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CO.STARTERS Generator Logo

Doers, Makers, & Dreamers

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Inspire teens with the vision, enthusiasm, and tenacity needed to move from idea to action with this proven CO.STARTERS program

Creating thriving business communities

Partner with Reinventing Rural and CO.STARTERS to jumpstart your business goals

Building on the proven CO.STARTERS model, Generator is a modular program that helps teens explore their passions through generating, testing, and launching ideas.

Ideate - Discover - Build - Launch

Join a group of like-minded teens and learn how to move an idea forward

The Modules

IDEATE

Many students don’t know where to start. The Ideate modules help participants come up with ideas for projects by exploring their passions and identifying problems in the community.

Discover

The Discover modules lead participants in self-discovery, helping them understand personal strengths, limitations, and the importance of bringing the right people on their teams.

BUILD

Using the CO.STARTERS Canvas, the Build modules provide an intuitive visual map to help participants understand, organize, and test their ideas. The basic building blocks of any project are covered by these modules.

Launch

While the Build modules give a high level understanding of all the elements needed to launch their projects, some groups may need to go more in-depth in certain areas. The Launch modules go deeper on topics introduced by the Build modules.

Kids at Generator Camp

co.starters generator

co.starters
core program

What Students Get

  • Pride in having done something real and meaningful
  • Excitement in exploring their passions
  • A sense of ownership of the process
  • More confidence & skills
  • A deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable endeavor
  • A process for figuring out whether or not an idea is good and how to change it to make it work
  • The ability to articulate how their ideas work
  • The next steps needed to move forward

 the co.starters canvas

CO.STARTERS Generator uses a version of the “Business Model Canvas” developed by Alexander Osterwalder to help participants develop workable business models. This intuitive visual map helps participants understand, test, and refine their ideas.


CO.STARTERS Canvas

Cross-trained in Generator

Misty Lambrecht - CO.STARTERS Program Manager & Facilitator

Coastal & Western Oregon

I have owned Webfoot Marketing and Design, a website development company in Siletz, Oregon for over 15 years and have worked on a variety of small business, nonprofit, college and government websites. I am a Google-certified trainer, GrowthWheel® and Profit Mastery® Certified. I teach a variety of classes ranging from social media, web design, and profitability to small businesses throughout the Pacific Northwest.


I am a CO.STARTERS graduate from the Fall 2022 Northeast Oregon cohort, facilitated Core in 2 coastal communities in Spring 2022, and I'm excited to bring this program to other rural communities.

Matt Davis - CO.STARTERS Program Manager & Facilitator

Oregon Frontier

I am the Director of Community Development and Land Use Planning for Wheeler County, Oregon. I regard support and encouragement of entrepreneurism as central to a sound rural economic development strategy and love working with local entrepreneurs and small businesses to connect them with resources for success. I am excited to help bring CO.STARTERS to the people and businesses I serve and look forward to some awesome collaboration and productivity!

On a personal note, I grew up in Wheeler County and in my spare time I still operate a market garden on the family farm. I am interested in local food systems, agritourism and creative ways to bring new revenue streams to ag operations.

Andrea Letham - CO.STARTERS Program Manager & Facilitator

Southeast Oregon

I am a business advisor with the Treasure Valley Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), a volunteer with the BizHarney Opportunity Collaborative, and a Reinventing Rural Ambassador. I love to work one-on-one with businesses to help them be successful and can assist with marketing, bookkeeping, capital access, business planning, website development, and much more.


We delivered the first Core program in Oregon in Fall 2021 and I am so exctied to have the opportunity to be a CO.STARTERS Program Manager and bring the magic of CO.STARTERS to Harney County and Southeast Oregon.

Brad Attig - CO.STARTERRS Program Manager and Facilitator

At Large 

I have a passion for helping startups and small businesses in our rural communities. I believe that with the right amount of support, our small towns can become vibrant, engaging places to live, work, and start businesses. Through Foundry Collective and Reinventing Rural I work to help increase access for small businesses entrepreneurs to proven curriculum, mentorship, markets, and funding.


This "place-based" work is done in partnership by supporting and building on the people and organizations that already exist in your community to promote inclusive and equitable entrepreneurship.

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Your Name - CO.STARTERS Facilitator 

Your Rural Community

We have worked with CO.STARTERS to train over 25 rural leaders to fill Community Program Roles including Community Organizers, Program Managers, Facilitators, and Mentors. This 10-hour training program prepares local leaders to deliver a host of CO.STARTERS and other programs in community, creating locally-sustainable impact.


5 rural facilitators have cross-trained and can deliver the Generator program in their communities and 2 have cross-trained to deliver the Core program in Spanish. Let us help identify and get leaders in your community certified to deliver CO.STARTERS programs.




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Are You looking for something that offers a deeper dive to launch ideas?

CO.STARTERS 10-Week CORE Program Equips Aspiring Entrepreneurs with the Insights, Relationships, and Tools to Turn Ideas into Action

If you are interested in CO.STARTERS for your community or for your small business, please let us know by clicking below. We promise to get back to you as soon as we can. 

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