The Best Crash Course in Starting a Business

Whether you are looking to launch something new or get a current business unstuck, we train you in the tactical & practical entrepreneurship skills to be successful.
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The problem

Your time is precious - and you're wasting it.

Most aspiring entrepreneurs fail because they get in their own way, believing that figuring everything out on your own is what success looks like.
the reality?
Going it alone is what failure looks like.

Every new business - whether for-profit or non-profit - operates on the same core fundamentals.

You need to solve a problem that people care enough about to pay for - and do it in a way that is sustainable.

Or else you are going to struggle for years.
How We Train You in 6 Weeks
program overview

What is The Founder Underground Bootcamp?

A comprehensive, two-phase program designed for early-stage for-profit and social impact entrepreneurs.

Phase I:
Incubate & Validate (3 weeks)

You have an idea you are excited about, but want to make sure it's a real opportunity.

We teach you how to prove it & prepare yourself for business.

  • Master how to learn exactly what your customers want.
  • Pinpoint your ideal customer & the price they are willing to pay.
  • Develop a plan to turn this idea or "hobby" into a real business.
  • Build a Founder Psyche to tackle setbacks with confidence.
  • (Premium): Get 1-on-1 coaching to tackle your unique challenges and guide key decisions.
Registration closed

Phase II:
Sell & Grow (3 weeks)

You have a product/service, but need to figure out how to actually sell it.

We teach you how to set up & kickstart initial sales.

  • Generate & convert leads into paying customers.
  • Know when / how to hire the right team.
  • Pursue funding options with a great pitch.
  • Grow your venture successfully without burning out.
  • (Premium): Get 1-on-1 coaching and pitch live to VCs/funders with real-time feedback on your investor readiness.
Next Cohort:
Mar 10 - Apr 4, 2025
Over 6 weeks, you’ll gain the skills, knowledge, and the high-performance mindset needed to build a scalable, sustainable venture.

You can enroll in either Phase I or Phase II separately, or choose the full bootcamp for the complete experience.
How Does It Work?
How it works

How is the Bootcamp structured?

Each phase was designed to maximize YOUR time by giving you practical training & insights on things you can apply immediately to your venture.

Each week consists of:
Weekly live webinar on core topics (with recordings).
Expert podcast episodes that dive deeper into the weekly topic.
Exercises & templates to apply immediately to your business.
Access to our founder community for peer support & networking.
Premium founders also receive weekly coaching & a live VC/funder practice pitch session.
View Program Syllabus
Program content

Overview Of The Bootcamp

Phase I

Week 1:
Identifying What Customers Will Pay For

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Identifying & Defining the Problem You’re Solving
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Techniques for effective customer discovery, interviews, and observational research.
  • How to define & frame your problem effectively for different audiences.
  • Defining the social impact and/or financial value of the problem you're addressing.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Customer discovery survey template.
  • Problem statement exercise
  • Customer interview scripts and tracking sheet

 Reference Texts: The Mom Test by Rob Fitzpatrick, The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Why This Is Critical: The success of any venture depends on solving a real, pressing problem. By understanding your customers and validating your solution, you’ll minimize risk and build a product or service that truly addresses market needs.

Week 2:
Building a Business Leader Mindset

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Developing the Entrepreneurial Mindset
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding the mindset that successful entrepreneurs and social impact leaders share.
  • Techniques for overcoming fears, imposter syndrome, and decision paralysis.
  • Strategies for building emotional resilience and sustaining motivation.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Beliefs, values & goals exercise
  • Daily founder mindset journal template
  • Strategies for building emotional resilience and sustaining motivation.

 Reference Texts: Grit by Angela Duckworth, Learned Optimism by Dr. Martin Seligman, Awaken the Giant Within by Tony Robbins

Why This Is Critical: The entrepreneurial journey is filled with challenges, setbacks, and uncertainty. A strong founder mindset ensures resilience and perseverance, helping you bounce back from failures and stay committed to your vision.

