Are you currently underemployed or unemployed? Do you have a dream business idea but don’t know where to start? At Girandola Academy, we offer state-certified entrepreneurship training designed specifically for you. We arm you with the tools to turn your next BIG idea into an income generating business - in record time.
2026/27 Classes
What’s Next? 50+ — Self-Employment Pathway for Career Transitioners
Idea to Launch — Flagship Class: Startup Solutions and Strategies for those ready to startup. (Retiring Class Name: Idea to Launch On Demand)
Idea to Launch 50+ — Flagship Class with a focus on 50+ Students (new Class)
AI-Powered Idea to Launch — Business Startup Accelerator. Ins and outs of AI for Entrepreneurs. (New Class)
Forget rigid schedules and classroom constraints. With Girandola Academy you have the freedom to own your day and tailor your learning experience to meet your schedule. Our on-demand video-based classes combined with 1:1 coaching and guidance help you reach your goals on your timeline and schedule.
*Many of our motivated students secure their first beta or paying customers within 90 days. The average income reported by our students is $258,000 annually post training.
What’s Next? 50+
I’ve heard that fifty is the new 20. A time to decide what you want to do with the rest of your life. Encore entrepreneurs - small business owners over the age of 45 - are the fastest-growing group of entrepreneurs in the U.S. Discover and ignite your “What's Next?” in this pathway to self-employment. In addition to the flagship Idea to Launch online course, where you recieve step-by-step introduction to startup success, you will explore personal goal setting, milestone mapping, and strategies to design your preferred future. This class was designed with funding from AARP and taught in Life Long Learning programs at colleges prior to COVID. This class combines the flagship Idea to Launch class with a selection of guides customized to meet your personal goals.
Idea to Launch 50+ is an on-demand business startup course for adults preparing to move from business idea to business launch. The course helps participants understand the practical steps involved in starting a business, designing a business model, preparing an Executive Business Plan, understanding startup finance, and creating a realistic pathway toward income-generting self-employment.
The course is designed for adults exploring self-employment as a reemployment strategy, including Washington SEAP candidates, adults 50+, career-transitioning professionals, encore entrepreneurs, first-time founders, freelancers, consultants, and small business owners preparing to launch or relaunch a small business.
Participants apply each lesson directly to their own business idea or self-employment plan. The primary outcome is a practical business launch pathway supported by business planning deliverables, customer and market research, startup activities, business counseling, technical assistance, and SEAP progress documentation.
The Book… All classes require it. Get it now.
Entrepreneurial Edge Small Business Toolkit
Each class uses the same workbook: McVeety, Tiffany. Entrepreneurial Edge Small Business Toolkit. Girandola Press. 2017. It is only available on Amazon.com. Think you need a newer book? Think again. It is still one of the best entrepreneurship training manuals with step-by-step guidance out there.
The Entrepreneurial Edge Idea to Launch and On Demand classes we cover chapters 4 - 6; while the What’s Next 50+ class adds six additional guides from chapters 1 -3.
Idea to Launch On Demand (AKA Idea to Launch, pending ETP approval)
Idea to Launch On Demand is our flagship class. This class provides you with simple solutions, strategies and step-by-step guidance that can help an existing business owner, or potential entrepreneur, navigate the intricacies of planning, designing, and launching an income generating business, a social enterprise, or a new product.
What makes this entrepreneurship class unique are the proven tools and personal insights from the trainer/author. The first employee of an angel-funded startup that went public, she brings you real-word experience.
In this class, you will learn: How to choose a BIG idea and get focused; How to select the right corporate structure to meet your goals (keep it small and keep it all or build it fast with OPM), and how to file your own formation docs saving thousands.
You will also master a time-tested and proven five-step tool to help you design a business model for a product, service or new venture that fits Your entrepreneurial goals.
You will learn to write a one-page business plan using The Executive Business Plan template that I learned while an investment banker raising over 50 million for startups like you.
If you have ever wanted to start a viable business on your own, or test the feasibility of your BIG idea - before you spend money on it - this is the class for you. 100% online and on your own time. Business technical assistance included and mandatory (a workforce development term for coaching and help).
Okay. So I got carried away with my logo creation testing with AI. I asked for it, I got it. Busy, yes. But so fun to play with!
This is a more graphic depiction of my Academy’s journey from Seattle to Arizona. My new NAVIGATE theme for the new book coming out in 2027, and the beginning of my AI design process for logo development.
AI-Powered Idea to Launch
AI-Powered Entrepreneurship is a practical small business accelerator for entrepreneurs who want to use AI tools responsibly to plan, launch, streamline, or grow a business. This online program combines Girandola Academy’s proven business startup training with hands-on AI-powered projects, one-on-one counseling, technical assistance, and launch support.
Students learn how to use AI for business planning, market research, customer messaging, operations, productivity, and launch strategy while keeping human judgment, ethics, accuracy, and customer trust at the center. The course is designed to be inclusive and non-threatening for entrepreneurs who are curious about AI, cautious about AI, or just beginning to explore how AI may fit into their business.
AI-Powered Idea to Launch helps new founders use practical AI tools to accelerate business planning, research, marketing, operations, and launch preparation. Participants complete a business plan, AI-supported market research, customer messaging toolkit, launch checklist, and responsible AI use plan.
Best For
SEAP candidates, adults 50+, career-transitioning professionals, solopreneurs, and founders who want to use AI tools to research, plan, market, operate, and launch a small business faster and with more confidence; create a process, tool, resource, or business using AI, or AI-Curious.
This class will launch September 14 to a limited number of students. Reserve your spot by contacting me directly using the form below. You may pre-pay tuition to guarantee a spot in the first cohort. Tuition will only be processed upon your acceptance into SEAP and/or Girandola Academy.
What Now?
After you receive your SEAP approval, you pay tuition online. (We use PayPal and PayPal can accept most forms of payment. If you prefer, we can email you an invoice. That is especially useful for academic institutions or funders paying tuition for their students.) Once tuition is processed, your class and all necessary documentation will be emailed to you at your preferred email address. Your Welcome Email includes all you need for your class and the textbook information (you still need to buy your book on Amazon). Your class will start the Monday after tuition is paid. Once you complete the online video based training (over 22 modules in five classes that coincide with the Guides from the book. Then we meet 1:1 for personalized coaching to help you meet your goals. Students usually meet with me every three weeks (there is some science to that). Business mentoring is an important part of the class - but on your schedule.
