Learn More: The Apostle Incubator
About
The John and Helen Apostle Incubator provides programming to support entrepreneurs from both the campus and Long Beach community to pursue their passion and the creation of innovative businesses to help grow the Long Beach economy. The support of the Apostle Foundation allows us to deliver programming to meet the needs of the diverse entrepreneurs from our community. The Apostle Incubator is an inclusive environment in which new business ideas are created, nurtured and launched. Contact us for more information or just drop by for a visit on any Tuesday evening!
Our Purpose, Our Values, Our People
We seek to foster a creative and collaborative environment, so that stakeholders from multiple disciplines feel empowered to develop their passions in a tangible, practical, and innovative manner. We believe that there is an abundance of business opportunities in this world. We strive to bring to life new ideas that will help boost the unlocked potential. We believe that active collaboration is the key to success. We are a group of entrepreneurs from different cultural backgrounds with experience in different industries who share passion to people, technologies and critical thinking. And we enjoy bringing them together.
Incubator Founding Team
While working toward their MBA degree, this team came together to provide support and mentorship to entrepreneurs on campus and in the community.
Past Schedules
Jan 28: Financial Analysis
The art of cash flow projections and leveling up your financial game.
Feb 4: Secondary research
This is like doing homework before launching your business—it helps you make informed decisions and reduces risks. By leveraging existing data, you can better understand who your customers are, how to reach them, and whether your idea has the potential to succeed. Come learn from our rock star research librarian, Nicollette Brant. Student will learn how to calculate marketing potential (TAM, SAM, SOM).
Feb 11: Customer discovery & Customer engagement
Customer discovery prevents you from building a product nobody wants. It ensures you solve real problems, saving time, money, and effort. It’s the foundation for creating a product-market fit, where your solution matches what customers are actively looking for. Build a product that truly resonates with your target market(s). Customer engagement is about creating positive, ongoing interactions that keep your customers interested and invested in your brand!
Feb 18: Customer Acquisition
The process of attracting and converting potential customers into paying customers. It involves strategies and actions to grow your customer base while keeping acquisition costs manageable. The goal is to bring in new customers who will engage with and benefit from your product or service.
Feb 25: How to price your product
Pricing is both an art and a science. By balancing costs, market research, customer insights, and testing, you can find a price that supports your goals while appealing to your target audience.
March 4: Business Plan Workshop
Workshopping your Business Plan – we will have four experts that will work with teams on their business plans. Goal is to make sure that everyone is ready to (1) compete in the Sunstone Innovation Challenge or (2) start their own small business.
March 11: Sales Modeling
Getting your first customer is all about hustle and strategy -Leverage your network, clearly communicate how you fix their problem, get early adopters and testimonials, share content, case studies, and engage online, personalized cold outreach, be where your customers are, form strategic partnerships, test small ads, follow up relentlessly, deliver an amazing experience – Happy customers bring more customers!
Bonus: Get paid ASAP—your first sale validates your idea! ?
March 18: Protect your IP
Protecting your IP ensures your hard work and creativity remain yours. By combining legal safeguards, strategic documentation, and vigilance, you can secure your competitive advantage in the market. Learn directly from an IP attorney how to secure the legal rights to your ideas, inventions, and/or brand name and logo to prevent unauthorized use or copying.
March 25: Storytelling
Storytelling techniques transform your pitch from a dry presentation into a compelling narrative that captures attention, builds an emotional connection, and makes your concept memorable. Instead of just presenting facts, you craft a journey—starting with a relatable problem, introducing your solution as the hero, and ending with a vision of success. A great pitch story makes investors and customers see the impact, not just the idea.
April 8: Creativity and Business
April 15: Corporate entrepreneurship
This refers to the process of fostering entrepreneurial thinking, innovation, and new venture creation within an established organization. It involves applying the principles of entrepreneurship—like creativity, risk-taking, and agility—to drive growth, create new products or services, or improve existing processes within a corporate structure. It helps organizations remain dynamic and forward-thinking, even as they grow larger and more complex. By embracing entrepreneurial principles within a corporate structure, companies can unlock untapped potential, stay competitive in evolving markets, and ensure long-term success.