Week 3:
Targeting The Right Customers to Kickstart Sales

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Defining Your Ideal Customer & Building Early Sales Funnel
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Identifying market needs, pain points, and gaps.
  • How to build your Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) for both for-profit and impact-driven ventures.
  • Intro to early sales funnel concepts: why it matters and how to get started.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Competitor analysis template
  • ICP worksheet: Define your ideal customer segments
  • Early sales funnel organizer

 Reference Texts: Crossing the Chasm by Geoffrey Moore, Obviously Awesome by April Dunsford, The Innovator's Dilemma by Clayton Christensen

Why This Is Critical: Without clearly understanding who your customer is, you risk wasting time and money trying to sell to the wrong audience. A strong ICP and early sales funnel give you a roadmap to build targeted marketing and sales strategies that convert.

Phase I Wrap Up:
Next Steps
  • Introduction to basic fundraising concepts & sources.
  • Why understanding your sales process early is critical for growth and securing funding.
  • A preview of the next phase: We’ll dive deeper into creating an actionable sales strategy and preparing for fundraising!

Why This Is Critical: Early-stage ventures need a strong sales foundation and an understanding of funding pathways to scale. Getting a grip on these concepts now prepares you for sustainable growth and future fundraising efforts.

Phase I Extras:
For Premium Package
  • Weekly 60-minute 1-on-1 private coaching sessions.

Why This Is Critical: Getting individualized feedback and an experienced perspective to guide you early on can save you months of struggle and discouragement. Our coaching sessions aren't just improvised conversations where you ask us questions - they are structured with goals to ensure we are working together to push you and your venture forward.

Phase II

Week 4:
Crafting a Marketing Strategy That Drives Growth

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Building an Effective Marketing & Sales Strategy
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Identifying key marketing channels for your audience.
  • Understanding your marketing metrics and how to set goals.
  • Creating an effective sales funnel for conversion.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Marketing funnel organizer
  • Sales process design template
  • Marketing metrics tracker

 Reference Texts: Traction by Justin Mares & Gabriel Weinberg, The Challenger Sale by Brent Adamson & Dixon Matthew, Made to Stick by Chip & Dan Heath

Why This Is Critical: A well-defined marketing and sales strategy is essential for converting leads into customers. Knowing your funnel metrics ensures you're optimizing for growth while spending your marketing dollars wisely.

Week 5:
Designing a Scalable Business Model

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Business Models & Budgeting for Growth
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Understanding business model fundamentals (for-profit and social impact).
  • Early-stage financial planning and budgeting strategies.
  • Learning basic VC math and funding options.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Business Model Canvas template & walkthrough
  • Early-stage budget template
  • VC math and fundraising organizer template

 Reference Texts: Business Model Generation by Alexander Osterwalder

Why This Is Critical: A strong business model and early-stage financial planning are the foundation for attracting investors/funders and driving sustainable growth. By understanding your financials, you can make informed decisions about scaling and funding.

Week 6:
Raising Funds & Building Your Ideal Team

Webinar & Expert Podcast Topic: Preparing for Funding & Early Talent Planning
‍
Key Takeaways:

  • Preparing your pitch deck and refining your value proposition.
  • Early-stage budget & revenue projections.
  • Introduction to recruitment strategies & leveraging FT / PT / Contract workers.

‍Exercises & Resources:

  • Pitch deck template
  • Team goals & values exercise
  • Hiring & recruitment plan template

 Reference Texts: Pitch Anything by Oren Klaff, Who: A Method for Hiring by Geoff Smart & Randy Street

Why This Is Critical: Preparing for funding and hiring the right team at the right time are pivotal for long-term success and sustainability.

Phase II Extras:
For Premium Package
  • Weekly 60-minute 1-on-1 private coaching sessions.
  • Live pitch session - participants will pitch their venture to the program lead and VC / funders for real-time feedback.

Why This Is Critical: Pitching is an essential skill for any founder seeking funding. Real-time feedback from investors helps you refine your pitch and identify the key factors that can make or break your chances of securing investment.

Am I Ready For This Program?
Who Is this for?

Is This Program Right For You?

The Founder Underground Bootcamp is designed for:

Aspiring entrepreneurs who want to learn business fundamentals before diving in full-time.

