Any good entrepreneur knows you need resources to get ahead.
What you will find below are opportunities, ideas, and inspiration.
Extensive Map of Resources and Linked Connections in Austin for Entrepreneurs
Austin Entrepreneur Scene Map
Accreditation
Need Proof that you have a certain skill from something you learned? You can apply for a badge online and collect them for all your different skills.
Open Badge
A collection of community organizers helps to validate everything you have learned, either online or off, which is designed to help companies validate your education in any form.
Degreed
Twitter Page
Using online assessment tools Smaterer helps you quantify and validate your skills and education for any employer to see. The variety of exams helps one to understand what jobs suit them but also helps companies to see what other areas an employee can fit into.
Smarterer
Twittter Page
Finding a team or talented individual can be tough in a market where certain skills are in demand one week and out another. Entelo helps you find what you are looking for by verifying skills and education and brings them to you.
Entelo
Twitter Page
Networking is something you should always be doing. This one person took it on herself to have a cup of coffee with someone new every week and blogged about it. Where that cup of coffee took her will surprise you.
52 Cups of Coffee
Want to learn more about what institutions around the globe are doing to create a network of free education? You can join the consortium that encourages schools to provide a free education.
Open Education Consortium
Learning a new program or software can be difficult but now there is a place where you can go to get educational support. Whether you are just starting out or want to improve your skills pluralsight can help you get started. Sign up for a course today.
Pluralsight
Twitter Page
Learnist is a place that provides crowd-sourced knowledge from around the world. You can learn from experts on a variety of subjects that interest you. This is a great way to expand your knowledge base and get a global learning experience.
Learnist
Twitter Page
Struggling in a course and need help? You can go line and get all the free help you need. You can also offer your help to anyone online and earn points and badges to prove your expertise.
Open Study
Twitter Page
Do you know something that a group of people of would be interested in learning? You can post programs online and teach them in person which you can get paid for. You can also look for courses that match your interests and learn only what you are interested in.
Hour School
Twitter Page
Learn on the go with online courses through your smartphone or tablet. Udemy lets you take free and paid courses online in any topic of your interest. You can also sign up to teach your own online courses as well.
Udemy
Twitter Page
There are tons of people out there interested in teaching you anything you want to know. You just have to know where to find them. Get out there and start meeting new people!
E-180
Twitter Page
Sharing what you know is important for the betterment of mankind. If what you know can help change another person’s life, would you want too?
Skillshare
Twitter Page
Finding someone to help you with your business can be difficult but having a mentor or lifecoach can be a life changing event when you have someone in your corner encouraging you every step of the way.
Clarity – Find a Mentor
TED Talks
A place for spreading ideas and learning what other great people are doing and how you can get involved. If you think you have something worth talking about, sign up for their local TEDx units in your area and ask if you can speak. If not, look for other places that will take you.
Austin TEDx Unit
Austin TEDx Twitter
TED Youth
TEDxTeen
TEDxYouth@Austin
10 YouTube Videos Every Entrepreneur should watch
Starting a company can be a challenge; you have to find a team of dedicated people, create an idea or product, and then get customers. Startup Weekend was created to bring together individuals who are serious about starting a company but more importantly getting it off the ground right away. Anyone interested in joining the competition is encouraged to apply. Why not put one weekend to actual use.
Startup Weekend
Do you have an idea that you wish you could build but don’t have the tools you need to make it happen? Well did you know there is a place you can go that will teach you how to use all their tools so that you can do just that. Whether you are interested in building a prototype of a product to sell to investors or just interested in learning how to use 3-D printers without having to buy one yourself, Techshops all over provide the physical space for you to use anytime you need it without the heavy inventory cost.
TechShops
Austin Location
If Techshops are something you are interested in, then Hackerspace is the place where Techshops came from. These are physical locations that enable people to build, learn, and grow in whatever way. Hacker Spaces are great places for just collaborating and working with others on their projects. Maybe you will meet someone there who needs a helping hand and you end up learning how to build your own custom made pinball machine. Hacker spaces have been around for awhile now.
Hackerspace
Austin Location
Getting into the Austin Startup scene can be a bit intimidating but once you start to find the right events it becomes easier, especially since you will start to see the same people there. All you have to do is just go up and introduce yourself and before you know it you will have created your own little group of entrepreneurs. Dive in and look around.
Austinpreneur
Undergraduate program at UT of Austin that allows students to form their own companies as individuals or in teams. They are provided resources from professors and the university to help grow their idea into a full working company by the end of the program.
Longhorn Startup
Are you looking to talk with people who have created businesses in the past with lots of experience but feel the meet and greet scene isn’t for you? SCORE provides free consulting services for anyone interested in starting their own business or currently an entrepreneur already. You can sign up for any kind of help you need. They also offer workshops and resources to anyone interested. Call them today for a free consulting spot.
