ISM Programs

Our programs can be used for capacity building and professional development. In addition provided in range of 1 to a 3-day format, or over the course of one year, depending on the needs of our partners.

ISM Signature Programs 

Entrepreneur Economic Development 

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development Program© is a one-year program in which participants come to understand the components of the ecosystem, showcase with other ecosystem players, and launch programs that ignite the entrepreneurship culture—sponsored by government and economic development agencies.

Entrepreneur Management & Operations 

EXPLORE© is a two-week entrepreneurship program that teaches immigrants and minorities about exploring business ideas in the U.S. market. It is micro-enterprise (solo-preneur) focused. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, and individuals.

IGNITE© is a seven-week, start-up, small business entrepreneurship program addressing the challenges and opportunities minorities face in starting or growing a business.  Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, and individuals.

Global Trade Mission© is an intensive three-day, hands-on learning program simulating an entrepreneurial and international business trade mission. It is a youth-focused program for students aged 16–27 years. Sponsored by government, school districts, community colleges, universities, and individuals.

Resilient Entrepreneur Program© was a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic, designed to prepare leaders and entrepreneurs to sustain their business activities now and into the future. The five-week program is offered in two formats: 1) The five-week self-education course consists of a weekly release of structured educational material, with a one-hour coaching session between sessions. 2) A virtual coach facilitates the in-person five-week course weekly, with a one-hour coaching session in between sessions. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, and individuals.

Global Entrepreneurship and Leadership Accelerator Program© is a three-month cohort-style entrepreneurship program targeting startups already engaged in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in their home country, such as being part of an incubation or acceleration program. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, incubators, and accelerators.

Train the Trainer© Program is a multiple-place program designed to train potential facilitators in areas of FastTrac®, Growth Wheel, coaching, and mentoring, including the custom-made Train the Trainer program. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers/organizations, and individuals.

Capacity Building Tours© is an educational/training program to enhance leadership and entrepreneurial skills. The program is offered in two tracks: 1) Entrepreneurs and 2) Entrepreneurship Support Organizations. Tours are organized by options of one, two, or three cities and customized CBT. In addition to structured training and coaching sessions, the program offers networking opportunities with ESO and a narrow focus on a new concept related to entrepreneurship, from start-up to scaleup. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers/organizations, and individuals.

Capital & Finance Readiness Program© Tailored to meet the diverse needs of entrepreneurs, our innovative program is a proven pathway to success. It provides SMEs with firm-level technical assistance and access to tailored capital mechanisms. It encompasses a range of flexible options, including one-on-one Coaching, workshop series, Bootcamp, and cohort. Inspired by our track record of successfully assisting thousands of entrepreneurs worldwide in securing funding, we leverage ISM's online platform, wemicrofundyou.org. This platform helps entrepreneurs organize their data, understand the documentation needed for funding applications, and access valuable resources. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers/organizations, and individuals.

Entrepreneur Workforce Development

INSPIRE© Program is a six-month values training program designed to inspire managers and employees toward optimal engagement and enhanced productivity in the workplace. Participants learn to align personal and business values with job requirements. Online classrooms are arranged weekly and monthly, in person and/or in groups. Sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers/organizations, and individuals.

Entrepreneur Strategy Planning 

Kauffman FastTrac® is an intensive, eight to ten-week program that prepares serious entrepreneurs to open their businesses by planning and writing a business plan. ISM, a certified FastTrac® affiliate and licensee, provides the course in an interactive, group-orientated environment where participants network to bolster their business knowledge and ideas—sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, incubators, accelerators, and individuals.

FastTrac® Growth Venture is a flexible, 36-hour program with a proven framework to help established companies and entrepreneurs realize the full potential of their businesses through sustainable growth and operational efficiency. ISM, a certified FastTrac® affiliate and licensee, provides the course in an interactive, group-orientated environment where participants network to bolster their business knowledge and ideas—sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, incubators, accelerators, and individuals.

FastTrac® Listening to Your Business is designed to help entrepreneurs evaluate and measure their business strategies. This program will help you answer the question, “Where do I want my business to go, and how do I make it happen?” ISM, a certified FastTrac® affiliate and licensee, provides the course in an interactive, group-orientated environment where participants network to bolster their business knowledge and ideas—sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, incubators, accelerators, and individuals.

FastTrac® Growth Wheel Program is a three-month program designed for incubator managers, business advisors, and entrepreneurship educators worldwide to help businesses create strategies and take action. The visual toolbox and cloud-based platform advise entrepreneurs to make the right decisions, take action to attract clients, and create impact.  Sponsored by community organizers, incubators and accelerators, and individuals.