April 22: Sunstone Innovation Challenge Finale
April 22, 2025 | 4pm at the Pointe in the Walter Pyramid
April 29: Experiential Exercise
May 6: Pitch Your Business
This is an opportunity for any team to pitch their business idea and practice selling themselves and their idea!
*subject to change
Aug 27: Introduction to Creativity & Design Thinking
Come learn the process of how to create an innovative startup based on the technique of Design Thinking.
Sept 3: Vision Statement
Let’s learn what our customers want to guide the vision of our startup idea.
Sept 10: Understanding Your Target Market
What are the right questions to ask your potential customers to ensure that your startup idea is the perfect solution for them.
Sept 17: Finding and Insights
Let’s learn how to analyze market trends and competitive forces to find the perfect solutions for your customers.
Sept 24: Divergent Thinking
How can you broaden your perspective by asking the right questions that bring you closer to giving your customers what they want.
Oct 1: Evaluating Your Ideas
Learn how to evaluate and improve your business ideas to make them more effective and realistic.
Oct 8: Convergent Thinking
Learn how to evaluate and narrow down your options to focus on the most promising solutions for your business idea.
Oct 15: The Value of Mock-ups and Prototypes
Learn how to create simple models of your ideas to test and improve them. Discover easy ways to make effective mockups and prototypes.
Oct 22: User Experience
Explore the key principles of customer-centered design and learn how to create products that resonate with customers. This session focuses on improving the overall customer experience of your offerings.
Oct 29: The Value Map
Learn how to clearly express what makes your startup special and how it meets customer needs.
Nov 5: Lean Model Canvas Part 1
In this workshop, you'll identify customer problems, outline effective solutions, and determine key metrics to measure your business's success.
Nov 12: Lean Model Canvas Part 2
In this workshop, you'll learn to define your target customers, determine effective ways to reach them, and define your business's unique competitive advantage.
Nov 19: Lean MC - Putting it all together
Bring together all elements of the Lean Canvas to create a cohesive business model.
Nov 26: FALL BREAK - NO MEETING
Dec 3: Apostle Business Ideation Competition
Put your newly acquired skills to the test in this exciting business ideation competition.
Jan 23: "The Business Plan and using LivePlan"
Jan 30: "Building Your Financial Projections"
Feb 6: "Cancelled" - POSTPONED
Feb 13: "Determining Market Potential"
Feb 20: "Customer Acquisition"
Feb 27: "Customer Engagement"
Mar 5: "How to Price Your Product"
Mar 12: "Estimating Your Expenses/Sales"
Mar 19: "Workshop Your Business Plan"
Mar 26: "Protecting IP"
Apr 2: SPRING BREAK
Apr 9: "My Entrepreneurial Journey"
Apr 16: Sunstone Innovation Challenge Finals - The Pointe
Apr 23: "Experiential Reflection Activity on Entrepreneurship"
Apr 30: "Intrapreneurship"
*schedule is subject to change
AUG 22: “Creativity & The Business Value of Design”
Design is the process of fitting form to context. Context is what you cannot change. The form is what you can change. Applying design principles and values to business has a provable impact on ROI.
AUG 29: "Unlocking Methods for Generating Great Ideas"
The foundation upon which all businesses are built is meeting the needs of stakeholders. Stakeholders include not just customers but a vast community of allies and adversaries each with their own aspirations, values and constraints.
SEP 05: "Unveiling the Secrets of your Customers"
Identify the external forces and conditions in which you will operate. Understanding those forces will direct your research and planning to help identify risks, challenges and opportunities.
SEP 12: "Who are your Competitors: Leveraging the Macroenvironment for Success"
Develop insight into your CUSTOMERS by identifying unmet needs and opportunities.
SEP 19: "Identify the Problem that you want to solve with your Idea"
Synthesize research into an aspirational vision statement that articulates the expected impact that your business will have on stakeholders.
SEP 26: "Embracing Limitless Options Through Divergent Thinking"
Understanding the methods and mindsets that cultivate innovation.
OCT 03: "Your Value Proposition"
Divergent thinking is the process of abandoning constraints and opening up the imagination. Often called "out-of-the-box thinking" or "lateral thinking" it is an essential tool of creative ideation.