SCORE Austin
Templates and Tools
The Small Business Development program put on by the City of Austin offers a variety of programs and services for first time or continuing entrepreneurs. This department will help you navigate what you need to know before you get started, including what forms to fill out, what approvals will need to happen first before moving on to the next step and how to get registered in the state of texas and local county. Check out their list of programs.
Small Business Development Program
The Texas State University and University of Texas at San Antonio provides their own Small Business Development Center for individuals to come in and use as they need. Anyone can take classes, get advice, and learn what it takes to create and grow their own business. Most of the services they offer are free-of-charge which includes confidential business counseling. Check out their training classes listed on their website and if you have any questions or would like to set up an appointment, give them a call.
South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center TSU
South-West Texas Border Small Business Development Center UTSA
Want to travel but can’t afford anything expensive? If you are not afraid of meeting new people, or would like to welcome people into your life, give these options a try. The second option has been shown to be a free offer for many. You just have to know how to work the right angle. If you don’t have anything tying you down then take go on a weekend trip to somewhere new, ask to have a cup of coffee with someone and discover something new. You can also offer your place as a swap with someone else on craigslist.
AirBNB
Couch Surfer
Lonely Planet
Finding a job can be difficult if you are unable what you are looking for or how to go about applying for jobs correctly. Maybe you are stuck in a job you don’t like and know you can do more with your skills you have. There are many websites that help finding find jobs but never take any active stance in getting you the job. Poachable works just like a dating site, you tell them what you are interested in doing, who some of your favorite companies are and they go out and help you find what you are looking for.
Poachable
Various UT Programs
The Thomas Conference Center hosts multiple events and programs everyday that range from Informal Courses to company education programs. They offer space for workshops as well as courses taught by UT professors and visiting professors. Enrollment is dependent on each program. All informal courses offer open enrollment.
Thomas Conference Center
Thomas Conference Center Calendar of Events
Continuing & Innovative Learning program for older individuals. These programs are provided at university for those interested in pursuing a new career field or for personal enrichment.
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute
Traveling is said to be a youth sport but that should not be the case. This is why UT has created the Road Scholar program for older individuals who love to travel. You can contact them to find out the various locations they travel to with unique learning opportunities.
Road Scholar
The school of Business offers many executive programs that are open to anyone interested in expanding their business background. Check the calendar listing for ongoing open enrollment. Remember to check the side menu bar for additional programs and courses.
McCombs School of Business Texas Executive Program
Whether you are looking to learn a new skill or program or maybe just want to meet new people who share the same interests that you do, the Informal Classes are a great way to do both at the same time. These courses are open to anyone with various time slots available. Most courses are taught in the evening but make sure to check date and times before enrolling. If the course you are looking for is not there, click on “Suggest a Course.”
Informal Classes
Crowdfunding
CrowdRise
Ed Norton, the famous actor, created his own crowdfunding platform
Kiva
Microlending Site for Entrepreneurs
GoFundMe
Raising Money for personal goals
Kickstarter
Fund projects created by anyone
Indiegogo
Independent funding site for projects
Peerbackers
Funding Site for Entrepreneurs
FundRazr
Raise money for personal goals
Petridish
Fund scientific research
ArtistShare
Fund musicians music projects
Rock the Post
Where entrepreneurs can crowdfund from accredited investors
MicroVentures
Connects angel investors to startups for equity share
Kopernik
Help Fund Innovation in areas that need it most
Crowdcube
Equity investing site that connects entrepreneurs with investors
Citizinvestor
Invest in public projects created by governments
Wefunder
Crowdfunding site that connects investors with startups
Earlyshares
Connects with investors willing to buy their stock first
Seedrs
Equity investing for early stage startups
Sponsume
Multicurrency crowd funding site which allows you to keep the funds you raise even if you didn’t meet your goal
Watsi
Global crowdfund medical care for individuals
Startups
Connect startups with qualified investors, from angel to venture capitalists and others.
Prosper
Request personal loans from individuals and then make fix monthly payments that go back to the lenders.
PigIt
Crowdfunding for any education related expenses.
GiveCollege
Help raise money or donate money for those that want to attend or are currently attending college.
Pave
Individual to Individual loans that allow the recipient to pay back later on.
Fellowships
Startup Accelerators and Incubators
A short-term program that admits selected participants to join a program in hopes of starting a business through the use of mentors and resources.
Y Combinator (The Harvard of accelerators)
Hana Kitchens (Culinary Incubator)
Remember these are not the only incubators around. You can always find new ones starting up. Do a simple google search “Startup Incubator in _______” and insert the name of any city.
