What is CO.STARTERS?
CO.STARTERS is a ten-week program that equips aspiring entrepreneurs with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into action and turn a passion into a sustainable and thriving business.
Apply for an Upcoming Cohort
This Spring, we have sessions starting in both Ohio and Wetzel Counties!
Wheeling:
In partnership with Wheeling Heritage, the next session will start on Tuesday, April 21, 2026 and will run for 10 weeks on Tuesday evenings. The class will be held from 5:30pm to 8:30pm in the Artisan Center in Downtown Wheeling. Apply below to reserve your spot in the class. Space is limited.
Wetzel County:
In Wetzel County, our session started on March 10, 2026 and will run for 10 weeks on Tuesday evenings. The class will be held from 5:30pm to 8:30pm in New Martinsville. Apply below to reserve your spot in the next cohort. Space is limited. Thanks to a contribution from MPLX, participants from Wetzel County will receive a $150 scholarship for the program. The remaining cost for each participant is $50.
Apply Now – Greater Wetzel County
CO.STARTERS costs a flat fee of $200. This includes all materials. Payment plans are potentially available. Please contact Valerie Piko at vpiko@redp.org if you have questions.
If your spot in a class has been confirmed, you will be contacted for payment information by our team.
Thank you to MPLX and the Truist Charitable Fund for their support of this program!
Who’s It For?
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, or a seasoned entrepreneur looking to launch a new product or service, CO.STARTERS is for you. The only real prerequisites are (1) having an idea you’re ready, willing, and excited to share and pursue and (2) a willingness to study, shape and fine-tune that idea in a supportive, collaborative, and welcoming environment. If you’re creative and community-minded, and you’re serious about turning your passion into a sustainable business, we want you.
What To Expect
CO.STARTERS is an action-driven, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded people. Led by a facilitator who is an experienced entrepreneur, you’ll identify your assumptions about why and how your businesses will work and then talk to customers in order to validate your ideas. This approach enables you to rapidly uncover flaws in your concept and find viable models more quickly. You’ll leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate your model, and repeat the process with your next great idea.
Curriculum
During CO.STARTERS, you’ll develop and fine-tune your idea, critically examining every part of it and tweaking your next steps through real-time feedback from people in the community. Over the ten weeks, we’ll cover the following topics.
- Session 1: Knowing Yourself (Assumptions, Working Styles, Team Building, Obstacles)
- Session 2: Knowing Your Customer (Problem, Solution, Benefit, Competition, Advantage, Customer)
- Session 3: Finding The Right Solution: Solution, Benefit, Advantage, Starting Small, Brand Identity
- Session 4: Getting the Relationship Right: Marketing & Message; Getting, Keeping & Growing Customers
- Session 5: Building Blocks: Distribution, Revenue, Typical Offering, Price
- Session 6: Structures & Systems: Business Structures, Licenses, IP, Hiring
- Session 7: Discovering the Bottom Line: Startup & Ongoing Needs, Fixed & Variable Costs, Break-Even Point
- Session 8: Financial Modeling: Break-Even Point, Sales Projections, Cash Flow, Raising Capita
- Session 9: Planning For Growth: Raising Capital, Growth Plans, Goal Setting, Storytelling
- Session 10: Sharing Your Story: Community Celebration