The Home Stretch

I’m now in the home stretch of my Liberal Arts degree at Prescott College. 

My final semester. It’s been a long, hard 3 years but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel: The Write Zone.

Thanks to Joy Taylor, Founder, Living Visions Now, for working with me again and being my mentor for Concepts of Entrepreneurship, and Leslie Carlson for being my Senior Project mentor. I’d like to thank these ladies for making the final journey with me and setting me on my path to future nonprofit success. 

My Senior Project will be an in-depth (hopefully) needs and opportunity assessment for The Write Zone. By the end of this semester I hope to know whether my idea is viable on its own, partner with another youth-serving organization, or take it in a slightly different direction. And whether or not I have what it takes to be an entrepreneur. As Leslie and I collaborated on the draft study contract, I came across WritersCorps and that gave me the idea (option?) to do something like that here. They don’t plan to start other WritersCorps' in other cities, nor am I allowed to use the name (which is fine), but it’s just another angle to look at; something else to look into when I’m doing my research. 

Hopefully, this semester will be more fun.

Starting a Nonprofit Webinar Series, Session II: Form the Corp

Patrick McWhortor, President & CEO of the Alliance of Arizona Nonprofits will offer unique insights and advice from someone who started two nonprofits in recent years and has experience in leadership of several local and national nonprofits.  The four-part webinar series will cover:


• Basic nonprofit organizational and legal concepts
• Steps in planning the formation of a nonprofit
• Alternative approaches to serving your mission
• Resources for starting and supporting a nonprofit
• Basic practices for building a board of directors
• Practical advice and tips for nonprofit start-ups

Webinar took place on Oct 20th, 2011
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Listened to recording today

In Session 2 of our Starting a Nonprofit Webinar Series, you will learn the 6 Steps to the formation of your nonprofit and meeting legal requirements.
 
My Takeaways:

Step 1 - Evaluate the Decision

Why?

1. Mission
2. Need - reinforcing assets in the community
3. Innovation
4. Passioni

Why Not?

1. Why not for profit?
2. Nonprofit market analysis - competition
3. Collaboration - look for a home first/Incubation (Member Match)
4. Incubation Option
5. Fiscal sponsorship?

When?

• Ecomonic climate
• Political climate
• Nonprofit climate

~ Find Expertise:

• Business planning
• IRS
• Professionals: attorney and accountant

~ Nonprofit capacity building:

• www.asu.edu/copp/nonprofit
• http://www.oneaz.org/
• http://www.nonprofitquarterly.org/

Step 2 - Planning

Business Plan

• Financial model
• Resource development plan
• Marketing plan
• Pilot Phase
• Incubation

Where does the money come from?

• Donations
• Government
• Earned income

~ Infrastucture

• Restricted funds
• Investment capital vs operationg
• Administrative/fundraising costs
• Accountability

~ Board Development

• Role of Board
• Founders
• Incorporating board

~ Stakeholders

• Community support
• Volunteers

Step 3 - Incorporation

• Legal formation
• Corp name research
• Corporation Commission - Articles of Incorp, Bylaws, etc.
• Secretary of State - solicitatation registration
• IRS tax exemption: Form 1023 application

~ Fundraising

• Solicitation
• Registration

Startup Weekend Chandler: Day Three

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Pitching today was no different than pitching the first time because I was just as nervous. Even with Daanon standing next me. There are things you want to cover and the minute you get up there, everything flies out the window. I think I sorta mentioned the website, I definitely mentioned the upcoming pilot workshop, and I talked about the fortuitous impromptu workshop we held with Jimmy.

Oh yes, and we announced our intentions to go through with Roadmap to Launch.

So...onwards and upwards.

Startup Weekend Chandler: Day Two

It's Day 2 and we're back at Gangplank. Steve suggested an impromptu writing workshop. We're posting our butts off on Facebook and Twitter. We're asking people at Gangplank if they could post for us. Steven brought his camera to record the event for posterity.

And now we wait.

One o'clock rolls around and it's apparent that Plan A wasn't going to work. Plan B was to run across the street to the publc library and recruit teens from there. To be honest, I wasn't too keen on doing that. I know I wouldn't like the idea of a stranger approaching me and trying to get me to come to another building. That would've been weird.

And then...divine intervention

A man and his son, roped into moving stuff, entered Steve's line of vision and the next thing we know, we're  doing an impromptu workshop. To say that we weren't prepared was a major. Freakin'. Understatement. LOL. But that's okay, because I guess that's what this weekend was all about.

James and his 11 yr old son, Jimmy agreed to be our guinea pigs. It was a lot tougher than I thought. Thank God Marvin, Steve and Daanon were in the room with me to pick up the slack.