First-time founders who have started & want to pick up the pace.

Social entrepreneurs who want to build a sustainable movement.

Current founders who feel stuck and want to pivot before it's too late.

Your time is your most valuable resource—don’t waste it trying to figure everything out on your own.

How We Are Different
What makes us different

We Put Your Success First

The Founder Underground reflects our belief in the power of founders helping each other succeed away from the spotlight.

Unlike programs focused solely on fundraising, we prioritize real learning and growth—both as entrepreneurs and as business builders.

It’s about rolling up your sleeves, solving real problems, and developing yourself and your venture for long-term success.

Here, the focus is on meaningful progress, not just quick wins for show, but for real, lasting results.
Meet The Program Director

Program Leadership

director

Ian Scott Cohen

An award-winning teacher, personal growth coach, and founder with over a decade of experience helping entrepreneurs succeed by teaching them how.
Coached 100+ founders across for-profit and social impact ventures
3x founder (EdTech SaaS, non-profit, Growth Coach)
Former Co-Director of the Civic Innovation Fellowship
Facilitator at Atlanta Tech Village, Goodie Nation, TFA, Techstars & more
Currently living in Atlanta, Georgia with his wife & their husky mix Kira
12
years of experience
75+
workshops on startups & personal growth
Read Testimonials
Testimonials

Founders Who Have Worked With The Founder Underground

What You'll Walk Away With
Marie Tingle
RethinkEd
Pivoted to new career path!
Ian is a wealth of strategic information and a super-connector. You will come away feeling both resourced with actionable steps and encouraged.
Walter Ley
Branch
Techstars Company
Ian has provided a very thoughtful and needed outside perspective. He's helped us troubleshoot issues from sales and marketing to product design and revenue generation.
Rohit Malhotra
Center for Civic Innovation
Celebrated 10-yr anniversary!
Ian applies discipline to dreaming. He's established a foundational academic knowledge of leadership that he's fine-tuned through practicing it.

All in all, I am always grateful when Ian Cohen is in the room.
Peter Beasley
Blacks United in Technology Int'l
Launched new program!
Ian is the best! Ian brought a perfect blend of tact, touch, and time-honored teachings to guide me through our participation in the Google Tech Equity program. What I appreciated most is how Ian could relate his many years of experience into the day-to-day challenges us entrepreneurs faced. He was tactful in knowing what to say, how to say it, and I could tell, to not say anything, too.  Ian Scott Cohen brought the perfect blend. Not too much, not too little - just right!
David Poliner
WestRock
Ian is one of the few people I've engaged with to discuss early ideas who has taken a constructive outlook. He somehow made me feel more excited about the idea while giving me concrete next steps to test its validity in an evidence-based way.
Nick Cortellessa
Margin
Launched beta test!
Ian's advice is always thoughtful, actionable, and grounded in a valuable set of personal experiences. Beyond great advice -- it's also clear that he cares deeply about being as helpful as he possibly can (and has fun helping others out!).
Sam Aleinikoff
College AIM
Celebrated 10-yr anniversary!
Ian helped me narrow our focus, zero in on the things that we did best and pour our energy into those parts of the work. Over five years later, his impact is still felt within College AIM.
Laura Jackson
TARA
Promoted to Cofounder / COO!
Ian's mentorship has been instrumental in my personal and professional development, and his guidance has empowered me to continually evolve.
Tammy Buckner
WeCode KC
Launched new training program!
Working with Ian, was very easy! He provided suggestions, made introductions and always presented a challenge.  I felt like he was listening and more importantly observing where he could lend a hand or make a suggestions. Thoroughly enjoyed meeting with him weekly!
Brandon Winfield
iAccess Life
I always look forward to Ian showing up to lead a workshop for our class. He is timely, passionate and enthusiastic about helping early stage start-ups get the tools they need to succeed.
Ben Kassoy
Author
Ian is one of the most thoughtful, curious, and dedicated people I know.

With excitement, generosity, and good humor, he shares what he's learned to help others live a richer, more fulfilling life.

