PROGRAMS

Retail Incubator

Interested in the 2023 Retail Incubator?

FLOOR--PLAN RETAIL INCUBATOR

About the Program

Through collaboration with Breakfast Lunch & Dinner and reSET, the Floor–Plan Retail Incubator program supports entrepreneurs ready to sell their unique products in Hartford and beyond. Whether you have a passion-project that you think could become something bigger, or are already in business and looking to grow, you should apply!


This program focuses on what it takes to create a strong, agile business that can adapt to today’s ways of getting your products in the marketplace. We will be joined by expert guest mentors with experience in building and scaling retail enterprises.


Key Dates:

June 21: Application opens

July 24: Application closes

July 31: Extended Application Deadline

August 18: Accepted Entrepreneurs Notified

August 30: Incubator Starts, Wednesdays on zoom, 5:30-8pm and some Saturdays (Sept. 23, Oct. 14 & Nov. 4)

November 15: Last class

November 24th: Retail Incubator Pop Up Shopping Event at Winterfair Hartford

What are the costs of this program?

The investment to participate in the 12 week program is $150 with an option for financial assistance.  Completion of the program and business registration enables participants to apply for $700 in grant funds from reSET to use for initiatives that will expand their small business.

What are the benefits?

reSET brings its human-centered programming expertise to the Floor–Plan Retail Incubator through 12 weeks of sessions designed to help early stage entrepreneurs access tools and expertise that further defines their retail business. During this program, entrepreneurs have access to a number of benefits as reSET coworking members:

  • 40 hours monthly workday access to reSET’s coworking space in Hartford 
  • Free admission to reSET workshops
  • Reduced admission to reSET events
  • Invitation to networking and social events
  • Reduced rate meeting & event space rental
  • Mailbox
  • Participate in peer-to-peer feedback with fellow entrepreneurs

In addition, completion of the program enables participants to apply for a $700 grant from reSET, funded by the CT DECD, to advance their small business!


Overview

The  Floor–Plan Retail Incubator runs for 12 weeks on Wednesday evenings from 5:30-8pm on zoom. Some Saturday half-day sessions are also planned, tentatively for September 16, October 14 and November 4. The program covers the basics of business planning during the changing times of the COVID era:

  • Creating a business plan & elevator pitch
  • Understanding your customer
  • Developing an online presence
  • Marketing & branding
  • Pricing your products 
  • Getting to market
  • Understanding and accessing resources to grow

In addition, reSET + BLD will connect our entrepreneurs with experienced mentors, potential investors, and access to resources, such as popup markets in and around Hartford.


Who is it for?

The Floor–Plan Retail Incubator is for individuals and micro-enterprises (businesses of 5 people or fewer), based in Connecticut and looking to scale their product based business to the next level. The program prioritizes Hartford residents, Hartford-based businesses, businesses owned by women and people of color, and businesses that primarily serve Hartford residents.

In Partnership With BL&D

Breakfast Lunch & Dinner (BL&D) creates collective culture by building unique, diverse ventures that bring people together authentically. Breakfast Lunch & Dinner leverages the assets of the Connecticut region to bring the best of the community forward to showcase via projects of our partners and clients. Hartford, like many cities, is receiving revived interest from investors, and new foot traffic that will change the city. Breakfast Lunch & Dinner positions our work to make sure everyone is a part of that revival.

Working with a broad array of community partners, including reSET,  BL&D’s Floor–Plan initiative creates large-scale retail activations throughout greater Hartford, such as the Winterfair Holiday Market, Know Good Markets, The CAF in downtown Hartford, and more. BL&D connects vacant storefronts and pedestrian areas with existing community events and live music programming to create new activities that drive foot traffic and help shift community consumer habits back to Hartford. In addition to the Retail  Incubator, Floor–Plan includes a full-time retail store program, an e-commerce platform, and a pop-up shop booking platform.

Participating Retail Incubator businesses have access to the following opportunities:

  • Market events
  • Pop-ups
  • Art installations
  • & more activities
Apply Here!
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