Winter 2027 Cohort · Now Accepting Applications

Level Up Business Academy

There are levels. This one is yours.

Fourteen Thursday evenings at the B-OSS hub in downtown Santa Rosa. Arrive with an idea or a business. Leave with a registered, banked, loan-ready company, a complete business plan, and a pitch delivered in front of lenders, sponsors, and your community.

Apply Now Attend an Info Session
14
weeks, kickoff to Showcase
12
hands-on lessons
3
one-on-one advisor checkpoints
600+
businesses helped since 2020
About the Program

Real business work, every single week

The Level Up Business Academy is the flagship program of Business One Stop Shop. It combines an AI kickoff workshop, 12 guided lessons, and a public Graduation Showcase into one journey through every phase of business.

This is not a lecture series. Every lesson ends with a real action in the real world: an EIN filed, a bank account opened, a sale made, a loan package reviewed by a lender. Your workbook becomes your business plan one section at a time, so you graduate with the plan already written.

When B-OSS opened its doors to its first workshop, 55 people showed up for 20 seats. Twenty went on to pursue their permits, and ten are now selling legally at Mercado Rosa.

Hector Velazquez leading a tour of the B-OSS hub
Your classroom: the B-OSS hub at 350 E Street
Who It Is For

Wherever your business is today

Idea stage

The dreamer

You have an idea at the kitchen table and no roadmap yet. We start with customer interviews and a one-page plan.

Already selling

The vendor

You sell at markets and events and need permits, bookkeeping, and a price that actually pays for your time.

Ready to grow

The established owner

You are ready to hire, land bigger contracts, and get your business loan-ready.

You do not need perfect credit, a perfect idea, or a business degree. You need to show up, do the homework, and be honest about your numbers.

Operating for a year or more and ready to scale? See the Level Up Growth Cohort for established businesses, on Tuesday evenings.

What You Leave With

By graduation night, you will have

A legal, bankable business

Registered entity, EIN, the permits you need, and a business bank account.

Working money systems

A bookkeeping habit, a profitable price, a three-month profit and loss statement, and your first steps on the business credit ladder.

A first documented sale

Made under your new brand, during the program.

A marketing engine

A live Google Business Profile, a 30-day content calendar, a 60-second promo video, and AI tools you know how to use safely.

A loan-ready package

Reviewed one-on-one by a real lender, with a green, yellow, or red rating and a clear fix list.

A complete business plan

Plus a 12-month growth plan, presented in a three-minute pitch at the Graduation Showcase.

People in your corner

Up to three volunteer mentors, an advisor relationship, and 12 months of B-OSS community membership.

A stage and an audience

Your pitch, delivered in front of lenders, sponsors, and your community on April 15.

The Journey

Five levels, one business

The curriculum follows the natural life of a business. Each level ends with a milestone you complete before moving on.

Level 1

Dream

Lessons 1 to 3

Mindset, customer discovery, and your business model.

MilestoneA validated one-page plan
Level 2

Launch

Lessons 4 to 6

Legal formation, money foundations, brand, and your first sale.

MilestoneRegistered business and first sale
Level 3

Stabilize

Lessons 7 to 9

Marketing systems, financial management, credit, and capital.

MilestoneLender-reviewed loan package
Level 4

Grow

Lessons 10 to 12

New sales channels, contracts, hiring, and operations.

MilestoneA 12-month growth plan
Level 5

Scale and Legacy

Graduation Showcase

Leadership, succession, and building wealth that lasts.

MilestoneYour public pitch
Winter 2027 Schedule

Every Thursday, January 14 to April 15

All sessions run 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the B-OSS hub, 350 E St., Santa Rosa. Bring your phone and your workbook every week.

DateSessionLevel
Jan 14Kickoff Workshop: AI, Your New Business PartnerYour first real AI win and three safety rulesKickoff
Jan 21Lesson 1: Orientation and the Entrepreneurial MindsetYour B-OSS member profile and three measurable goalsDream
Jan 28Lesson 2: Idea Validation and Customer DiscoveryFive real customer interviewsDream
Feb 4Lesson 3: Business Model and the One-Page PlanA signed-off one-page planDream
Feb 11Lesson 4: Making It LegalYour EIN and a legal launch checklistLaunch
Feb 18Lesson 5: Money FoundationsA business bank account and a profitable priceLaunch
Feb 25Lesson 6: Brand and First SaleYour brand and a documented first saleLaunch
Mar 4Lesson 7: Marketing That Works TodayA live Google Business Profile and a promo videoStabilize
Mar 11Lesson 8: Financial Management and CreditA three-month profit and loss statementStabilize
Mar 18Lesson 9: Capital Readiness ClinicA loan package reviewed by a lenderStabilize
Mar 25Lesson 10: New Sales Channels and ContractsA 30-day plan for one new channelGrow
Apr 1Lesson 11: Hiring and OperationsYour first standard operating procedureGrow
Apr 8Lesson 12: Growth Plan, Pitch and LegacyA 12-month plan and a complete business planGrow
Apr 15Graduation ShowcasePublic event. Your three-minute pitch, on stage.Legacy

Advisor checkpoints

Three required one-on-one sessions keep your milestones on track.