OCT 10: "Breaking Free From Imaginary Constraints"
Understand the difference between real constraints and imaginary constraints. Challenge assumptions and remove legacy obstacles.
OCT 17: "Merging Constraints & Customer Needs for Breakthrough Ideas"
Armed with a pile of crazy ideas and well-understood constraints, narrow your focus and apply constraints to your idea to come up with ideas that are feasible, viable, and desirable.
OCT 24: "Creating your Business Model Canvas Part 1"
Who are your customers and how do you deliver value to your customer segments?
OCT 31: "Creating your Business Model Canvas Part 2"
What resources do you need to deliver that value?
NOV 07: "Putting it all Together: Your Business Model Canvas"
What is the cost/revenue structure of delivering value to your customers?
NOV 14: "Practicing your Pitch"
How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice.
NOV 28: "How to Tell a Story"
Use narrative structure to advocate for your idea as a call to action.
DEC 05: Apostle Business Ideation Challenge
It's Opening Night! Sell the audience!
*schedule is subject to change
JAN 24: “An Entrepreneurial Journey with Walter Larkin” followed by “An Introduction to LivePlan: A Business Plan Software”
JAN 31: "Communicating with your Customer" with Ingrid Martin
FEB 07: "Equity Split & Roles in the Company" with Rick Citron
FEB 14: "Determining Market Potential" with Nicollette and Ingrid
FEB 21: "Pricing your Product/Service" with Joy Fairbanks
FEB 28: "Estimating Your Expenses/Sales" with Frank McEnulty
MAR 07: "Building Your Financial Projections" with Frank McEnulty - HANDS-ON WORKSHOP
MAR 14: "Customer Acquisition Costs" with Joe Platnick, President Emeritus Pasadena Angels
MAR 21: "Protecting Your Intellectual Property" with Rob Rigole & Steve Boyer
APR 04: "Storytelling and Your Pitch" with Ebony Utley, IIE Associate Director
This session will NOT be recorded.
APR 11: "Social Enterprises/Non-profits" with Isabelle Bart, IIE Director of Programs
APR 18: "Intrapreneurship" with Travis Taylor, P2S
APR 20: Sunstone Innovation Challenge at The Pointe - IN-PERSON EVENT
APR 25: "Creativity & Your Business Model" with Alan Pullman, Studio 111 - CANCELLED
MAY 02: "Bootstrapping & Crowdfunding" with The Apostle Incubator Team - CANCELLED
*schedule is subject to change
AUG 23: Creativity & The Business Value of Design
AUG 30: Understanding All Of Your Stakeholders/Customers
SEPT 6: Discovering & Understanding The Macroenvironment
SEPT 13: Problems And Opportunities
SEPT 20: What Is Your Vision Statement
SEPT 27: Generating A Good Idea
OCT 4: Creating Choices - Everything Is On The Table
OCT 11: Evaluating And Validating Your Ideas
OCT 18: Customer Insights - Focus, Focus, Focus
OCT 25: Building your Business Model Canvas - Part 1
NOV 1: Building your Business Model Canvas - Part 2
NOV 8: Putting It All Together
NOV 15: How To Tell A Story
NOV 29: Practicing Your Pitch
DEC 6: APOSTLE BUSINESS IDEATION CHALLENGE
Jan 28 - Digital Marketing
Feb 4 - Effective Mobile Marketing
Feb 11 - Branding POSTPONED
Feb 18 - eCommerce Strategies
Feb 25 - Legal / IP
Mar 4 - Women Entrepreneurs
Mar 11 - Intrapreneurship
Mar 18 - Pitching your business
Mar 25 - Branding
Apr 1 - NO MEETING
Apr 8 - DEI
Apr 15 - Non-profits: CANCELLED
Apr 22 - PITCHFEST Competition POSTPONED
Apr 22 - NEW TOPIC Pitching from an Entrepreneur & Angel Investor POV
Apr 29 - Social Entrepreneurship
May 6 - CSU Pitch Event
May 13 - NO MEETING
Aug 24 – Incubator Programming Introduction
Aug 31 – Developing Your Team
Sep 7 – Business Model Canvas I
Sep 14 – Business Model Canvas II
Sep 21 – Business Model Canvas III
Sep 28 – Business Plan Structure & LivePlan Introduction
Oct 5 – Competitive Analysis/MKTG research
Oct 12 – Prototyping & Technology
Oct 19 – Funding Your Startup
Oct 26 – Sharing Ownership
Facebook Live ABC Cap Table Notes
Nov 2 –MVP & Collecting Primary Data
Nov 9 – Design Thinking Workshop/ideation
Nov 16 – Social Media Marketing
Nov 30 – Pricing your Product/Service
Dec 7 – Financials/Pro forma Statements
*subject to change
Jan 19 – “Reconnect, Update & Thinking”
Featured Guest Speakers: Dr. Ebony Utley et al.