We decided to do something simple, an acrostic poem: a form of writing in which the letters in the word begin each line. All lines in the poem should relate to or describe the poem. For example:

Shines brightly
Under a deep blue sky
Never to be seen again until the next day

Or something like that. Using the dry erase board in the conference room, we did a few together, then one by himself. And then he really had to one by himself. And we kinda gave him a hard one to do: community. It took him a few minutes (I'm sure our eyes on him added to the pressure. LOL) but he came up with some good stuff.

We asked him for his feedback and based on his response, we gave him an easier one, because he already had the words picked out in his mind: sub (the underwater object, not the food)

And then his father suggested he try one more: Jimmy

Getting Jimmy's feedback as well as his father's was enlightening. Jimmy told us that he doesn't consider himself to be creative. And he doesn't like to write because he hardly ever does it. But according to his father, he's a fabulous storyteller. He does a lot of stop animation movies and is always telling verbal stories.

Needless to say, the impromptu workshop was a great learning experience and I'm glad we were able to do it. Tomorrow is the pitch, finished product and whether or not we're going to go through Roadmap to Launch.

Startup Weekend Chandler: Day One

At 2pm today, I attended the Startup 101 Workshop


This intensive 3-hour workshop provides the basics of building a business, from choosing a team to market research and completing Version 1.0 of your product.

This gave me a better idea of what to expect over the weekend. I have to admit that the closer the time came to pitching, I became extremely nervous. Your 60-second pitch had include an intro, the problem you're trying to solve, the solution and what you needed (web developers, designers, etc). I'd written it out a couple of days before and it looked a little something like this:

Hi, I'm Celise Colston and I'm a Young Adult Fiction author. The problem is that I'm seeing a number of public schools cutting their arts programs to narrow to focus on curriculum standardization to improve test scores. In 2009, AIMS testing results indicated that only 72% of students passed the writing portion. I want to change that statistic. My nonprofit, The Write Zone, will be a writing and publishing organization. My vision is to assist local students ages 13-18 with their writing skills through drop-in tutoring, workshops, publishing and in-school programs. I also want to help teachers foster an appreciation for the literary arts in their classrooms. The thing is, I don't know if my idea is feasible. So this weekend I'm hoping to connect with a research savvy person--or people--to help me come up with a community needs assessment.

My intention was to memorize that whole thing and then get up on that little stage and blow it out. Yeah, not so much.

28 other people pitched and while only a few did it without cheat sheets, the majority them used cheat sheets. So I used mine. Even using my little cheat sheet I was shaking by the time I got off that little stage. An hour or two beforehand, my husband had sent me this wonderful text:

Jerry Lewis once said its good to be nervous because it means you'll be creative.

And then he text me a picture of our cat rolling around on the floor, giving him the Crazy Eye. LOL. I looked at that before I pitched and it made me smile.

So, as I mentioned, 28 people voted, and as you pitched, there was a person near the stage typing up your idea. After you pitched, your idea was printed out and tacked to a board. Then you had to take 3 sticky notes and vote for your favorite 3. After they put the ideas up and people started walking through, I had two people come up and tell me that my idea wasn't up there!

I panicked but didn't show it as I walked through myself just to see and they were right! By that time, a lot of the other ideas had several sticky notes underneath them and nobody was going to vote for my mine because they'd be all done. But the person in charge was told, she apologized, hand wrote the idea, slapped it up there and made a loud announcement.

Within seconds I had 4 votes. 5 if you include my own. LOL.

When the voting ended, if you had less than 5 votes, your idea was cut and you'd have to find another team to join.

I got lucky.

Say hello to our 14 Startup Weekend Chandler companies:

Charitivize – Help good nonprofits create fundraising campaigns and identify potential contributors

Chow Locally – Connect local food vendors with local farms to bridge the gap, helping citizens eat locally

Surprises – Mobile app to find local freebies on your birthday

RhinoDough – Free 401K advisory site geared toward the younger generation

E-Intro - Social email that personalizes connections through a series of customizable templates

iPatient – Consumer healthcare solution look to build a mobile app

Armored.IO

Donor Assure – Mobile app for blood donors to check CRM

The Write Zone – Nonprofit writing center for teens geared towards self-publishing We're not geared towards self-publishing, that's just going to be one of the main programs. It's  all about the writing here.


Class Project – Help companies tell stories through user-submitted artifacts

Nuke It – iPhone games using physics

Card Jolt – Convert business cards into audio-visual commercial

Alertosaurus – Authority Labs new project

I Crashed – Crash sensor combined with tracking software to create an ‘OnStar’ type response for endurance athletes (bikers, distance runners, etc)
Is it bad to admit that out of all the ideas, I was only really interested in one, not including my own?

