Build Your Business From Scratch
Starting a business feels overwhelming when you're staring at a blank page. You know you want to create something, but where do the good ideas actually come from?
Our autumn 2025 courses walk you through the real process of finding viable business concepts. Not generic brainstorming sessions, but structured methods that uncover opportunities you can actually pursue.
We've helped hundreds of Australians move from "I want to start something" to "Here's my plan" since 2019. The difference is our focus on market validation before you spend a dollar.
What's Running in 2025
We're offering four distinct programs this year. Each one tackles a different aspect of business ideation, and you can join whichever fits where you are right now.
Market Gap Analysis
Learn to spot underserved markets in your local area. We cover customer research methods, competitor analysis, and demand validation. By week six, you'll have three potential business concepts backed by real data.
Skills to Business Conversion
Most people already have marketable skills but don't know how to package them. This course maps your existing capabilities to business opportunities and shows you how to test demand before committing.
Problem-First Business Design
Start with problems people actually pay to solve. We teach systematic problem discovery through interviews and observation, then guide you through solution validation with minimal investment.
Side Project to Revenue
For people already tinkering with something on weekends. We help you figure out if there's a real business there, who would pay for it, and how to test with your first customers without quitting your day job.
Stellan Bergquist
Market Analysis Lead
Dimitrios Papadakis
Validation Specialist
Who's Teaching
Stellan spent eleven years helping Australian SMEs pivot during market downturns. He's particularly good at finding overlooked niches in saturated markets. Before teaching, he ran three of his own ventures in Newcastle – two succeeded, one failed spectacularly. That last one taught him more than the successes ever did.
Dimitrios focuses on validation techniques that don't require building anything first. His background is product management at tech companies, but he's adapted those lean methods for traditional businesses. He's worked with everyone from tradies to consultants, helping them test ideas with real customers in under two weeks.
Both instructors are hands-on. You'll get direct feedback on your work, not just video lectures. They review your research, challenge your assumptions, and push you to talk to actual potential customers.
How It Actually Works
No fluff. Each week you complete specific tasks that build toward validated business concepts. Here's the progression most students follow.
Research Phase
You start by examining markets, not ideas. We teach you to identify customer segments, analyze spending patterns, and spot gaps in what's currently offered. Most people discover opportunities they never considered because they're looking at data instead of gut feelings.
Concept Development
Once you've found potential gaps, you develop preliminary concepts. We help you articulate what you'd offer, who'd buy it, and why they'd choose you. This is where most ideas get significantly refined or completely changed based on instructor feedback.
Customer Conversations
This is the part people avoid but shouldn't. You actually talk to potential customers about their problems and your proposed solution. We provide scripts, but the real learning happens when someone tells you they wouldn't buy what you're planning. That redirection is valuable.
Viability Assessment
Finally, you evaluate whether your concept is worth pursuing. We walk through unit economics, required resources, competition strength, and realistic timelines. Some ideas pass this test. Many don't. That's the point – better to know now than after you've invested thousands.
What You Need to Join
These aren't beginner courses in the traditional sense. You don't need business experience, but you do need commitment to do the work.
- Around six to eight hours per week for research and assignments
- Willingness to talk to strangers about business ideas
- Basic computer skills for online research and documentation
- Enough scepticism to question your own assumptions
Classes run online with weekly live sessions and async work. You'll have access to course materials for twelve months after completion.
Ask About Enrollment