop effective plans, and align your team for business success.
Master financial wellness, assess business finances, navigate inflation, and ensure long-term financial stability.
Discover how to excel in networking as an introvert, from preparing and communicating effectively to analyzing encounters and building strong connections.
COURSE 1 | ENTREPRENEURSHIP FUNDAMENTALS
Junior’s Story
Why you should start a business
What you are going to learn
The opportunity ahead for entrepreneurs
Factors that contribute to failure
The secret to success
ARE YOU READY TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR?
The 4 stages of entrepreneurship
Finding a million dollar idea – the magic formula
Focus on adding value and solving problems
Step by step guide to coming up with idea
Resourcefulness: Using what you have to generate business opportunities
Being relentless
MENTORS
What is the value of a mentor?
Where do I find a mentor?
How do I attract a mentor?
IDEAS
What is idea validation?
Identify and test your major assumption
What is a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)?
MVP: Perfect is not the purpose
MONEY
Raising funds: Is the money a cushion or springboard
Raising funds: How to bootstrap
Raising funds: Alternative sources
Managing money: Cashflow is king
Managing money: Budgeting
MARKETING
Know your market: Understanding the WHO
Know your market: Understanding the WHY
Know your market: Understanding the WHERE
Know your message: What makes the audience go wow!
SALES
Why sales people have a bad reputation
How to do it properly using B.I.K.E
Three step process to phone getting people on the phone
Person, Purpose, Process, Payoff
The difference between small and BIG contracts
The process for approaching big clients and contracts
SCALING & TEAM
Scaling: The importance of systems
Scaling: Creating a magic box
Bringing in the right team: Character, competence and chemistry
Partner, employ or outsource
NEXT STEPS
What mind-set will sustain your success?
Practice makes perfect
COURSE 2 | HOW TO LAUNCH A STARTUP BUSINESS
Welcome to Escape The City
Want to launch an idea – but unsure where to start?
INFOGRAPHIC: Launching your idea
STEP ONE: FOUNDATIONS
Am I setting the right foundations?
4 questions to uncover your values
EXERCISE: How to unearth your values
EXERCISE: How to assess your startup idea against your values
Map your good idea criteria
STEP TWO: IDEAS
What if you don’t have an idea?
What if you have ‘too many ideas’?
STEP THREE: ASSUMPTIONS
Get clear on all the assumptions you’re making
Rank your assumptions in order of risk
Design simple tests for your riskiest assumptions
PROJECT: Map Your Assumptions
STEP FOUR: CUSTOMERS
Who are you helping?
How to define the problem and a pick a test niche
STEP FIVE: NICHE
What do your customers ACTUALLY want?
Golden Rules for Customer Development: Good & Bad Questions
STEP SIX: BUSINESS MODELS
Have I considered other ways to solve this problem?
Generate solutions & different business models
STEP SEVEN: SANITY CHECK
Does my basic financial forecast make sense?
Free Financial Model Templates
STEP EIGHT: FIRST VERSION
How to create a Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
PROJECT: MVP Plan & Tools
STEP NINE: AWARENESS
Does my niche buy and recommend my product?
STEP TEN: TRACTION
6 simple marketing hacks to help you get going
PROJECT: Test Your Traction Channels
CONCLUSION
Recap of the 10 steps to startup
CONTENT: Branding Basics
PROJECT: Brand ID Canvas
CONTENT: Mindset + Resilience
COURSE 3 | PITCHING BUSINESS IDEAS
Introduction To Pitching Business Ideas
9 STEPS TO A PERFECT PITCH
Being Concise
Solving their Problem
Telling Them What They Want to Hear
Speaking in Plain English
Grabbing the Listener’s Attention
Asking Qualifier Questions
Showing Your Passion
Telling a Consistent Story
Concluding with a Call to Action
TYPES OF PITCHES
The Pixar Pitch
The Rhyming Pitch
The One-Word Pitch
The Logline Pitch
The Question Pitch
CONCLUSION
Summary
Next steps / further reading
COURSE 4 | SALES SKILLS & TECHNIQUES
Introduction To Sales Skills
THE GUARANTEED WAY TO IMPROVE YOUR SALES TECHNIQUE
The Number One Universal Killer Question in Selling
The Importance of Establishing the Clients Expectations
How to Close the Sale Without Sounding like a Salesman
WHY PEOPLE BUY & HOW TO GET THEM TO BUY FROM US
People Buy Emotionally & Justify Logically.
