GGBA BUSINESS ACCELERATOR PROGRAM

Sponsored by:

Elevate Your Business. Amplify Your Impact.

The GGBA Business Accelerator Program was created by Michael Gunther, Founder and Senior Consultant of Collaboration Business Consulting, and Gina Grahame, Founder of Authentacious Leadership and Communication Coach at Stanford Graduate School of Business, to help small business owners grow their business.

Michael has guided over 500 businesses to achieve growth, trained thousands of leaders and assisted nearly 300 businesses to get started. Dedicated to helping businesses grow, Michael is a master at providing solid information — not tips and tricks — to enhance the experience of attendees at his presentations and public speaking engagements. 

Gina has worked with thousands of high-performing professionals from around the world; helping them develop their own unique executive presence, voice, and leadership style – supercharging the potential of individuals, teams, and organizations including Google and the Stanford Graduate School of Business. Gina brings valuable insights from her diverse sales history across industry verticals from advanced manufacturing to film & tv acting, to videogame development.

Who is this for?

This is a free member benefit for our GGBA members. Whether you’re in the beginning stages of your entrepreneurial journey or have an established business, this program is for you. Our program is tailored to suit a myriad of businesses, regardless of their years in operation. Cohorts are designed to cultivate the full diversity of the LGBTQ+ & Allied small business community: diversity of industry verticals, of company sizes, of breadth of experience and expertise, and of personal diversity. Not yet a member? Join GGBA here.

Testamonials from past Cohorts

  • "Until the GGBA's accelerator, I often felt like I was flying blind. The GGBA's program has changed all of that. I now feel like I have a clear sense of all of the pieces that fit together to create a thriving organization, how to examine our processes to identify areas that can be improved, and what tools I can use to make those improvements. <br><br> I have already seen an incredible impact in the way we work as an organization, and we have charted a promising path to growth that I would not have thought possible especially during these challenging times."

    Jack Beck

    Executive Director,

    TurnOUT

  • "The GGBA’s accelerator program was a great success for us. Gina provided a safe environment for practicing our business pitches to different audiences, insights on how to differentiate our services in competitive markets, and fostered a collaborative group dynamic which has carried on past the duration of the program itself. <br><br>The diversity of the companies that participated made for great exposure and cross-pollination of ideas in our sessions. I would highly recommend the accelerator to anyone looking to establish or expand their business!"

    April Starlight

    CEO

    Tangerine Search

  • "I highly recommend the GGBA Business Accelerator Program. The tools, perspectives, support and critical feedback I received were invaluable. This program is a must for any GGBA member looking to elevate their business.”

    Dawn Hatch

    Founding Partner,

    Matax

  • "This program helped me to streamline my business, shift our product and services focus and keep my company open. The support from my peers helped me to still feel connected to my community when it would have been very easy to feel isolated due to the pandemic.”

    Dawn Ackerman

    CEO,

    Outsmart Office

  • "Participating in the GGBA Business Accelerator Program was a truly transformative experience. The program not only provided me with invaluable resources and mentorship but also fostered a supportive community that believed in the mission of my nonprofit, Dykes With Drills. Thanks to the guidance and encouragement I received, DWD has grown in ways I never imagined, allowing us to make an even greater impact in our community."

    Juli Peri

    Director of Development,

    Dykes With Drills

  • "Being part of a professional cohort of like-minded LGBTQ entrepreneurs was a game changer for my business: learning from others about their wins, struggles and pivots; giving back to the cohort with what I've learned along the way and what resources may be of help to them; and just the sharing of affirmations between all of us who were/are going through the same experiences when starting/grow an LGBTQ-owned business. <br><br>This interactive experience was only fortified by the amazing leaders, like Gina Grahame and Michael Gunther, who have enriched the program with their wisdom and support."

    Andrew Lee

    Founder/CEO,

    Otis Dental

  • "My experience with the GGBA Business Accelerator Program was transformative. The structured curriculum and personalized mentorship helped me refine my business strategy and navigate challenges effectively. As a result we started two other businesses, Perform For Golf and Perform For Life Corporate Wellness. I highly recommend it to anyone looking to accelerate their business growth.”

