Programs

  • Program 1 [2020]

    CATAPULT LAKELAND, INC. ENGAGES AND EQUIPS LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS, ARTISANS AND EMERGING LEADERS WITH A VARIETY OF TOOLS AND RESOURCES TO CREATE A COMMUNITY THAT IS STRONGER, MORE DISTINCTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE. CATAPULT'S PROGRAM AND OPERATING COSTS ARE FUNDED BY PRIVATE INDIVIDUALS, FOUNDATIONS AND EARNED REVENUE. ALL PROGRAMS TAKE PLACE IN LAKELAND, FLORIDA. AS FOR MOST BUSINESSES, 2020 PROVED CHALLENGING FOR BOTH CATAPULT AND OUR STARTUPS. IN THE MIDST OF THE PANDEMIC, CATAPULT LOST 60 MEMBERS, ALL WHILE GIVING FREE MEMBER MEMBERSHIPS FOR 2 MONTHS. ALTHOUGH WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF MEMBERSHIP TURNOVER, WE ARE PROUD TO BACK AT PRE- COVID NUMBERS. DESPITE THE CHALLENGES OF SOCIALLY DISTANCING OURSELVES, THE CATAPULT TEAM STILL FOUND MEANINGFUL WAYS TO CONNECT AND SUPPORT THEIR MEMBERSHIP WHILE ALSO ENGAGING WITH THE BROADER LAKELAND COMMUNITY. MANY PROGRAMS AND EVENTS WERE OFFERED VIA ZOOM. STARTING IN THE FALL, HYBRID EVENTS WERE OFFERED TO PROVIDE MULTIPLE ATTENDANCE OPTIONS. CO.STARTERS ONE COHORT OF CO.STARTERS WAS OFFERED IN THE SPRING OF 2020. DUE TO COVID, THE SECOND HALF OF THIS COHORT WAS MOVED ONLINE. A TOTAL OF 14 BUSINESSES PARTICIPATED IN THIS NINE-WEEK COURSE THAT EQUIPS ENTREPRENEURS WITH THE INSIGHTS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND TOOLS NEEDED TO TURN IDEAS INTO ACTION. PLANS WITH THE MAYOR TO BRING THIS PROGRAM TO AN UNDER-REPRESENTED SEGMENT OF THE COMMUNITY IN APRIL 2020 WERE POSTPONED DUE TO COVID. CAT WALK CAT WALK SERVES ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND HAVE SHIFTED THEIR EFFORTS TOWARD SCALING THEIR BUSINESS APPROPRIATELY. IN 2020 THE GROUP MEET BOTH VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON AS WELL AS THROUGH 1-ON-1 MENTOR SESSIONS. CAT WALK IS DESIGNED FOR ENTREPRENEURS THAT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED AND ARE NOW FOCUSING ON SCALING THEIR BUSINESS. DELIVERABLES INCLUDE: -MAKING BETTER DECISIONS - STAYING STRATEGIC RATHER THAN TACTICAL. HAVING YOUR ANSWERS QUESTIONED. -ACCOUNTABILITY - COLLECTIVE ACCOUNTABILITY TASKS, "WHAT GETS MEASURED, GETS DONE." -GROWTH - MEMBERS LEARN FROM HAVING THEIR ISSUES WORKED BY THE GROUP AS WELL AS WORKING ON OTHER MEMBERS' ISSUES. OCCASIONALLY, SPEAKERS ARE BROUGHT TO THE GROUP FOCUSING ON SPECIFIC AREAS OF BUSINESS NEEDS AND INTERESTS. -ISOLATION - THE "LONELY AT THE TOP SYNDROME" IS ADDRESSED THROUGH NON- JUDGMENTAL, TRUSTED AND CONFIDENTIAL DISCUSSIONS IN EACH OTHER'S DEVELOPMENT, AKA, INFORMAL BOARD OF ADVISORS. -CHANGE - DEVELOPING THE COURAGE/CONFIDENCE TO DISCUSS AND IMPLEMENT THE APPROPRIATE CHANGE IN YOUR BUSINESS AND PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. VALUES OF PARTICIPATION -GROUP INPUT/COMRADERY -ACCOUNTABILITY -LEARNING FROM OTHERS' CHALLENGES -BEST PRACTICES IN MANAGING A TEAM -COMFORT KNOWING THAT OTHERS ARE EXPERIENCING SIMILAR PROBLEMS LAKELAND ENTREPRENEUR AWARDS CATAPULT HOSTED ITS SECOND ANNUAL EVENT IN JANUARY 2020 TO RECOGNIZE AND HONOR NOTABLE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LAKELAND'S ENTREPRENEURS AND THOSE WHO SUPPORT THEM. IT ALSO SERVED AS A FUNDRAISER TO FURTHER THE MISSION OF CATAPULT. THE EVENT FEATURED KEYNOTE SPEAKER TROY CARTER, TECH VENTURE CAPITALIST AND MUSIC MOGUL. TROY HIGHLIGHTED LESSONS HE LEARNED ALONG THE WAY FROM DIFFERENT CELEBRITIES. WINNER OF THE AWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS: COMMUNITY PILLAR: JEFF CHAMBERLAIN, RETIRED PUBLIX SUPER MARKETS VP OF REAL ESTATE PEOPLE'S CHOICE: BUMP GALLETTA, BUMP GALLETA ILLUSTRATION DAVID LYONS ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR: CHRIS MCARTHUR, BLACK + BREW AND PATRIOT COFFEE
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $16.5K