  • Checkpoint 1 Week of Feb 15
  • Checkpoint 2 Week of Mar 15
  • Checkpoint 3 Week of Apr 5

Attendance

Attend at least 10 of the 12 lessons, plus the kickoff and the Showcase, to graduate. Your advisor helps you catch up if you miss one.

Details

Everything you need to know

Dates
January 14 to April 15, 2027
Schedule
Thursdays, 6:00 to 8:30 pm, plus three advisor checkpoints
Location
B-OSS hub, 350 E St., Santa Rosa, CA 95404
Cohort size
20 to 25 entrepreneurs
Cost
Free to accepted participants, made possible by program sponsors
Materials
Printed workbook included, available in English and Spanish
Entrepreneurs and partners gathered in the B-OSS hub lounge
Hub access included for the full 14 weeks

Mentors. Up to three volunteer mentors in law, finance, and marketing.

The hub. Workshop area, podcast and media rooms, and discounted printing, embroidery, and shipping.

Member portal. Every milestone, service, and session tracked in your B-OSS profile.

Alumni network. 12 months of membership, peer roundtables, and priority workshop access.

How to Apply

Apply in about 15 minutes

No business plan and no credit check required. Seats are limited to 25 and applications are reviewed as they arrive, so apply early.

  1. Create your B-OSS accountRequired for everyone who applies or attends an info session.
  2. Submit the applicationBelow, by Friday, December 11, 2026.
  3. Book your interviewA 15-minute conversation with the B-OSS team, in person, by phone, or on Zoom.
  4. Hear backBy Tuesday, December 22, 2026. Confirm your seat.
  5. Kick offThursday, January 14, 2027, 6:00 pm.

Winter 2027 Application

Fields marked * are required.

Step 1: Create your B-OSS account

Everyone who applies must have a B-OSS account. Your account is where we track your milestones, sessions, and services during the program.

Create My Account
About you
Enter your first name.
Enter your last name.
Use the email address from your B-OSS account.Enter a valid email address.
Enter a phone number we can reach you at.
Enter your city.
Your business
Where is your business today? *
Choose the stage that fits best.
Tell us what you sell or plan to sell.
Who are your customers, and what problem do you solve for them? A few sentences is plenty.Add a short description.
Your goals
What do you most want to leave with? (choose all that apply)
Tell us why now is the right time.
Logistics
Choose an option.
Choose a workbook language.

After you apply

Book your applicant interview

Pick a 15-minute time that works for you: at the hub, by phone, or on Zoom. Create your B-OSS account and submit your application first.

Schedule Interview
Recommended

Attend an info session

Tour the hub, meet the team, and ask anything. One hour. Create your B-OSS account to reserve your seat.

Register to Attend
Thursday, November 12, 20266:00 to 7:00 pm · B-OSS hub
Add to calendar
Thursday, December 3, 20266:00 to 7:00 pm · B-OSS hub
Add to calendar
Not sure yet?

Talk with B-OSS first

Book a 30-minute conversation to see whether Level Up, or another B-OSS service, fits your business best.

Schedule an Appointment
FAQ

Questions we hear most

Why do I need a B-OSS account first?

Your account is how B-OSS reserves your seat at info sessions, reviews your application, and tracks your milestones, sessions, and services once the program starts. Create it once and use the same email everywhere.

Do I need a registered business to apply?

No. Many participants start with an idea. Lesson 4 walks you through registering, step by step.

What if my credit is not great?

That is fine. Lesson 8 shows you how to build personal and business credit, and Lesson 9 connects you with lenders who look at more than a score.

How much time will this take each week?

Plan on the 2.5-hour Thursday session plus about two to three hours of homework. The homework is real business work: interviews, filings, sales.

What if I miss a session?

You can miss up to two lessons and still graduate. Your advisor will help you catch up.

Can I apply with a business partner?

Yes. Each partner submits an application and names the other in the partner field. Partners can share one workbook and plan.

Is this legal or tax advice?

No. The program is education. B-OSS advisors connect you with licensed professionals when you need them.

Do I need to know how to use AI?

No. The kickoff workshop starts from zero, on your own phone.