    Bryant Sharifi

    President / Founder,

    Perform For Life

  • "Imagine a team of experts and your peers all focused on your business: diving deep into how it works now so it can function better, sooner. Your company can take a lot of work to build and even more work to correct if going off course. GGBA’s Accelerator Program helped me figure out what to do in a tough situation. Thanks GGBA!"

    Neil Tanner

    Owner/Operator,

    Tanner Teleprompting

  • "As CEO of Flexability, I participated in the GGBA Accelerator Program led by Gina Grahame. This program helped me focus my executive presence and reach more prospective clients. I enjoyed both the small group activities and the specialized 1:1 coaching."

    Nancy Geenan

    CEO,

    Flexibility

Learn, collaborate, grow!

Our program’s architecture promotes symbiotic learning, while the content is tailored to the needs of each Cohort. Launched in 2020, the first two cohorts of the Business Accelerator Program focused on helping small business owners survive and thrive during the Covid crisis.

Our expert presenters and program instructors bring industry insights, we also recognize the immense value of peer learning. By curating an environment of shared wisdom, we aim for each participant to not only learn but also teach, and in the process, evolve collectively.

What we expect from program participants:

  • Commitment: Commit to attending weekly meetings, which are a mix of in-person and virtual. 

  • Professional Aspiration: Strive continuously for professional excellence and business growth.

  • Community Contribution: Be a beacon of support, offering your insights and learnings to fellow participants.

NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

We are currently accepting applications for Cohort 4 + 5. Seats are limited – be sure to apply today! Please note you must be a GGBA member to join the Business Accelerator Program.

COHORT #4 (Fridays, July 12-August 16th)

  • Session #1: Friday, July 12th | 2pm-4pm | In-person at 560 Mission St, SF, 94103

  • Session #2: Friday, July 19th | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #3: Friday, July 26th | 2pm-4pm | Virual

  • Session #4: Friday, August 2nd | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #5: Friday, August 9th | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #6: Friday, August 16th | 2pm-4pm | In-person at 560 Mission St, SF, 94103

BOTH COHORT #4 AND #5 WILL BE LEAD BY:

GINA GRAHAME (She/Her)

Founder Authentacious Leadership

COHORT #5 (Fridays, September 6th-October 11th)

  • Session #1: Friday, September 6th | 2pm-4pm | In-person at 560 Mission St, SF, 94103

  • Session #2: Friday, September 13th | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #3: Friday, September 20th | 2pm-4pm | Virual

  • Session #4: Friday, September 27th | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #5: Friday, October 4th | 2pm-4pm | Virtual

  • Session #6: Friday, October 11th | 2pm-4pm | In-person at 560 Mission St, SF, 94103

Session 1:

  • Review Pre-work (short/mid-term company goals, personal goals for this workshop, setting up KPI Tracking sheet)

  • Determine where each resides in the Seven Stages of a Business

  • Benchmark Exercises:

  • Determine your company’s UVP (Unique Value Proposition)

  • Give your 15-second elevator pitch

Session 2:

  • Creating Your Ideal Client Profile

  • Focus on Strategic Growth

  • 7 Steps of Selling

  • Breakeven Analysis

  • Developing Executive Presence

  • Exercise: Developing sales pitch for message transferability

Session 3:

  • Qualifying Clients

  • Determine your best marketing tactics

  • Effective Networking

  • Difficult Conversations

  • Effective communication with different audiences

  • Exercise:

    • Role-play a difficult conversation

    • ‘Convince me’: Move my opinion or action on a topic of your choice

 

Session 4:

  • LGBT Certification

  • Proper Presentation Preparation

  • Prepare for and embrace ‘Q&A’

  • Exercise: Impromptu Speaking

 

Session 5:

  • TBD topic based on the Cohort’s needs

  • Overcoming Objections

  • Prepare for next week’s Final Presentation

 

Session 6:

  • Exercise:

    • Final Presentations with Q&A