Steve didn't pitch. He came to be part of a group.He's the business guy. But his wife's a teacher, so he can give us that perspective.

Daanon, Marvin and I are the "creative souls" in the group. We have writing and or publishing experience.

Katie is the Dir of Operations at Gangplank and is our floater with the marketing advice. She's not an active part of the group (because she has to run the thing), but she's an official member of the group.

I really can't believe how fast we gelled. Steve is the business guy. He's the guy that's going to right it all down so that it all makes sense. What was interesting is that even though it's my idea and "this is the way I want my business to look", Steve asked Daanon and Marvin "Okay, you're the CEO of The Write Zone. What's your vision of how this company should work?"

And what happened is we were all saying the same thing, but in a different way. It was such an amazing feeling that I got chills. I know why I want to start this nonprofit, but it was interesting to hear what others had to say:

Daanon:

~ Physical location
~ Writing camp
~ Learn about storytelling
~ Offering editing services
~ Creativity over structure
~ Teaching the craft of writing
~ Chance to meet and work with published authors and professional writers
~ Know that they can make money being a writer
~ Teach the mechanics of publishing a book
~ Participants coming back to mentor other participants or facilitating a workshop.
~ Measure of success is coming in and creating something, creating that writing spark, and having a publishing company of just teen authors.
~ Provide scholarships

Marvin:

~ Youth empowerment as a form of expression
~ Teaching social community skills
~ Write what you feel
~ Express as collaboration
~ Writing to create a community
~ Create a safety zone
~ Not about achievement, just expression
~ Interact w/ adults
~ Be able to read in a safe, non-judgmental environment

I got a little teary-eyed writing that. LOL. It's how I see my company impacting the community and it was inspiring to know that there are others out there who see it the same way.

Our group gelled liked that so quickly, it was great. By the end of the night, we had come up with a Starter Mission Statement.
Tomorrow, we're hoping to pull together an impromptu writing workshop at the location at 3pm. Crossing my fingers that we'll get some participants.

Stay tuned for Day 2

For Rent

Up until recently, I pictured my organization in a Victorian house. Much like Hugo House, if you want to get specific. I thought it would be pretty cool to have a storefront on the first floor and all the classrooms on the second floor. And they would all have different names, like the Inspiration Room or the Creativity Room. And the big backyard would be the perfect place for a stage for all the readings we'll have.

Then my husband and I moved downtown, in the heart of downtown Phoenix where all the action is. AZ Science Center is across the street. The Phoenix Children's Museum is right next door. We can walk to Chase Field and see a baseball game. But we're also blocks away from Roosevelt Row, where First Fridays occurs. My hubby and I eat a lot at the Pita Jungle on 3rd Ave and Roosevelt, and every time we drive down that street, we pass an abandoned building that sits on the corner of 2nd ave. There's a building and a little house next to it that would make the perfect stage. No longer do I see my organization in a Victorian house, but in this abandoned building on the corner.

Even though my organization would be in the midst of an urban arts district--and just a few blocks from other cultural venues--I can't help but wonder how the other businesses fair. Do they get a lot of foot traffic when First Friday isn't going on? Are they close to shutting down? And then I read an article in Philanthropy News Digest about how sharing office space can boost your nonprofits effectiveness. A study of U.S. and Canadian organizations indicated:

"...such arrangements provide a range of benefits to the organizations involved, including access to higher-quality facilities in better locations for rents that can be as much as 75 percent below market value. Organizations also benefit from the greater visibility that such centers provide, which in turn leads to greater community engagement, improved access to funding, and enhanced credibility.

As a result, securing space in a nonprofit center can be difficult. According to the study, 80 percent of the centers included in the survey have waiting lists and most have low vacancy rates."

Okay. So. Maybe, due to the economy, I won't be able to have a building of my own. Maybe I'll use rooms at different libraries around the valley, community centers, local bookstores, etc. Maybe I'll only need an office space to work out of and everything else will be virtual.

Something to think about.

Merging Missions

I remember my HR mentor, Chantal Sheehan, asking me if I'd ever thought my idea would work as a program for another nonprofit.

"I have, yes," I told her.

"And how would you feel about that?" she asked.

"I would be okay with that."

Because, really, what if my idea as a whole didn't work on it's own, but as a part of something else? It could be absorbed into something big like the Boys and Girls Club or a smaller organization like Phoenix Youth at Risk.

