3 Steps to Startup’s November Venture Fair is a Can’t-Miss!
At 3 Steps to Startup, we are excited to present an opportunity to attend our free, virtual venture fair on Tuesday, November 16th, from 9:00 am until 12:00 pm. Our second venture fair of 2021 builds upon the work we did earlier in March 2021 at the 3 Steps to Startup Venture Fair. If you missed our March event, all recordings are accessible here. What exactly is a venture fair? A venture fair provides the opportunity for entrepreneurs, funders, economic developers, and other startup stakeholders to gather and share information. The goal of a venture fair is to match small[...]
Celebrating Women-Owned Startups In West Virginia
This month at 3 Steps to StartUp, we want to take the time to recognize the progress that West Virginia women-owned businesses are making in our communities. In December of 2020, West Virginia ranked 11th for its percentage of women-owned businesses! At 3 Steps to StartUp, we are proud to recognize the hard work and promising futures for two women-owned startup companies here in West Virginia. Below, learn about these local, women-owned businesses and our involvement in their successes. Reid Miller Reid Miller is the founder and CEO of her self-named apparel line, which makes high-quality, classic wardrobe staples for[...]
LIINC Up with 3 Steps to Startup!
LIINC Up with 3 Steps to Startup! This month, 3 Steps to Startup will host two “LIINC” events: Linking Innovation, Industry, and Commercialization. These events are designed to allow hopeful research entrepreneurs access to business acumen and venture capital while simultaneously allowing those in the private sector to collaborate with a researcher in an area of interest. The two LIINC events will take place virtually on October 6th, 2021, via West Virginia University, and on October 20th, 2021, via Marshall University. Researchers are essential members of the entrepreneur community. At our virtual LIINC events, 3 Steps inspires collaboration between researchers[...]
Five Reasons Networking is Vital to Your Startup
Whether you’re a natural or not, networking is truly vital when you’re starting a business. 3 Steps to Startup recognizes this necessity! We offer five reasons why you should focus your efforts on networking from the startup process to the day-to-day operation of a business. Access to Resources, Including Venture Capital Networking quite literally means expanding your “network” of people, creating links as you go. Those in your network are resources for you to contact when you find that there’s something you can’t accomplish on your own. Connections can put you in touch with their connections, and the network[...]
Big Ideas from Small Towns: Rural Entrepreneurship
It has historically been tough to get a business going in rural America. With current obstacles like the COVID-19 pandemic affecting ventures across the board, things have been even more difficult for startups in small towns. A statistic shared in early 2020 (pre-pandemic) showed that startups in rural communities make up only 12% of all startups (compared to 20% in the 1980s). Rural entrepreneurship poses some obstacles that big city entrepreneurship doesn’t. Finding capital is a big issue for entrepreneurs everywhere, but startups struggle even more in small towns. Utility access problems like the lack of access to high-speed internet hinder ventures[...]
Master Class Series: Solving Meaningful Problems
Introducing 3 Steps to Startup Master Class Series: Solving Meaningful Problems There is one thing that all successful entrepreneurs have in common: life-long learning. Successful entrepreneurs are open to constantly gaining new knowledge, and possess the drive to seek out that knowledge proactively. Great entrepreneurs are consistently learning about what topics interest and excite them, in addition to learning about things that seemingly challenge their currently-held beliefs and ideas. The constant drive to seek knowledge might not look like what many assume. Interestingly, many of today’s entrepreneurs do not carry one of society’s major markers of knowledge – a 4-year college[...]
Which Type of Entrepreneur are You?
Many agree that there are recognizable “types” of entrepreneurs with specific motivations and specific characteristics. Knowing what entrepreneur type you are can help you fully understand and unlock your highest potential… and it can also help you avoid pitfalls associated with your entrepreneur type. Below, we’ll describe 4 major entrepreneur types so you can see which type matches you – and so you’ll be aware of weaknesses as you pursue your entrepreneurial dreams. The Innovator The Innovator is solution-driven. Innovators are typically enthusiastic and creative, offering innovative (hence the name) solutions for currently existing problems or even problems consumers don’t know[...]
How 3 Steps to Startup can Help You Overcome the Obstacles to Owning Your Own Business
There is a period of time before a “creator” takes the plunge into entrepreneurship – The act of investing in a business in the hopes of making a profit. During this time, obstacles can arise, making the startup process for small businesses seem far from reality. What are some of those obstacles? And where does – 3 Steps to Startup come into play? It Takes Money To Make Money In the world of entrepreneurship, the phrase “it takes money to make money” says it all. Most of those who desire to start a small business stop short because of funding woes. There are many costs associated[...]
New Law Brings New Opportunity for West Virginia Companies
Effective July 1, 2021, a law will hit the books in West Virginia, making it possible for mixed waste processing and resource recovery facilities to be developed across the state. In turn, this could mean economic development across multiple sectors, with innovation in one area spurring innovation across the board. A development like this is encouraging for those pursuing any ventures. Not to mention the support of economic growth in general. Overall, it’s good to be aware of the ways our state is pressing forward. SB 368 is already on the radar of companies like BioHiTech. BioHiTech operates an advanced resource recovery[...]
March 2021 Venture Fair
The March 2021 Venture Fair was held virtually over two days. Below are the videos and PowerPoint presentations. Day One: What It Takes to Launch, and How to Be an Effective Tech Based Startup – Eric Dobson Eric Dobson Slides Descriptions of and Differences Between Funding Companies – Panel Discussion The Funding Landscape–Don Morrison slide Trends in Early State Investing – Larry Miller Larry Miller Presentation Why Entrepreneurship is Important and Attainable – Brad Smith and Michael Graney Day Two: Why Pitch Prep is Critical and How to do it Effectively – Scott Ewing Scott Ewing Presentation Watch & Learn[...]