Don’t Assume You Know the Buyer’s Priorities
How to Unearth the Buyer’s Strategic Needs
The Importance of Implications
WHY PEOPLE DON’T BUY & HOW TO COUNTERACT ANY OBJECTION
Being Prepared for Objections
The Most Common Objections and How to Handle Them
How to Get People to Choose What You Want Them To
What Buyers Say and What They Really Mean
HOLDING A HIGH PRICE
What Does Value For Money Really Mean?
Five Proven Techniques to Save Money and Make Money
The Words: ‘Typically’, ‘Realistically’, ‘Currently’, ‘Given’ and ‘Yet’
Justifying Your Price – the Power of One
The Final ‘Killer Questions’ That Allow You to Negotiate More Successfully
WIN-WIN & INCREASING AVERAGE ORDER VALUE
The Real Meaning of ‘Win-Win’
The Rules for Discounting
How to Hold a High Price
How to Increase Average Order
The Compromise Effect
SALES TECHNIQUES YOU NEED TO KNOW
All You Need to Know About Time Management
Recognising the Moment That Matters and the Role of ‘Enough’
What to Do When It Starts Going Wrong
How to Understand Other People – Can You Clarify?
How to Build Your Reputation and Getting Your Client to Feel Indebted to You
Selling in the Long Term and Being Recommended
HOW TO BE A GREAT PRESENTER & WOW YOUR AUDIENCE
How to Deliver a Great Presentation
Why Powerpoint Doesn’t Work and What to Do with It
How Memory Works
How to Tell Your Own Stories Well so People Warm to You
The Three Key Things About Presenting
CONCLUSION
What We’ve Covered So Far
COURSE 5 | CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE
Introduction To Customer Experience
What Is Customer Experience?
THE 6 THINGS THAT CUSTOMERS WANT
1: Make it Easy
2: Set My Expectations
3: Keep Your Promises
4: Keep Me Informed
5: Treat Me As An Individual
6: Put It Right If It Goes Wrong
CONCLUSION
Summary & Final Thoughts
COURSE 6 | BUSINESS MARKETING STRATEGIES
Introduction To Business Marketing Strategies
What Exactly Is Marketing & What Does It Mean For Your Business?
What Are We Up Against In Making Marketing Work?
Common Marketing Mistakes: How Do You Measure Up?
What Do Marketing-Focused Businesses Have & Do?
THINK IN 3D
‘Being 3D’ Source 1: Why Should I Buy From You?
‘Being 3D’ Source 2: Find The Gap
‘Being 3D’ Source 3: Spot Problems, Solve Problems
‘Being 3D’ Source 4: Break The Rules – Create New Rules
Demonstrate Your Dramatic Difference: A Process
CHOOSE ‘EM OR LOSE ‘EM
Identify Your Target Market
What Does ‘Best’ Look Like For You?
IDENTIFY & FOCUS ON THE CHANNELS THAT WORK FOR YOU
Focus Your Efforts: What’s Working For You?
GET PROACTIVE & FOCUSED
Business Generation Activity In Action: The Funnels
Create Your Own Recipe
Keep Your Finger On The Pulse
Demonstrate Your Dramatic Difference: A Process
KEEP THINKIN IN 3D
A Quick Refresh
Next Steps: Make Your Marketing Work Plan
COURSE 7 | BUSINESS FINANCE & WELLNESS
Introduction To Business Finance & Wellness
What Is Financial Wellness?
Improving Your Financial Wellness
Financial Wellbeing & The Things You Can Control
Employee Financial Wellness Ideas & How Employers Can Support Staff
Maintaining Financial Wellbeing
Conclusion
COURSE 8 | NETWORKING
Introduction To Networking
Preparing For Networking
Communication Methods
The Networking Process
Real-Life Examples
Post-Networking Reflections
Conclusion