In the interest of the current economic downturn, I think it would behoove me to look at the possibility of a merger. In a post I read on Blue Avocado, guest blogger David La Piana states:

If your organization is, alas, weak, (unable to find or keep an executive director, unable to maintain an active board, or too small to compete effectively in a particular market), you might seek to merge into a larger organization that has what you lack or with other smaller organizations with whom you can develop the necessary strengths.

If you are ready to grow (want to augment a continuum of services; want to create a program from scratch, need to increase market share, or hope to reduce competition), you are probably a strong nonprofit and see mergers or other partnerships as ways to further grow the organization.

If you think a merger might enhance your mission and services (reduce consumer confusion, lower overhead and put more dollars into direct service, increase political clout by speaking with one stronger voice), you might partner with others with whom you have a significant mission, program, or identity overlap.

Something to think about, I suppose.

Start it up...

This post is brought you by The Rolling Stones. LOL

My nonprofit may get off the ground sooner than expected. It just depends on how my weekend goes in Startup Weekend Chandler. I went to the Overview and Team Building meeting last night to see what it was all about:

Over the course of the evening, we will cover the format of the weekend and participant expectations. Additionally, we will cover some startup basics to help you prepare. Lastly, there will be time to bring your ideas to mentors to receive some feedback before the weekend.

I was intrigued about the concept:

Startup Weekends are weekend-long, hands-on experiences where entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if startup ideas are viable. On average, half of Startup Weekend’s attendees have technical backgrounds, the other half have business backgrounds.

Beginning with open mic pitches on Friday, attendees bring their best ideas and inspire others to join their team. Over Saturday and Sunday teams focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies and building a minimal viable product. On Sunday evening teams demo their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts.
Why attend a Startup Weekend event?

Startup Weekend Chandler involves the Overview and Team Building Meeting, a Speed Team Networking night on June 9th:

Speed Team Networking provides an opportunity for registered participants to get to know each other before the weekend, encouraging positive matches that will provide more work time over Startup Weekend.

A Startup 101 Workshop:

Startup 101 takes place the Friday of Startup Weekend Chandler from 2:00-5:00pm. This intensive 3-hour workshop provides the basics of building a business, from choosing a team to market research and completing Version 1.0 of your product.

*Only registered Startup Weekend Participants can attend Startup 101.

Agenda:
2:00-2:45pm Team
2:45-3:45pm Product
3:45-5:00pm Execution

Team (Panel)

A team should be made up of people with different skills and experiences. A team should not be all developers or all idea people. You need someone to plan, someone to execute, and someone to sell. Team members can take on multiple roles, but all critical roles should be represented. This panel will discuss what a team should look like in the context of multiple business models.

What does a team look like?
Responsibilities
Conflict Resolution

Product

Your vision may be amazing, but when you get real about it, it may not be reasonable for a 60-day launch. This section focuses on how to define your product for the highest possibility for success and deliver the highest value in your first release.

Market Research and Competitor Evaluation
Creating the simplest effective product

Execution

Ideas are worth nothing without execution. How you execute is the difference between success and failure more than anything else. In this section we will explore best practices in focusing your energy on the highest yielding activities.

Decision making: How do you decide what to do when you encounter a fork in the road?
Version 1: You can’t have every bell and whistle. Learn to evaluate what you need to launch, versus what can come later.
Last 10%: Your first release won’t be a polished gem. In this phase, you must set the foundations for growth.

The actual event that occurs the weekend of June 24th-26th, 2011 and ending up with the possibility of moving forward in the Roadmap to Launch:

During product presentations on Sunday night of Startup Weekend Chandler, companies will state whether they will be participating in the Roadmap to Launch challenge, culminating in Launch Weekend in August 2011.


The Roadmap includes mentoring assignments, social events around entrepreneurship, workshops and opportunities to test with potential consumers and practice pitching.

Sample Roadmap to Launch:

June 26 – Present product at Startup Weekend Chandler

July 4-8 – Mentoring Round 1

July 18-22 – Mentoring Round 2

July 20 – Chandler Startup Drinks with local entrepreneurs

July 27 – User testing event at Hacknight

July 28-29 – Private Pitch with roundtable of mentors

August 1-5 – Mentoring Round 3

August 15-19 – Mentoring Round 4

August 17 – User testing event at Hacknight

August 27-28 [Tentative] – Launch Weekend & Extreme Pitch
*This event will be open to all valley entrepreneurs and startups, with Startup Weekend Chandler companies being featured.

It's going to be held at this really cool co-working space called Gangplank and only going to cost me $25 (student rate). I'm not sure what to expect. I know I can't really start a nonprofit without filling out the proper paperwork and finding board members, but I'll make connections and maybe find someone---or a group of someones--who feel the way I do about my project. I'll definitely be posting about my experience.