My recommendation: let him do the same for you. 
Ben Sperling
Mars Wrigley
Cofounded education non-profit!
Working with Ian pushed my ways of thinking and helped me reach my full potential.

He knows how to build something from the ground up and how to base decision-making on having scalability and impact in mind.
Meredith McNeill
Greater Than PAC
Launched new PAC!
Ian was instrumental in helping me get my organization off the ground - not only with tactical advice, but also as a no-nonsense nurturer.

I would never have had the self-confidence, mindset, or skill to seek the fundraising support we needed to launch or sustain the organization without Ian’s guidance (and push).
Jordan Hartgens
Coca-Cola
Ian did a great job of talking to me about the business idea I had and making what is a big, scary, thing to embark on seem less so. He listened thoughtfully to what I wanted to pursue and gave me actionable steps to break the big idea down into smaller pieces and just get started!

This conversation was a game changer for me and really shifted my perspective on how I was approaching starting my business. 
After the bootcamp

In Just 6 Weeks, You'll Know How to Start or Grow a Business

The most important thing when starting a business is learning fast.

Turn Ideas Into Acton

No more guessing or waiting—this bootcamp gives you the tactical tools to execute and get moving.

Turn Action Into Traction

From defining your value proposition to mastering sales to leveraging Gen AI, you'll have the frameworks to move from concept to market with clarity and speed.

Build a Roadmap for Your Business

After completing the bootcamp, you'll have a clear roadmap for growth.

Learn to Sell & Find Funding Options

With a solid business model, a well-defined customer base, and actionable marketing strategies, you’ll confidently make decisions that drive real progress & funding opportunities.
Start Building Your Business
Get the skills to start closing deals.
Register Now

Accelerate Your Success - Select Your Bootcamp

In as little as 3 weeks, we can save you years of struggling.

Phase I

Phase II

Registration Closed

Complete Bootcamp

Frequently Asked Questions

Phase I has begun!
But you can still enroll in Phase II

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

If you don't find the info that you're looking for, email us at info@thefounderunderground.com with your question!
What's included in the Sales Presentation Deck Template?

That's the best part - you actually get way more than just the template on this one. We will also show you critical insights on what is and is not effective.

We start by showing you which 5 slides you need to cut out immediately from your deck.

Then we show you 5 slides you need to swap out - ROI, feature charts, logo salad - and we tell you exactly what to put in their place.

Finally, you get 5 real sales presentation examples from high growth companies.

You'll walk away already having made critical changes that are key to improving your effectiveness.

Do I need sales experience to participate?

Nope. This is built for founders who didn’t come from sales — the builders, experts, and operators who are now stuck being the head of sales whether they like it or not.

What will I actually walk away with?

You will walk away with a skilled understanding of B2B sales processes and strategy; templates for your discovery calls and presentations; mental frameworks proven to improve sales success; and critical concepts to effectively craft winning proposals.

Who is this program for?

- For-profit founders looking to build scalable businesses.
- Social impact founders building mission-driven organizations.
- First-time founders who need foundational guidance to get started.
- Entrepreneurs who have started but want to refine their strategies for growth.
- Current founders who feel stuck and want to reset or pivot before it’s too late.
- Founders who want to develop a resilient mindset to navigate the highs and lows of entrepreneurship for the long-term.
- Anybody who has ever wanted to pursue their own venture, but didn't know where to start!

How long is the program?

2 days, 5 hours each day — fast, focused, and designed to help you start selling smarter immediately.

Is this just another sales bro bootcamp?

Absolutely not. No chest bumps here. This is real sales strategy for real founders who want to sell without feeling fake because they care about growing their business.

How much does it cost?

The price for an individual ticket is $349 - but use any of the 'Get Promo Code' buttons and we will send you a 15% off discount code!

For cofounders or teammates, you can get a Team Ticket for just $499 (or $249.50 per person) that covers 2 people.

Discount codes do not apply to the Team Ticket since the per person pricing is still better without it!

What if I have more questions?

Easy - hit us up at info@thefounderunderground.com and we will get back to you ASAP.

Register Now

Stop Struggling, Start Selling.

To grow your business, you have to grow as a founder - that's where we come in.
Register Today