🧭 Stage 0: Before You Build

​Prove it before you build.

​You have an idea.
Or maybe just a curiosity.

​You’ve thought about building something.
A startup. An app. A product. A solution to a problem you see every day.

​But you’re not sure where to begin.

​Before you write code.
Before you file an LLC.
Before you tell everyone you’re “starting something.”

​Pause.

​Stage 0: Orientation — Before You Build is a practical session designed for:
• Student builders
• First-time founders
• Startup-curious professionals
• Anyone wondering, “Could I actually do this?”

​This is not a hype session.
It’s a clarity session.

​You’ll learn:

• ​What actually makes an idea worth building

• ​The most common early mistakes first-time founders make

• ​How to test your idea before investing months of time

• ​What “real progress” looks like at the very beginning

• ​The difference between excitement and evidence

​You will leave with:

• ​A clearer next step

• ​A simple way to pressure-test your idea

• ​Confidence in what to do next — or what to pause

​Most startups don’t fail because the founders weren’t smart.
They fail because they built before they understood.

​If you are even thinking about building, this session is for you.

​_

​Hosted by Krystal Rogers, Founder - Chicago Startup Events