The morning session was led by the Jim Moran Institute’s Director of North Florida Operations, Mike Campbell, who shared the Business Model Canvas with the class. The Business Model Canvas is a strategic management template for developing existing business models in a visual chart form with elements describing a firm’s or product’s value proposition, infrastructure, customers, and finances.

All afternoon sessions were led by the Jim Moran Institute’s Executive Director, Randy Blass, who shared his expertise on organizational architecture and strategic planning. Blass also led the class through a session of the Snaretev Engineering Exercise, an activity designed to work on team communication and efficiency.

To perform the exercise, the class was split into two teams. Each person on a team was then given one of the following roles: CEO, COO, Design Engineer, Production Engineer, Parts Supplier and Customer. After being shown a prototype of an airplane by the Customer, the CEO relayed information to his/her team who was tasked with constructing an airplane as close to the prototype as possible. However, team members were only allowed to communicate with other designated team members depending on the role they were given. For example, the CEO was only allowed to speak to the COO, and the COO was only allowed to speak to the Design Engineer. By the end of the exercise, teams developed a system of communication that allowed them to complete the design of the prototype.

Participants were then treated to a dinner at The Deck Pizza Pub to end the day. Class members were again joined by industry experts at dinner who shared advice on managing growth and finances. EBV Accelerate will continue throughout the week and is schedule to end Friday, October 26.

For questions about EBV Accelerate please contact Lindsey Peppers, EBV program coordinator, at lpeppers@jimmoraninstitute.fsu.edu or at 850-644-7896.

About the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship
The Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship cultivates, trains and inspires entrepreneurial leaders through world-class executive education, applied training, public recognition and leading-edge research. Jim Moran was an automotive pioneer and an entrepreneur at heart, who at the age of 7, sold soda pop at sandlot baseball games in Chicago. With a career that spanned more than six decades, he built an amazing chronicle of achievements in the automobile industry. His vision for the Jim Moran Institute was to provide opportunities that would help others become more successful business owners. A 1995 contribution from Jim and Jan Moran and JM Family Enterprises established the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship at the Florida State University College of Business. Since 2011, further enhancements to the Jim Moran Institute and its outreach have been made possible by Jan Moran and The Jim Moran Foundation.

About the Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans Accelerate (EBV Accelerate)
The Entrepreneurship Bootcamp for Veterans Accelerate is a first-of-its-kind initiative that equips veteran business owners with the tools and coaching needed to sustain growth. Delivered by Florida State University and Louisiana State University, in partnership with the Institute for Veterans and Military Families (IVMF) at Syracuse University, EBV Accelerate is among IVMF's Arsenal of programs designed to meet veterans wherever they are on their entrepreneurial journey. The program leverages the skills, resources and infrastructure of higher education to offer cutting-edge, experiential training in entrepreneurship and small business management to post-9/11 veterans and transitioning service members. Assistance from the US..S Small Business Administration (SBA), corporate partners and donors allows participants to attend the program at no cost. For more information, visit ebv.vets.syr.edu.