CEO Next Business Institute supports second-stage companies through advanced business and market research, peer and cohort learning, and expert forums. The City of Saint Paul along with Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Dakota counties contract with the Edward Lowe Foundation, who administers the program, to allow qualifying businesses to participate for free. Applications will be available in late fall of 2021.
Program Details
Peer Learning
The CEO roundtable provides a confidential forum where participants can share challenges and experiences with a small cohort of other noncompeting industry CEOs. The roundtables meet once a month for a half-day during the program year (October through June) and are led by an experienced facilitator.
Expertise
Unlike larger businesses, many smaller businesses need to shore up their internal infrastructure while preparing to grow profitably. CEOs and their businesses are connected with a team of topical experts and research specialists who will spend up to 45 hours addressing areas of human resources, operations and supply chain, accounting and finance, global trade, sales and marketing, succession planning, secondary market research, online marketing and customer prospecting.
Forum Events
Monthly, CEOs meet to hear from a guest speaker—typically an entrepreneur who has grown their business. They share their successes and struggles while answering audience questions.
Eligibility
The program serves CEOs of for-profit, privately held businesses with 10 to 99 employees and annual revenues between $1M and $50M that are past start up stage and have an appetite for growth.
- Privately held businesses
- 10 – 99 employees
- Revenue between $1M and $50M
- Ready to transition from small to large — past start-up stage but not yet mature
- Appetite and aptitude for growth
