Updated: 7/7/2020

KISS DIY Accelerator

Happy day and welcome to the online home for the Keep It Super Simple (KISS) Do It Yourself (DIY) Accelerator! As the name implies, this is a how-to guide to create an accelerator to help your venture, and possibly some friends' ventures, go up the startup learning curve. Move at your own pace. No need to wait for anyone else to approve/accept/review you!

This is a prototype curriculum: This curriculum is being built-as-you-read-it. So you may see some placeholders. Suggestions/recommendations are greatly welcome!

Before You Begin

  1. Recruit the cohort: It can be just your one startup, but it works better if you have a few startups traveling through the process together.
  2. Assemble mentors: Reach out to your networks and find some business folks who are willing to be your mentors throughout the accelerator. Instructions for them are in here too.

Process Overview

The recommended time duration for each step in the process appears (in parenthesis). However, each team should take however long is needed to Get The Job Done.

  1. Ideation & Setup (about a day) - Setup and familiarize yourself with the core tools of the Accelerator.
  2. Market (5-10 sessions)- Prove there is a sizable market of potential customers with a "hair on fire" problem related to your venture.
  3. Value Proposition (5-10 sessions) - Launch an initial product that customers are thrilled with and is superior to the competition.
  4. Relationships (5-10 sessions) - Prove you have cost-effective methods to Find, Get & Keep customers.
  5. More to come...
    1. Content about the Flavors of Capital
    2. More resources/links/podcast recommendations
    3. PitchCamps (how to prepare for presentations)
    4. Recruiting early talent tips
    5. Shark Tanks (sessions to give you a simulation of presenting to investors)
    6. Level 4: Relationships (aka sales, marketing, retention)
    7. Level 5: Financials
    8. Level 6: Scale

Legal Stuff

This Website & Curriculum created by Paul G. Silva and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 (AKA creative commons share-alike). Use at your own risk, no promises being made, yadda yadda yadda.