Ventureneer will provide online education and peer support. Ventureneer has similar value to an MBA education, including connections and support, without the prohibitive cost and time commitments. Ventureneer is unique: Traditional online courses lack the informal learning that happens when people share insights and real-world stories. Peer support organizations are expensive and aren’t always available where you are located.

Any small business or nonprofit will benefit from using Ventureneer, but is most especially for “social impact” organizations – those nonprofits and for-profits that make a meaningful difference in the lives of others. For some that means growing a nonprofit, a social enterprise, or a profit-making business with a social mission (e.g., improving poverty, education, heath, etc.) at the core. For others, it is not based on organizational purpose, but in the ways in which they do business such as valuing and fostering employee satisfaction, sourcing ethical suppliers and maintaining sustainability practices.

What all have in common is the need for expertise and insight; timely information to fuel enterprises toward greater prosperity and toward a “higher” return. Ventureneer’s customized Web 2.0 learning environment – interactive classes, peer-to-peer learning, coaching, web events and articles – provide the necessary support to help you make better strategic decisions for your organization.

The Need
Education, according to the Kauffman Foundation, Small Business Administration and World Economic Forum; and peer support, according to the Edward Lowe Foundation; increase the survival rates and prosperity of small businesses, including nonprofits and social enterprises. While the knowledge gained from MBA programs and other types of formal instruction can make a big difference for a small company, it can be especially hard to balance school with the demands of running a business; smaller companies are also less likely to be able to afford these programs.

What Ventureneer Can Do For You
Ventureneer provides a new approach to learning that blends traditional formal instruction with informal learning derived from problem solving with peers using Web 2.0 technology. Members use Ventureneer to solve problems, request resources or information, seek guidance from others and, most important, how to have the greatest impact.

You can:

Take interactive classes to develop critical thinking skills and heighten your ability to make effective decisions.
Use a peer rating-and-commenting system similar to Netflix, Amazon and Zagat that organizes content so you know what others think is most relevant.
Share resources – share your perspectives and, in turn, learn from the experiences of your peers to address your own recurring problems.
Participate in one-to-one peer partnering. It is a one-on-one team developed among your business peers. Not a mentor or a coach per se, but a colleague with whom you develop a lasting relationship. You will be matched based upon the similarities of challenges you share now and are likely to face in the future. Now, you don’t have to face the challenges alone.