Fresh Wind Consulting / Launch Ready / Week 1
Session 1 of 8Turning a skill or passion into a business idea worth testing.
Launch Ready · Session 1 of 8
Turning a skill or passion into a business idea worth testing
Toronto Public Library · York Woods Branch
Entrepreneur in Residence · Fall 2026 · Leo Bailey
Our eight weeks together
1
From Idea to Opportunity
Tonight
2
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
3
Money Matters: Budgeting & Pricing
4
Funding Your Vision
5
Rules of the Road
6
Marketing on a Community Budget
7
Selling with Confidence
8
Community Launch Circle
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Launch Ready
1
From Idea to Opportunity
2
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
3
Money Matters: Budgeting & Pricing
4
Funding Your Vision
5
Rules of the Road
6
Marketing on a Community Budget
7
Selling with Confidence
8
Community Launch Circle
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Session 1
1
Where good business ideas come from
2
Testing an idea before you spend a dollar
3
Low-cost research in our own community
You leave with
Your Idea Map and a plan for 10 customer conversations this week
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Start here
A business is a solution to a problem that someone will pay to have solved.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Idea sources
1
The skill people already ask you for: braiding, catering, fixing phones, tutoring.
2
Something missing or done badly around here that you keep noticing.
3
What people drive downtown or to Brampton to buy. That gap is an opening.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Your turn · 8 minutes
Pen and paper · copy this into your notebook
I'm good at…
People ask me for…
Our community needs…
The overlap is your first idea to test
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Before you spend · write these down
1
Who exactly has this problem?
Name a real person, not everyone.
2
How do they solve it today?
Every problem has a workaround, even a bad one.
3
Would they pay to solve it better?
Complaints are free. Payment is proof.
4
How much, and how often?
$20 once a year is a different business from $20 a week.
In your notebook: on a new page, write the four questions and answer each one for the idea in your overlap. Keep this page. We build on it every week.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Test cheaply
1
Talk to 10 people. Not family. People who would actually be customers.
2
Make a simple sample. A tray of food, a free first session, a photo of the product.
3
Ask for a deposit or pre-order. Money on the table is the strongest signal there is.
4
Show up where people are. A church event, a market table, the barbershop, the library.
5
Write down what happened. What they said, what they paid, what they asked for.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Research
1
Ask about the last time they bought something similar.
2
Visit competitors. Note prices, line-ups and busy hours.
3
Free business databases and librarians who can help you search.
4
Search the need locally. Read reviews of similar businesses.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Ask better questions
| Instead of asking… | Ask… |
|---|---|
| Would you buy this? | When did you last pay for something like this? |
| Do you like my idea? | What is the hardest part of this problem for you? |
| How much would you pay? | What did you pay last time, and was it worth it? |
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Over to you
Shout one out
What is your favourite local business, and why?
A shop, a restaurant, a barber, a caterer, someone who sells from home.
What they have in common
1
They started small
A kitchen, a spare room, a market table.
2
Their first customers were neighbours
Family, church, friends of friends.
3
They grew by word of mouth
One happy customer told the next.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Pair share · 4 minutes
Pen and paper · write it in your notebook
I help ____ who struggle with ____ by ____.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Take home
Copy this log into your notebook
| # | Who (not family) | Last time they bought | What they paid | Biggest frustration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| …10 |
Talk to people who could really be customers. Ask about the last time they bought, not what they might do.
Next week
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
Bring your notebook: your Idea Map, four questions and conversation log.
Questions? Book a one-on-one session.
Launch Ready · Session 1 · From Idea to Opportunity
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved.
Tip: use ← → to move through the slides, F for full screen.
Launch Ready · Session 1 of 8
Turning a skill or passion into a business idea worth testing
Our eight weeks together
From Idea to Opportunity
Tonight
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
Money Matters: Budgeting & Pricing
Funding Your Vision
Rules of the Road
Marketing on a Community Budget
Selling with Confidence
Community Launch Circle
Launch Ready
From Idea to Opportunity
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
Money Matters: Budgeting & Pricing
Funding Your Vision
Rules of the Road
Marketing on a Community Budget
Selling with Confidence
Community Launch Circle
Session 1
Where good business ideas come from
Testing an idea before you spend a dollar
Low-cost research in our own community
You leave with
Your Idea Map and a plan for 10 customer conversations this week
A business is a solution to a problem that someone will pay to have solved.
Idea sources
The skill people already ask you for: braiding, catering, fixing phones, tutoring.
Something missing or done badly around here that you keep noticing.
What people drive downtown or to Brampton to buy. That gap is an opening.
Your turn · 8 minutes
Pen and paper · copy this into your notebook
I'm good at…
People ask me for…
Our community needs…
The overlap is your first idea to test
Before you spend · write these down
Who exactly has this problem?
Name a real person, not everyone.
How do they solve it today?
Every problem has a workaround, even a bad one.
Would they pay to solve it better?
Complaints are free. Payment is proof.
How much, and how often?
$20 once a year is a different business from $20 a week.
In your notebook: on a new page, write the four questions and answer each one for the idea in your overlap. Keep this page. We build on it every week.
Test cheaply
Talk to 10 people. Not family. People who would actually be customers.
Make a simple sample. A tray of food, a free first session, a photo of the product.
Ask for a deposit or pre-order. Money on the table is the strongest signal there is.
Show up where people are. A church event, a market table, the barbershop, the library.
Write down what happened. What they said, what they paid, what they asked for.
Research
Ask about the last time they bought something similar.
Visit competitors. Note prices, line-ups and busy hours.
Free business databases and librarians who can help you search.
Search the need locally. Read reviews of similar businesses.
Ask better questions
| Instead of asking… | Ask… |
|---|---|
| Would you buy this? | When did you last pay for something like this? |
| Do you like my idea? | What is the hardest part of this problem for you? |
| How much would you pay? | What did you pay last time, and was it worth it? |
Over to you
Shout one out
What is your favourite local business, and why?
A shop, a restaurant, a barber, a caterer, someone who sells from home.
What they have in common
They started small
A kitchen, a spare room, a market table.
Their first customers were neighbours
Family, church, friends of friends.
They grew by word of mouth
One happy customer told the next.
Pair share · 4 minutes
Pen and paper · write it in your notebook
I help ____ who struggle with ____ by ____.
Take home
Copy this log into your notebook
| # | Who (not family) | Last time they bought | What they paid | Biggest frustration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||||
| 2 | ||||
| 3 | ||||
| …10 |
Talk to people who could really be customers. Ask about the last time they bought, not what they might do.
Next week
Your Business Plan, One Page at a Time
Bring your notebook: your Idea Map, four questions and conversation log.
Questions? Book a one-on-one session.
© 2026 Fresh Wind Consulting. All rights reserved. Shared with Launch Ready participants for personal use. Please don’t copy, republish or resell.
Bring your notes, your draft, or just the spark of an idea. Book a conversation and we will figure out your next step together.
