Fall 2022 Apostle Incubator Schedule

AUG 23: Creativity & The Business Value of Design

Design is the process of fitting form to context. Context is what you cannot change. Form is what you can change. Applying design principles and values to business has provable impact on ROI. 

AUG 30: Understanding All Of Your Stakeholders/Customers 

The foundation upon which all businesses are built is meeting the needs of stakeholders. Stakeholders include not just customers but a vast community of allies and adversaries each with their own aspirations, values and constraints. 

SEPT 6: Discovering & Understanding The Macroenvironment  

Identify the external forces and conditions in which you will operate. Understanding those forces will direct your research and planning to help identify risks, challenges and opportunities. 

SEPT 13: Problems And Opportunities

Develop insight into your CUSTOMERS by identifying unmet needs and opportunities. 

SEPT 20: What Is Your Vision Statement 

Synthesize research into an aspirational vision statement that articulates the expected impact that your business will have on stakeholders. 

SEPT 27: Generating A Good Idea 

Understanding the methods and mindsets that cultivate innovation. 

OCT 4: Creating Choices - Everything Is On The Table 

Divergent thinking is the process of abandoning constraints and opening up imagination. Often called "out of the box thinking" or "lateral thinking" it is an essential tool of creative ideation.  

OCT 11: Evaluating And Validating Your Ideas 

Understand the difference between real constraints and imaginary constraints. Challenge assumptions and remove legacy obstacles.  

OCT 18: Customer Insights - Focus, Focus, Focus 

Armed with a pile of crazy ideas and a well understood constraints, narrow your focus and apply constraints to your idea to come up with ideas that feasible, viable and desirable. 

OCT 25: Building your Business Model Canvas - Part 1 

Who are your customers and how do you deliver value to your customer segments? 

NOV 1: Building your Business Model Canvas - Part 2 

What resources do you need to deliver value? 

NOV 8: Putting It All Together 

What are the costs/revenue structure of delivering value to your customers? 

NOV 15: How To Tell A Story 

Use narrative structure to advocate for your idea as a call to action. 

NOV 29: Practicing Your Pitch 

How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice. 

DEC 6: APOSTLE BUSINESS IDEATION CHALLENGE

It's Opening Night! Sell the audience!