Jan 26 – "Prototyping & Technology"
Jan 26- Facebook Live Jan 26- Resources
Feb 2 – "Pricing your Product/Service"
Feb 2- Facebook Live Feb 2- Resources
Feb 9 – "Shared Decision Making"
Featured Guest Speakers: Alfredo Carlos
Feb 16 – "Funding your Startup"
Featured Guest Speakers: Dean Heiss
Feb 16- Facebook Live Feb 16- Resources
Feb 23 – "Sharing Ownership"
Featured Guest Speakers: Rick Citron
Feb 23- Facebook Live Feb 23- Resources
Mar 2 – "Social & Digital Marketing"
Featured Guest Speakers: Aleks Lason, CHRILLEKS
Mar 9 – "Branding"
Featured Guest Speakers: Fabian Geyrhalter, FINIEN
Mar 16 – "Pitching your Business"
Featured Guest Speakers: Ali Nagy, MALI & FRIENDS
Mar 23 – "Intellectual Property Protection"
Featured Guest Speakers: Steve Boyer & Doug Patton
Apr 6 – "eCommerce Strategies"
Featured Guest Speakers: Phillip Hang & Chris Snyder, Shopify
Apr 13 – "Legal Structures"
Featured Guest Speakers: Ashleigh Stone
Apr 20 – "PitchFest Competition"
Featured Guest Speakers: Dean Heiss + Team
Apr 27 – "Wellness Entrepreneurship"
Featured Guest Speakers: Cassandra Vitale
May 4 – "Creating an Inclusive Culture"
Featured Guest Speakers: DeLonzo Rhodes
May 11 – "LB Opportunities & Ecosystem Mixer"
Featured Guest Speakers: Dean Heiss + Team
*program is subject to change
Sep 1 – “Innovation Challenge Information Session”
Sep 8 – “Ideation & Innovation Challenge Speed Dating”
Sep 15 – “Building Your Team”
Featured Guest Speakers: Jeff Bently
Sep 22 – “Developing an MVP”
Featured Guest Speakers: Scott Wayman & Hans Yang
Sep 29 – “Business Model Canvas I"
Oct 6 – “Business Model Canvas II”
Oct 13 – “Business Plan Structure & LivePlan Intro”
Featured Guest Speakers: LivePlan Support
Oct 20 – “Design Thinking Workshop”
Featured Guest Speakers: Steve Boyer & Wesley Woelfel
Oct 27 – “Sustainability Thinking Workshop"
Featured Guest Speakers: Ebony Utley
Nov 3 – “Speed Dating for Innovation Challenge”
Featured Guest Speakers: Full IC Team
Nov 10 – "Market Research: Validate Your Idea with Data"
Featured Guest Speakers: Dr. Ingrid Martin & Research Librarians
Nov 10- Resources Nov 10- Facebook Live
Nov 17 – “Business Financials”
Featured Guest Speakers: Dr. Pia Gupta & Dean Heiss
Nov 17- Resources Nov 17- Facebook Live
Nov 24 – “Virtual Networking Strategies”
Featured Guest Speakers: Dr. Rachel Hastings
Dec 1 – "Business Ethics"
Featured Guest Speakers: Bruce Weinstein
Dec 8 – “Wellness & Focus Over Holidays”
Featured Guest Speakers: Pamela Buckner
Dec 22 – Winter Break
