Qualify & Apply

How do I qualify to become a participant?

Entrepreneurs will apply to Green Flag Mesa through an application process, which will be considered based on the following criteria:

To enroll in the Green Flag program you should have a fully developed business idea. If you are ready to launch your business, or if you are already operating you will enter the Green Flag Program in year 1 Launch. If your business plan is not fully developed you may be placed into Prelaunch, where we will assist you to prepare for launch
Currently enrolled at Mesa Community College. If you are enrolled at any of our Maricopa Community Colleges, you are eligible to participate in Green Flag Mesa
What if I am not currently enrolled at Mesa Community College?
If you are not currently enrolled, you must enroll in at least one course at a Maricopa Community College.

Completed or currently enrolled in an approved Maricopa Community College business course. Or show the business acumen to own and operate a business.
A business plan, If you do not currently have a written business plan you will be expected to complete one in the Green Flag Mesa program. You may enroll in several different courses to learn how to write your business plan.
Potential to provide employment in the City of Mesa?
Business has a clearly identified target market.

Please complete the lean startup Canvas

Please complete the following application and click to submit:

Personal Information* indicates required field

Name *

Address

City

State

Zip Code

Home Phone *

Email *

Business Information* indicates required field

Business Name *

Form of Ownership *

Business Website/URL

Are you currently enrolled at MCC? If so, what classes? *

What business courses have you taken? *

Student ID - last 4 only *

If none, please briefly explain why you feel you have the business acumen to own and operate a business at this time.

In as much detail as possible, describe your business venture; including a description of your product or service. *

Business to be based in Mesa? *

Yes No

Do you currently have a business plan? *

Yes No

File Attachments

Please attach your Business Plan below.

Attach another file

Lean Canvas Form * indicates required field

1. Problem* - Each customer segment (CS) you are planning to work with will have a set of problems that needs solving. In this box try listing one to three high priority problems that your customer segment has. Without a problem to solve, you don’t have a product/service to offer.

2. Customer Segments* - Who needs your solution? The problem and Customer Segments can be viewed as intrinsically connected — without a customer segment in mind you can’t think of their problems, and visa-versa. A target market is a group of customers with shared demographics who have been identified as the most likely buyers of a company's product or service.Market segmentation is the practice of dividing your target market into approachable groups. Market segmentation creates subsets of a market based on demographics, needs, priorities, common interests, and other psychographic or behavioral criteria used to better understand the target audience.

3. Unique Value Proposition* - In the middle of the canvas is the Unique Value Proposition. A value proposition is a promise of value to be delivered. It’s the primary reason a prospect should buy from you. A way to get your head around this is to think why are you different and why should your customer segment buy/invest time in you. This section should focus on how your product or service provides benefit for the customer.

4. Solution* - Finding a solution to the problem is the golden egg! You probably wont get this right off bat — that's OK, that’s what Lean is all about. What you need to do is Get Out of The Building — a phrase coined by the godfather of Lean Startup, Steve Blanks. What Blanks means is the solution is not in your office, it’s out there in the streets. So go interview your customer segment, ask them questions, and use what you learn to find the solution.

5. Channels* - Channels are the ways you reach your customer segments. Remember that in the initial stages it’s important not to think about scale but to focus on learning. With that in mind try to think which channels will give you enough access to your customer segments and at the same time give you enough learning. Channels can be email, social, Cost-Per-Click ads, blogs, articles, trade shows, radio & TV, webinars etc. and by the way you don’t have to be on all of them, just where your customer segments are.

6. Revenue Streams* - How do you make money? List your top three revenue streams. How you price your product(s) or service will depend on the revenue model you choose. It’s quite common for startups to reduce their price to enter the market, even offer it for free to gain traction, however, these tactics can pose problems. It actually delays/avoids validation of your business concept. Getting people to sign up for something free is a lot different than asking them to pay.

7. Cost Structure* - Here you should list all the operational costs for taking this business to market. What are the costs associated with the things you create and delivery? How much will it cost to build / landing page? What is your burn rate — your total monthly running costs? How much will it cost to interview your customer segment? How much do market research papers cost? etc. You can then use these costs and potential revenue streams to calculate a rough break-even point.

8. Key Metrics* - Every business, no matter what industry or size, will have some key metrics that are used to monitor performance. The best way to demonstrate this is to visualize a funnel top down that flows from the large open top, through multiple stages to the narrow end. A good model to help with this is Dave McClure’s ARRRR (aka Pirate Metrics).

9. Unfair Advantage* - This is the most difficult block to answer. Think about this as having an unfair advantage that helps when it comes to seeking partners & investors. The definition of unfair advantage is: “The only real unfair advantage is that which cannot be copied and cannot be bought" (Jason Cohen). Unfair advantage can be insider information, a dream team, getting expert endorsements, existing customers etc. So rather than think about adding something like “commitment and passion” as an unfair advantage (because it is not), think about what you have that no one else can buy.

Understanding & Acknowledgement

By clicking submit at the end of this form, I understand and agree to all of the following terms:

Participants accepted in Green Flag Mesa will be required to pay a $50.00 key deposit. Keys will remain the property of Mesa Community College and must be returned upon request. Participants agree that the keys provided are personal property and are not to be shared or loaned to other persons. Participants will forfeit their key deposit if keys are not returned within 30 days of separation from the Green Flag program.
Access to Green Flag Mesa will be 24 hours a day. Participants acknowledge that during late night hours there is no building security and participants accept all personal risk associated with entering and leaving the building. Exterior doors must remain secure at all times. When entering and leaving exterior doors; re-lock immediately.
Participants acknowledge that Green Flag Mesa is a shared workplace. While participants will be provided a secure file cabinet for personal items, participants understand and agree that personal items left unattended are at their own risk and Green Flag Mesa assumes no liability for personal or intellectual property not adequately secured.
Participants are tenants of Mesa Chamber of Commerce and agree to respect the space provided in a professional business manner and will abide by the rules established by both Mesa Community College and the Mesa Chamber of Commerce.
Participants may have access to Green Flag Mesa for 24 months from the date of the signed agreement.

Demographic Information* indicates required field

We are asking for this information to provide access to underserved students aspiring to open a business, including: African Americans, Latinos, American Indians, low-income, first generational students and women.

Ethnicity * - Required

Income * - Required

Gender* - Required

As a tenant of the Mesa Chamber of Commerce and a student at Mesa Community College I understand the above terms and conditions and understand that if I am accepted as a participant in Green Flag Mesa I will abide by these terms and conditions.

Please type your First and Last Name in the box provided. I understand that typing my name in this box constitutes a legal signature confirming that I acknowledge and agree to the above Terms of Acceptance.

Have you completed the Lean Business Plan Canvas to the best of your ability? Please do not hit submit if you have not completed the Lean Business Plan Canvas.

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How do I qualify to become a participant?