Business Model Canvas Mastermind · An ISM Signature Program

Build a business model you can test, not just describe.

Map the model. Test the assumptions. Use real customer evidence to decide what to build next.

View the next cohort Explore the program

Next cohort begins October 14, 2026 · Live on Zoom

Your business model on one page

Nine connected blocks. One system to test.

Evidence over assumptions

From assumptions to evidence

The canvas is a tool for better business decisions.

You will map the business, test it against the real world, and refine it as the evidence changes.

The mindset: every week should replace an assumption with something you actually learned.
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Entrepreneurs reviewing business information together during a working session
Between sessions, participants talk with customers, run experiments, and bring the results back to the cohort.

What you will work through

Six moves that turn the canvas into action.

The syllabus is a seven-part progression. Cohorts may combine topics while keeping the same core work.

01

Map the model

See the whole business at once and identify the assumptions that matter most.

02

Know the customer

Use real conversations to understand who buys, why they care, and what they do today.

03

Sharpen the value

Connect what you offer to a customer problem worth solving.

04

Test the path to market

Choose channels, run a small experiment, and measure what actually happens.

05

Check the economics

Pressure-test pricing, revenue, costs, and break-even assumptions.

06

Turn it into a plan

Integrate the model, choose next actions, and prepare the final business story.

Built around real work

What you leave with.

Not just notes from a class—working tools you can use after the cohort ends.

01
A stronger Business Model CanvasIterated as your evidence changes.
02
Customer evidenceFindings from discovery and market tests.
03
Go-to-market + economicsChannel, pricing, cost, and break-even thinking.
04
30-60-90 day plan + pitchA focused next-step plan and clear business story.

Next cohort · Fall 2026

Five weeks to pressure-test your business model.

Live on Zoom, capped at 15 participants, with weekly working sessions and open office hours.

Cohort sponsor

Sponsored by OU INC at Oakland University.

Apply for this cohort Questions? Contact ISM
Starts
Oct. 14, 2026
Length
5 weeks
Format
Live via Zoom
Class
Wed. · 6:00–7:30 p.m.
Office hours
Mon. · 6:00–6:30 p.m.
Seats
Up to 15
Every accepted participant receives a full scholarship.
Typical program costApprox. $2,750
This cohortFull scholarship

Applying is free. Accepted participants reserve their seat with a $100 refundable commitment deposit, returned after full attendance and completion of the required work.

Participants may choose to leave the deposit as a donation to the 501(c)(3).

Before you apply

A few quick answers.

Do I need to already own a business?

No. The program also serves people with a defined business idea, along with early-stage and existing businesses.

What happens between live sessions?

Expect practical fieldwork: customer conversations, outreach, experiments, market tests, pricing validation, and other work tied to your model.

Is this mainly a lecture course?

No. Instruction is short and practical, followed by application, peer challenge, facilitator feedback, and commitments to test.

How does the $100 deposit work?

There is no cost to apply. Accepted participants receive a full scholarship for this cohort and submit a $100 commitment deposit, refundable after full attendance and completion of the required work.