The Lansing Economic Area Partnership contracted Base Builder Labs to work with its alumni to support them as mentors, coaches, and strategist to improve their small business department.

The Problem

Over the years, LEAP hasn't had support programs for alumni of their programs.

Cohorts as the Mecca

The department was built around funding from the state and national agencies. This funding created cohort cycles where that became the status quo. After alumni graduate from their programs, they don't have a place to land. This created the expectation that cohorts were the final success frontier for the entrepreneurs.

Department Experience

The small business department has deep experience in entrepreneurial support programs, but not as direct entrepreneurs.

Options

During the first year of the engagement, we researched what was currently happening in LEAP and in the external Lansing entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Recommendations

The Implementations

Over the years

Reference

Jazmin Anderson

Tony Willis