Turn Your Idea Into Action
CO.STARTERS Core at Hackler Hall Event Center is a cohort-based program designed to help entrepreneurs of all kinds clarify their ideas, build confidence, and take meaningful next steps toward launching or growing a business.
Hosted by Hackler Coworking
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Hackler Coworking is proud to bring the nationally recognized CO.STARTERS Core program to our community, connecting local entrepreneurs to a proven framework, experienced facilitators, and a supportive peer network.
Applications open December 22, 2025
Applications close February 3, 2026
Classes begin February 17, 2026
WHO SHOULD APPLY
This program is a great fit for you if you:
• Have a business idea but are not sure where to start
• Are in the early stages of launching a business
• Have started a business but feel stuck or unfocused
• Want structured guidance, accountability, and community
• Are open to testing assumptions, learning, and refining your approach
You do not need a polished business plan or prior entrepreneurial experience. CO.STARTERS is designed for starters of all kinds.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
CO.STARTERS Core is a 10–12 week, cohort-based program that equips entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn ideas into action.
Participants meet weekly in a facilitated, peer-based environment where they examine every part of their business idea, receive real-time feedback, and learn how the pieces of a sustainable business fit together.
The program is built around the CO.STARTERS Canvas, an intuitive visual framework adapted from the Business Model Canvas that helps participants understand, test, and refine their business models.
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN (BENEFITS)
By completing CO.STARTERS Core, participants gain:
• A safe place to share ideas, experiment, fail, and learn
• Clarity around their customer, problem, and solution
• A deeper understanding of why business activities matter and how they connect
• Confidence in making informed decisions
• Accountability to follow through on goals
• Meaningful connections to peers, mentors, and resources
• Clear next steps to move their venture forward
PROGRAM FORMAT & WHAT’S COVERED
CO.STARTERS Core consists of consecutive three-hour sessions covering:
Session 1: Knowing Yourself
Assumptions, working styles, team building, obstacles
Session 2: Knowing Your Customer
Customer discovery, problems, alternatives, idea testing
Session 3: Finding the Right Solution
Solution, benefits, advantage, starting small, brand identity
Session 4: Getting the Relationship Right
Marketing, messaging, getting and keeping customers
Session 5: Building Blocks
Distribution, revenue, offerings, pricing
Session 6: Structures and Systems
Legal and accounting considerations
Session 7: Discovering the Bottom Line
Startup and ongoing needs, costs, break-even analysis
Session 8: Financial Modeling
Sales projections, cash flow, capital considerations
Session 9: Planning for Growth
Growth strategies, goal setting, preparation for next steps
Session 10: Celebration
Reflection, progress sharing, and next-step planning
IMPACT
CO.STARTERS has served communities across the United States and around the world, with thousands of entrepreneurs participating in programs each year.
The program was originally developed in Chattanooga, Tennessee, to support artists, creatives, and others who did not fit traditional business models, and has since grown into a global network supporting vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems.
