Founders Dojo
Founder Dojo offers a sanctuary for startup pioneers embarking on the exhilarating yet often solitary journey of entrepreneurship. Whether you're a first-time founder or seasoned veteran, navigating the complexities of building a business can sometimes feel isolating. Advisors, investors, customers, co-founders can sometimes give conflicting advice that is hard to correlate. That's where Founder Dojo steps in, providing a unique opportunity for founders to forge meaningful connections with like-minded individuals who understand the challenges firsthand.
Within the intimate setting of Founder Dojo, participants form bonds with fellow travelers, offering not just camaraderie but invaluable feedback on the pressing business dilemmas of the moment. Here, founders can candidly discuss issues they might hesitate to share with co-founders, employees, investors, or even loved ones. It's a safe space where conversations flow freely, enriched by diverse perspectives from fellow founders who share a common goal.
Guided by seasoned serial entrepreneurs, affectionately referred to as "senseis," each Founder Dojo session accommodates a small group of 6-12 founders. Armed with the symbolic plush unicorn, akin to a talking stick, every founder gets their moment to voice concerns ranging from co-founder equity negotiations and go-to-market strategies to attracting investors. All discussions are held in strict confidentiality, fostering an environment of trust and openness.
Founder Dojo generally convenes bi-weekly on Thursdays, offering a complementary counterpart to the Eastside Seattle Startup Friends (SSF) events at Venture Mechanics that occur on the alternating Thursdays. While SSF gatherings cater to founders in the raw ideation phase seeking peer feedback, Founder Dojo is tailored for those fully committed to their ventures, whether they're full-time dedicated to them or still balancing their startup dreams with a day job.
For startups on the brink of readiness but still fine-tuning their business plans, Founder Dojo serves as a vital resource, providing invaluable support and guidance before taking the leap into programs like the Venture Mechanics incubator/accelerator.