Figure Your Sh*t Out
(That's right. I said it.)
It's time to
You deserve a business that supports the life you want, gives you purpose, & makes a sustainable profit.
Ladies... this one's for you
The Figure Your Sh*t Out (FYSO) accelerator is a program created to help womxn* entrepreneurs hone their business model and accelerate their progress through a no-bullsh*t, fun, and results-driven approach.
*We use the term "womxn” to indicate that FYSO is open to a broad spectrum of gender identities, including cis-gender, transgender, non-binary, and gender non-conforming. We are committed to being inclusive and a person of any gender is welcome to participate as long as they are committed to being a supportive, empathetic member of the FYSO community. We also are grateful to all of the male-identifying advocates and advisors for FYSO.
What to expect
Strategy & Support
Giving you a safe space to get strategic advice and support is of the utmost importance to us.
We designed the FYSO accelerator to give you the support to:
- Build & grow a business that will align with your life goals
- Give you the accountability you need to gain traction
- Take the time to deeply understand the customers you serve (or want to serve)
- Explore what makes your company unique
- Develop a marketing strategy with clear messaging
- Discover how to use purpose as a strategic advantage
- Connect you to a cohort of entrepreneurs at a similar stage
We will assign you to a cohort of 4-6 non-competing businesses and all participants will be required to sign an NDA.
Actual Results
A plan
A clear, strategic, and steps-based plan on how to connect with your customers and get the life you’ve envisioned
A network
New entrepreneurial besties to lean on
A win
Feeling like a bada** because you're one step closer to having your sh*t figured out!
How it Works
We'll be kicking-off the accelerator program with a 2-day Figure Your Sh*t Out Workshop. This kickoff is where you will get to know your cohort and the FYSO community in a deep way. Throughout the year, we'll have virtual check-ins for accountability and support.
Kickoff Workshop
Over the course of the weekend you will:
- Explore your life goals and how your business may align with them
- Understand how having a clear purpose can give your business a competitive edge
- Investigate whether the business you're building will yield the profit and growth you need to thrive
- Learn a simple framework to position your company in a way that stands out
- Learn how to gain customer insights in a way that's truly effective
- Leave with a strategic plan detailing what you need to accomplish in the next 90-days for your business to thrive
- Meet lifelong friends you can lean on throughout the ups and downs of your entrepreneurial journey!
Throughout the 6-month program
After the workshop, your cohort will meet every other week on Monday evenings for a 90-minute virtual check-in. These meetings are to hold you accountable to your goals and give you the support you and your business need to thrive.
On alternating Mondays, Christina will be available for group office hours from 7:30 to 9:00 pm ET to answer strategic questions. This will give us the opportunity to learn and grow together. We'll record these sessions, so you can watch them later if you aren't able to attend.
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We decided to make these meetings virtual to allow the accelerator program to be more accessible for participants with full-time jobs, as well as to make participation possible even if you live elsewhere.
The Nitty Gritty Details
First off, we'll have some fantastic speakers for you to learn from over the weekend workshop.
To give you an idea of what to expect, here are the speakers from our latest kickoff workshop:
Geraud Staton
Executive Director, The Helius Foundation
Geraud is an entrepreneur, coach, and oil painter. He has spent the last five years working with necessity driven entrepreneurs. He specializes in helping entrepreneurs get to the place where they are making a living wage and he is great at giving practical advice about all of the minute details that come with building a thriving business. He's also passionate about leveling the playing field when it comes to minority and women owned businesses.
Maggie Kane
Executive Director, A Place at the Table
Maggie founded A Place at the Table to provide community and healthy food for all, regardless of their means. A Place at the Table is Raleigh's first "pay-what-you-can cafe." In its first year, A Place at the Table was featured on the Today Show for the positive impact it's making on the community. Kelly Clarkson was so inspired, she tweeted about it! Maggie is an incredible storyteller, community builder, and overall leader. She recently received the honor of Tar Heel of the month.
Brendan Andrade
Director of Product Management, Abrigo
Brendan is an expert in launching new SaaS (software as a service) products. He has led the creation of numerous banking applications and led multiple product teams. He is an expert in customer interviews as well as the entrepreneurial process. It's also worth noting that he's a former Startup Weekend: Makers Edition Winner where in one weekend he led a team of entrepreneurs in the creation of a functioning wireless leash for children.
We'll have a detailed agenda planned for the weekend to help you get to the next level. Here is an example agenda:
If we're hosting the workshop in Raleigh, thanks to our partnership with the incredible HQ Raleigh, we'll be spending the weekend at one of their gorgeous locations. We'll be providing breakfast and lunch for you throughout the day, so you can focus 100% on figuring your sh*t out.
We'll kick things off at 9am and we'll wrap-up the day at 5:30pm.
You'll have the option to opt-into joining us for a private group dinner at a local restaurant.
We'll kick day #2 off at 9:00am. Again, we'll be providing breakfast (and maybe some pedialyte popsicles if you're feeling a bit dehydrated, yes - they are a thing!)
Together we'll wrap up our goal setting for the next 6 months and end on a high note.
The day will officially wrap up at 1:30pm.
However, the optional not-so-corporate photo shoot will take place from 2:00pm-3:30pm in a special location we've scouted out just for you.
Every Monday evening you'll kick the week off right.
Starting 2 weeks after the workshop, you'll kick-off your bi-monthly 1.5 hour virtual check-in calls with your team to keep you on track. Every other Monday night from 7:30pm-9pm EST you'll check-in on your progress, get advice, and hold you accountable to getting to the next level.
Starting the third week after the workshop, Christina will be available for group office hours every other Monday night from 7:30pm-9pm EST.
We'll be recording these office hours, so you can watch them later if you aren't able to attend.
You'll also have access to support any time on the FYSO slack channel, which is a channel we've created specifically for current and former participants in the accelerator program. Feel free to use this as a resource to share marketing campaigns you're working on, ask questions, and discover new resources.
If you are an NC-based small business, you are eligible to receive help with for-profit formation and 3 months of general counsel support courtesy our sponsor, Law Plus Plus.
Get Started Today
If you think the FYSO Accelerator sounds like it's the right fit for you, go ahead and apply & we'll set up a time to connect! Or, if you have any questions and would like to set up a call first, schedule a time for us to chat.
Don't wait — we only have 20 spots for this cohort & the program is already starting to fill up!
The final deadline to apply for our next cohort was September 9th.
However, if you're interested, feel free to go ahead and apply to be kept in the loop on details for the next cohort!
As part of our mission to make a positive impact, 5% of profits from the FYSO Accelerator will be going to support The Helius Foundation, which provides free business coaching for necessity-driven entrepreneurs.
Our Process
- Fill out an application
- We'll review your application
- You and Christina will have a call to discuss your goals
- You'll hear back within 2 weeks
- We'll follow-up with the date & details for the next FYSO cohort!
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Sponsors
We are so grateful to our sponsors for helping to make this work possible — from providing free legal support to FYSO participants to giving us a space to meet & collaborate — thank you! If you're interested in learning more about sponsorship opportunities, please reach out to hello@christinamarienoel.com.
