Business Crash Course: From Idea to First Customers

How to Start a Business From Zero: The 2-Hour Crash Course

Have a business idea but do not know where to start?

This open class is a fast, practical introduction to the early stages of building a business. Using lessons from how NEST was built, this workshop gives aspiring founders, creators, freelancers, side hustlers, and first-time business owners a clear overview of what actually matters when turning an idea into something real.

In this 2-hour crash course, we will cover the core steps of starting from zero:

Clarify your idea
Learn how to think through your business concept, who it is for, and what problem it is trying to solve.

Build your strategy
Understand your audience, competitors, market position, and what makes your idea different.

Create a brand direction
Look at naming, first impressions, trust, recognition, and why people need to understand your business quickly.

Prepare for launch
Learn how to simplify your message, make your first offer clear, and avoid overwhelming your audience.

Think through pricing and value
Get a beginner-friendly overview of pricing, customer value, and why the cheapest option is not always the strongest option.

Attract your first customers
Cover basic sales, marketing, visibility, and how to explain your business in a way people can understand.

This class is designed to be simple, direct, and easy to follow. You do not need prior business experience. The goal is to help you walk away with a practical starting point, clearer thinking, and a basic plan you can continue building after the session.

There will also be time for questions, discussion, and examples from attendees.

Best for:
Aspiring entrepreneurs, creators, students, freelancers, early-stage founders, side hustlers, and anyone curious about starting a business.

What to bring:
A notebook, laptop, or phone for notes. If you already have a business idea, bring it with you. If you do not, you can still attend and learn the process.

Hosted by NEST
Based on real lessons from building National Esports Tournament and developing business ideas from the ground up.

Instructor:

David Cottrell is the founder and Commissioner of National Esports Tournament, better known as NEST, a Canadian esports and business development brand built from the ground up.

With more than 11 years of experience across recruitment, operations, business development, e-commerce, consulting, and brand building, David has worked through the real challenges of starting, growing, adjusting, and managing business ideas in competitive markets. His background includes high-volume talent acquisition, interviewing over 100,000 candidates, building online business operations, managing teams, developing products, launching new initiatives, and creating practical systems for growth.

David’s teaching style is direct, practical, and experience-based. Rather than focusing on theory alone, he uses real lessons from building NEST to help beginners understand what matters early: choosing a clear idea, identifying a market, creating a strategy, building trust, launching with focus, pricing properly, and attracting first customers.

This crash course is designed for people who want a realistic overview of business without getting overwhelmed by jargon, complicated planning, or unrealistic promises. David’s goal is to help attendees leave with clearer thinking, practical next steps, and a stronger understanding of what it actually takes to start building from zero.