NadineI was part of the first one-month long boot camp accelerator at Founder’s Space. I was new to San Francisco and had little start-up experience. I came in asking basic questions and seeking general resources.

That first session, Steve Hoffman, the head of Founders Space, taught many of the classes. He also shared with us daily program videos and content. Having Steve share his expertise got me caught up on tech speak and startup philosophy very quickly. Founders Space allowed me to see a clear path for my startup.

Founding a company in Silicon Valley is more than just starting a business. It involves an approach to your idea that involves quick growth, lean strategies and scaling your product. Captain Hoff’s feedback helped our team be adequately prepared for the startup world.

Although, I did not have much experience, there were others in my cohort that had already exited other companies or were much further along in their process. This is where mentoring sessions were especially valuable. By meeting with experts, our group learned specific approaches to our marketing, business and investment plans.

Personal introductions allowed us to have direct contact with VCs and with companies that had resources to help us. For example, I remember one session where a lawyer came and talked to us about the initial steps for forming a corporation. He has a partnership with Founders Space and let us email him after the session with more specific questions.

The appeal to any participant at Founders Space is the amazing amount of support and guidance. The purpose of the company is to give you as many tools as possible for you to be successful. Success at Founders Space is not just about your company increasing revenue or exiting well. Success is about you learning about how to build and run a company well and for you to determine if your company has value in the market.

Although my company closed its doors, I know I would not have been able to make that decision without my experience at Founders Space. I knew it was the right choice, and I knew it was the right time, because of the lessons I learned there. I also know when I start my next project, I’ll have a community of people ready to help me a better entrepreneur.

Nadine Rose Carole
CEO of Galley, San Francisco