You have the idea. We help you build the plan.
New Venture Academy supports aspiring entrepreneurs with structured, expert-led guidance from concept through business plan development.
New Venture Academy (NVA) is an immersive entrepreneurship training program offered through Waubonsee Community College in partnership with the Illinois Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Designed for aspiring entrepreneurs and early-stage business owners, NVA provides structured, hands-on guidance to help participants move from idea to action. Learners gain foundational business knowledge, practical tools, and expert coaching to validate concepts, develop business models, understand finances, and prepare for launch or early growth.
While offered at no cost to participants, New Venture Academy is an intensive, ten-session series designed to build knowledge cumulatively. Each session focuses on a core business component, intentionally stacking concepts and tools so that by the end of the program, participants have developed a cohesive, fully formed business plan.
¡Este programa está disponible en español! Visita Academia Emprende para información e inscripciones.
Register for the Spring 2026 Cohort Today!
Having trouble registering? If you join us in person on the first day of class of Monday, February 23rd we can process your enrollment in person.
Waubonsee is a proud affiliate of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, which has been helping entrepreneurs since 1993.
Their FastTrac® curriculum is a flexible course with a proven framework to help support you and begin your journey on the road to success.
Is your business not yet launched and/or has less than $250,000 in sales? Then New Venture Academy is for you! Through our 10-session cohort, test the feasibility of your business concept, assess opportunities and identify those with the greatest potential, and fine-tune the processes of an early-stage business. You will walk away with a solid business plan that takes your concept from an idea – to reality.
About The Instructor
Steve Webber
Steve Webber is an accomplished professional who has been designing, developing, and delivering leadership training for over 25 years. Steve’s company, Management Training Resources, offers over 30 different training programs, personality assessments, employee surveys, and career path planning.
Steve is the published author of Ten Timeless Principles of Professional Success, published by Executive Excellence in 2002. In the book, he identifies the top 10 mistakes people make to sabotage their careers and then provides readers with practical solutions on how to avoid them. He has appeared on MSNBC, several talk radio stations, and has been featured in the Chicago Tribune, New York Times, and Financial Times of London newspapers.
Steve has worked with thousands of people in hundreds of companies all across the U.S. Some of those companies include: Microsoft, NASA, U.S. Army, ExxonMobil, GE, WeatherTech, USG, and MetLife to name a few. Steve has also held the position of Director of Leadership Training for an $8 billion medical supply company in Illinois.
Steve has taught a variety of business classes as an Adjunct Faculty member for Waubonsee Community College and Aurora University where he also served on its advisory committee. In addition, he has taught classes on management, organization behavior and communication for the College of DuPage, Moraine Valley Community College and Elgin Community College.
Steve has a B.S. degree from Ball State University in Natural Resources, a B.S. degree from Purdue University in Industrial Supervision as well as a M.S. degree from Indiana Wesleyan University in Management.
Sound interesting, but already have an established business?
As the entry point in a broader SBDC-supported learning pathway, New Venture Academy prepares participants for continued advancement through the Business Growth Academy (BGA)—a complementary, next-level program for established business owners focused on scaling, strategy, and long-term sustainability. Together, NVA and BGA offer a cohesive continuum of support for entrepreneurs at every stage of their journey.
