Nevada City—On July 9, Sierra Commons will host the second edition of a five-week course designed to teach food entrepreneurs the skills to bring their products to market and become successful brands.
Early Bird Registration closes on June 21, providing a $100 savings over Standard Registration pricing.
In the course, students take a deep dive into business fundamentals with an All-Star list of founders and leaders who will teach the basics of starting and scaling an artisan food business, emphasizing ways to navigate a rural and regional food system.
“The inaugural course was off the hook. We saw students transform their aspirational ideas into actual revenue-generating businesses. Now, the public can go to local markets or subscribe to their products,” said Sierra Commons Executive Director Robert Trent. “We are excited to help guide the next batch of food entrepreneurs taking it to the next level this July.”
The course will be held from July 9 to Aug. 8. In-person classes are on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., and Online Accountability Meetups are on Wednesdays from noon to 1 p.m.
Built on the successful formula of the Business Ignitor Course, which has been running since 2010, the Food Entrepreneur Accelerator focuses specifically on starting or growing a food product or service business.
Like the popular Business Ignitor Course, the curriculum covers core topics and provides one-to-one advising through the Sierra Small Business Development Center (SBDC), industry contacts, and peer mentoring.
The program is divided into nine sessions led by an energetic lineup of instructors who are influencers in the food sphere. The sessions include a roundtable discussion with established food entrepreneurs and a pitch fest with a panel of business experts and community food stakeholders. A graduation celebration at the end of the course will round out the experience.
Topics include food permits, food safety, non-traditional funding opportunities, manufacturing and scalability, getting on the shelf, building teams, streamlining operations, building brands, plus product pricing, sourcing, storage and packaging.
“Victor and I were overwhelmed by all of the steps needed to launch our food business. The class was great. We made so many connections and learned a ton. But what was truly surprising was how all of the students supported each other throughout the process,” said Michael Hildebrand-Estrada, owner of Nevada City Crepes.
Instructors include Amy Irani, Director of Environmental Health of Nevada County; Mani Niall- Founder of Mani’s Test Kitchen; Chris Maher, General Manager at BriarPatch Food Co-op; Dana Frasz, Founder of Food Shift.net; Chelsea Bialla – Chief Marketing Officer at BOBABAM and other special guests.
The Food Entrepreneur Accelerator emphasizes food production, but anyone with a food business, including caterers, restaurant owners, and food truck owners, can benefit from the course.
For people interested in learning more about the course, a free online information session will be held on June 18 at 10 a.m.
Learn more and sign up for classes at www.sierracommons.org
Since 2009, Sierra Commons has committed to creating a more sustainable and resilient local economy by helping folks turn their passions into jobs with a purpose. In September 2024, Sierra Commons will host a community celebration recognizing the nonprofit’s 15th anniversary.