Entrepreneur & Leadership Basic© is a three-month coaching and training program designed for entrepreneurs in the startup stage. The program is offered in one-on-one meetings and provides access to ISM tools. Sponsored by individuals.

Entrepreneur & Leadership Enhanced© is a two-month program of coaching and training designed for entrepreneurs in the growth stage. The program is offered in one-on-one meetings and provides access to ISM tools. Sponsored by individuals.

Entrepreneur & Leadership Expert© is a one-month program of coaching and training designed for entrepreneurs in the scale-up stage. The program is offered in one-on-one meetings and provides access to ISM tools. Sponsored by individuals.

ISM Limited Edition Programs

The Franchise Accelerator Program© is a 13-week program dedicated to preparing entrepreneurs for growth and expansion, utilizing a franchise model. The curriculum is designed to create franchise operations by teaching the key phases of development to local businesses.

ISM Sessions

We provide technical assistance sessions for capacity building and professional development. Our hands-on, highly interactive sessions provide relevant content and practical tools that can be applied to your work or business. Sessions range from one hour to a full day and can extend over several months based on your requirements. Participants must attend the entire session to graduate with a certificate. 

The Art of Effective Networking introduces five key skills that make connecting simple and natural:  Planning, Active Listening, Asking Strategic Questions, Focusing on the Other Person, and Adding Value. This immersive session emphasizes learning by doing. Participants will leave with tools, plans, activities, or work products they can immediately use at home or in the workplace. Maximum of 15 participants. Typically designed for business owners and students.

Engaging Students in Global STEMpreneurship introduces an experience for students to unpack the components of 21st-century learning, social justice, global citizenship, and STEM initiatives. This immersive workshop emphasizes learning by doing. Participants start a business as entrepreneurs and sell it globally, working in teams and engaging the local community. Typically designed for high school and college students.

Entrepreneurship and Education introduce a new way to approach opportunities and challenges. This immersive workshop emphasizes learning by doing. Participants learn how to monetize educational projects and programs, understand and promote non-formal education in the marketplace, create a realistic business plan and launch educational start-ups, and become familiar with organizational development and business models that create financial stability. Maximum of 15 participants. Typically designed for trainers, owners, and coordinators of educational businesses and projects.

From Startup to Scale Up introduces proven tools for approaching problems and opportunities and how to leverage the resources you have rather than those you need. This immersive workshop emphasizes learning by doing. Participants learn when a start-up becomes a scale-up, the scale-up viability of the business, scaling efforts in sync with the rest of the operation, the strength of your core product/service, which marketing channels give you the highest ROI, execution team, and accessing the cash to scale up. Maximum of 6 participants. Typically designed for business owners and students.

The Power of 777 Marketing introduces a proven and successful marketing tool as you design your marketing strategy. Participants learn the importance of contact and the three main steps to establish contact with customers: 1) create your customer list, 2) schedule your contact dates, and 3) choose your contact method. Typically designed for business owners and entrepreneurs.

Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Development introduces the cultivation of the entrepreneurship “ecosystem” to create a sphere for startups to grow and SMEs to scale. You will learn how to map the existing supporting ecosystems and what is needed in your community to strengthen the ecosystem. Typically designed for economic development agencies, government officials, and ecosystem players such as VCs, incubators, angel groups, and Chambers of Commerce.

Resilient Entrepreneur is an overview of the Resilient Entrepreneur Canvas and provides insights on its use. We discuss the eight components of the canvas and focus on the four steps to keep your organization moving forward during a crisis and beyond. Typically sponsored by government and economic development agencies, community organizers, and individuals.

How to Ask for Money introduces the skills you need to learn in asking to fund your business: clarity about your current status, communication, information sharing, and honesty. Participants learn about the various types of investors, what to ask, and how to explain your business model, including what you have done, what needs to happen next, and the total amount of money to ask depending on the time frame of operations and how long the funds will sustain your business. Understand what the investor looks for and how to position yourself for the best funding opportunity—typically sponsored by community organizers and individuals.

Corporate Entrepreneur introduces the entrepreneurial mindset concept for leaders and employees. Participants gain insights and tools on how to think and act like an entrepreneur within a corporation or a business that they did not start, gain an understanding of the entrepreneurial mindset, learn how to act in a corporate and structured environment, and create three action steps to implement an entrepreneurial mindset in your organization—typically sponsored by business owners, corporations and structures organizations.

Digitizing your Startup and SME introduces an overview of digitization. Participants learn strategies and marketing campaigns, how to set up a professional domain name and email, influx DB dashboard, professional financial dashboard, customer dashboard, and many others—typically sponsored by business owners and new marketing and sales professionals.