  • Program 2 [2020]

    INTRO TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP - ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING, FOR THE REST OF US. WE BUILT INTRODUCTION TO ENTREPRENEURSHIP AS A BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAM FOR ASPIRING ENTREPRENEURS. WE TEACH BUSINESS FUNDAMENTALS - CUSTOMER DEVELOPMENT, BRANDING ESSENTIALS AND BASIC FINANCIALS, AMONG OTHER THINGS - WITH A WELCOMING, HANDS-ON AND HUMAN APPROACH. INNOVATION & DESIGN COURSE OUR EDUCATION PARTNERS POLK STATE COLLEGE, FLORIDA SOUTHERN COLLEGE, SOUTHEASTERN UNIVERSITY, FLORIDA POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY AND KEISER UNIVERSITY HAVE CREATED AN INTERCOLLEGIATE INTERDISCIPLINARY INNOVATION, FOUR CREDIT HOUR COURSE TO BE TAUGHT AT CATAPULT. THE COURSE WILL BE OFFERED AT BOTH THE UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE LEVELS. STUDENTS FROM EACH OF THESE EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WOULD FORM TEAMS OF 5-7, WITH 5 TO 7 TEAMS PARTICIPATING IN THE COURSE. TEAMS WOULD BE SELECTED ON THE BASIS OF FUNCTIONAL/INDUSTRY INTEREST.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $9.8K

  • Program 3 [2020]

    CATAPULT'S MENTOR PROGRAM FACILITIES ONE-ON-ONE RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL TO BOTH MENTOR AND MENTEE. THESE INDIVIDUAL RELATIONSHIPS RESULT IN PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS FOR BOTH PARTIES. ALL OTHER ASPECTS OF THE PROGRAM INHERENTLY SUPPORT THE RELATIONSHIP AND WELL-ROUNDED DEVELOPMENT OF THE MENTEE. LAUNCH LAUNCH IS A COMMUNITY-BASED EFFORT LEAD, AND FUNDED, BY LOCAL FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CATAPULT THAT IS CREATED TO ASSIST LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS. LAUNCH'S GOAL IS TO HELP LAKELAND ENTREPRENEURS TAKE THEIR BUSINESS CONCEPT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. LAUNCH WILL DO THIS BY PROVIDING GRANTS TO ENTREPRENEURS WHO CAN SUCCESSFULLY PITCH THEIR CONCEPTS TO LAUNCH'S TEAM. PITCH SESSIONS - ARE HELD 2 TO 3 TIMES PER YEAR AT CATAPULT. APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE AT CATAPULTLAKELAND.COM. ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERS ATTEND PITCH SESSIONS, GIVE THEIR INPUT IN A CLOSED-DOOR SESSION FOLLOWING THE PITCHES AND THE PITCH JUDGES WILL VOTE ON GRANT AWARDS. THE PUBLIC IS INVITED TO ATTEND PITCH SESSIONS. IT'S LIKE SHARK TANK. BUT WITH HAPPY PEOPLE.
    Geographies
    Not indicated
    Dates
    Jan 1, 2020 – Dec 31, 2020
    Source
    990
    No causes provided
    No populations provided
    –
    $26.3K