Just remember to read all the details and find out when the deadlines are and submit an application. If you don’t have an idea to submit, make one up and send it in. Remember there are different incubators for different fields (health, government, Science, etc) so make sure to apply to the one that follows in your interests. If you get rejected, apply again.
Angel Investors Network
Private Business men who invest with their own funds.
YouTube Channels
Vsauce2
YouTube channel dedicated to teaching everything cool about what people are doing, from research to building their own projects.
His channel covers different topics
Mind Blow
Thought Glass
LüT
FAK
BiDiPi
Crash Course
YouTube channel that condenses content into a digestible format for quick learning so you can learn all the important parts right away on various topics.
SciShow
This channel is designed to answer science questions on topics that range from ‘Why do we Yawn?‘ to ‘The Science of Overpopulation‘ This is a very useful channel if you are just naturally curious about everything or you have a child who is naturally curious and you don’t have all the answers they are looking for. This channel will help keep them being curious.
It’s OK to be Smart
If you like having a place on the internet where you can just geek out and learn everything your heart desires then look no further than this wonderful youtube channel. They cover everything from science to curious ideas. Spend some time here because you will be smarter afterwards.
SmarterEveryDay
Just spend some time, you might learn how cats are always able to fall on their feet, or the science of ice skating and how it applies to other areas. It never hurts to keeping learning.
Applied Science
Science is fun but it is even better when it’s applied. Here you will learn how a breathalyzer works or what plasma cleaning is all about.
MAKE
From the MAKE magazine, here you can learn how to build custom projects from everyday resources. This is a great magazine for anyone to invest in if they are interested in learning how to build things on your own. If you want a project for the weekend, check out the weekend project series on their channel.
Mental Floss
It’s important to stimulate your mind everyday and mental floss helps you do that by bringing up different facts and how they relate to your life. Whether you are passing time on the bus or waiting for an appointment, this channel will get you thinking in a different way.
HouseHoldHacker
Did you know you can make your popcorn better? Or maybe you could build your own remote control to control whatever you want using the same things found in your household? This channel will get you to think like Macgyver and use some of that string and paper clips in a new way.
The Slow Mo Guys
We take for granted how certain things work, but when everything is slowed down, the science behind it can be pretty incredible. These guys have taken everyday things and using high powered cameras slowed them down to show us what is really happening. Interesting if not amazing learning experience.
Khan Academy
The top online education academy providing free education all over the world. This is the place to get a top rate education for free using their step-by-step videos. Using the comment box below to get your questions answered or sign up on their website and construct your own learning program that will keep track of your progress and reward you for every milestone you reach.
Website Link
Entrepreneur Online
The latest trends, news, and business ideas from the Entrepreneur magazine.
Inc. Magazine
Videos about Famous entrepreneurs and advice from the popular magazine.
Google for Entrepreneurs
Google is committed to empowering entrepreneurs all around the world through their resources, partnerships, and products. These videos will help give entrepreneurs the courage or inspiration to get their own company.
Coding/Programming
Code Academy
It is said that almost every career field will eventually cross with computer programming at some point. In 5 years it is expected that smartapp development will become a basic office skill. Learning how to program, or at least understand how to read it, will only benefit you in the long run. Code Academy has made the process of learning how to code as fun as playing a game online. You will learn several different languages easily with their specially designed program.
W3Schools
This website teaches over 20 different programming languages. You can apply for certificates if you pass all quizzes after you have completed each language. Whether you are looking to create a website or manage back-end servers, this website will help you get started for free.
Code.org
The collaboration of many famous coders who have created some of the most recognized software in the world. Here you can begin your hour of coding by playing games that teach you how to start programming.
Blogs
Seth Godin
Famous marketing blogger who created his own style of work and has sold many bestselling books.
iTunes University
Download lectures and podcasts for you to listen/watch on any mobile device. Each university covers majority of their introductory courses along with upper division as well in all areas of study. For non-Ivy league colleges and universities, search “iTunes _________” with the name of the school in place of the line.
Tuition-Free University Education
Free Online Education From Major Universities
University of Pennsylvania
Wharton Foundation Series MBA Program (a $100,000 value for free, 1st yr courses only)
MIT Offers Credit for completion of Online Courses
Creative Companies
Lyft
This app lets you find a ride from anyone with a vehicle willing to pick you up and drive you to where you want to go for a fee. Anyone can sign up to become a driver.
uShip
A company started by UT students who came up with the idea of putting all those vehicles with empty space to use. Now people can post online items they need delivered and anyone, from individuals to companies, can bid on the post.
The Life of An Entrepreneur 