Be the Entrepreneur Boot Camp

PULLMAN –

You may have heard of Airway Hills Golf Center on the Palouse but do you know what started it all? The annual Be the Entrepreneur boot camp right here in Pullman.

The owner of the golfing range, Trent Goertze, transformed land into a driving range back in 2005. He said he went to this boot camp looking to build upon his dream business.

 “He came to a Be the Entrepreneur Boot camp in 2016 and pitched the idea- what is the market lacking, what is the Palouse lacking as it relates to entertainment and hospitality. What we don’t have is an indoor golfing entertainment golfing facility,” Be the Entrepreneur Boot Camp leader, Ace Brown.

Goertze built a new indoor golfing simulation available throughout the year that he said helps the business in the winter months. He said the new building helps create more space for larger events.

He said staying in contact with the leaders from the boot camp helped him shape his business into what it is today.

“I’ve always told them I’ll do whatever I can for the boot camp so they in turn have supported us as far as hey you got to talk to this guy. I think that’s one of the greatest things you get out of the boot camp is the contacts,” said Goertze.

He said he loves to be able to meet the up-and-coming entrepreneurs and help them develop their business idea by coming back to become a judge.

“Just being around other entrepreneurs is really inspiring and encouraging,” said a Be the Entrepreneur Boot Camp participant, Caleb Bouma.

This boot camp is a series of events throughout the year said Brown. March was the Ideation stage to create a business model from an idea. The session in June focuses on the foundation of the business from the model. The fall session, time to be determined, focuses on actually launching the business.

Register with the Palouse Knowledge Corridor.

 “I will be a supporter of the boot camp forever,” said Goertze.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The video was aired on a previous broadcast.