Start Smart inc. is an online network built to make practical entrepreneurship more accessible to university, college and high potential secondary students. 

We believe in striking a balance between structured teaching, peer collaboration and dedicated mentorship. Our priority is to bring academic learnings to life by applying them to real world situations in an entrepreneurial setting. Our goal is to help students gain real world skills for better outcomes after graduation. 

Most notably, we focus on developing the following skills: 1) creativity, 2) adaptability, 3) persuasion, 4) collaboration, 5) emotional intelligence. The one thing that all of these skills have in common: they cannot be learned in the classroom, rather they must be learned through real world experience. 

Prior to enrolling, students must submit an application for acceptance. We have this process in place to ensure that only high potential candidates will join the program. We want students that are ready to make a commitment and willing to see it through. 

Once accepted, students are enrolled in a structured 20-week course built around the step-by-step guide to starting a successful summer service business (ex. car cleaning) with no prior experience. As part of the program, we help our students come up with the right idea for them so students may enter the program without an existing business idea or plan (in fact, it is encouraged!).  

Students are placed into teams of 7 or 8 to build their startup alongside likeminded peers in their location. Teams will have weekly sessions with Matt where we will discuss any challenges faced in the startup process and share ideas and insights with each other along the way. In addition to this, students can collaborate using the online community board and direct messaging tool on the platform.    

Each week, students will review between 1-5 hours of video and written content to help build that part of their startup. To help with each step, video conferences are held weekly to answer questions, solve problems and collaborate for group success. 

In addition, students will have 200+ custom built videos and documents, student case studies and professionally written articles all located in the online student resource centre. 

In addition to helping students build their startup, we are focused on helping students achieve a well-rounded and balanced life. Throughout the program, we will be discussing the importance of developing healthy habits for mental and physical health. We believe that success is defined by ones' overall wellbeing and we are committed to supporting our students achieve a happy and healthy life. 

Now more than ever, it is essential that students take their education into their own hands to be ready to take on the world of tomorrow. The world is changing fast and it is up to us to lead the way. I challenge you to rethink your education experience to include entrepreneurship as a vital part of the ongoing learning experience.