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A definition
What is an entrepreneurial experience?
An entrepreneurial experience is a local outing, a day trip, or part of a longer trip planned around a question about your business. You make purposeful stops, talk with people who run things, take time to reflect, and come back with one idea to test.
The five parts
- A questionYou choose it: a decision you face, a problem you are stuck on, or an idea you want to test.
- Purposeful stopsBusinesses picked because they relate to your question, often outside your own industry.
- ConversationsWith owners and staff who are open to it: how they started, priced, found customers, and changed course.
- ReflectionTime to write down and compare what you noticed, before the day blurs together.
- A testOne idea small enough to try in the next 30 days.
Three ways it can look
A Saturday close to home
Two or three stops in your own city. A bakery, a bike shop, and a print studio can each teach you something about pricing or regulars. No getaway required.
A day trip
A nearby town with a different mix of businesses. From the Phoenix area, that could be Cottonwood or Flagstaff, where the customers, seasons, and pace are different from home.
Part of a trip you already planned
Add one morning of purposeful stops to a vacation or a work trip. You are already somewhere new, so you are already paying closer attention.
From my own past trips. None of these were hosted experiences.
How it compares
Each of these is useful. They are built for different things.
| Format | Built around | You usually leave with |
|---|---|---|
| Business tour | How one business works | A look behind the scenes |
| Networking event | Meeting people | New contacts |
| Conference or workshop | A topic taught by speakers | Notes and new skills |
| Vacation | Rest and fun | Memories and a recharge |
| Entrepreneurial experience | Your own question, explored across several businesses | One idea to test in the next 30 days |
Who it is for
Entrepreneurs, side hustlers, small business owners, and people thinking about starting something. People who learn by going places, asking questions, and comparing notes.
How to try one
- On your own, with the free five-page DIY planner.
- With a small group at the November 14 pilot in the Phoenix area, $45 per person.
- One to one with me, planned around your own question.
Questions
What people ask about entrepreneurial experiences.
Who they are for, how long they take, and how to start.
Do I need to own a business?
No. Entrepreneurial experiences are for entrepreneurs, side hustlers, small business owners, and people thinking about starting something. A question is all you need.
Do I need to travel?
No getaway required. Many of the best experiences happen in your own city, on a Saturday morning, at businesses you have driven past for years.
How long does one take?
On your own, a morning is enough for two or three stops. The November 14 pilot is one Saturday.
What makes a good question?
A specific one about a decision you face. How should I price this? Why don't first-time customers come back? Would people pay for a smaller version of my idea?
How do I try one?
Start on your own with the free DIY planner, join the November 14 pilot, or plan a custom experience with me.
Start with the free planner.
Join Thrive Vibes and the DIY planner is yours right away, plus a monthly Sunday plan and first word on the pilot and Journeys.