Who are the instructors?
Our instructors have hands-on real life experience or expert credentials in their area. Our instructors also own the school, which keeps us, focused on what our students want to learn. Our school aims to provide high-quality learning opportunities at an affordable price.
Each instructor is a shareholder and is compensated by the success of their classes and students. As well, our instructors contribute a portion of their earnings to a sustainable business model fund. The fund is utilized to provide early start-up capital to our student entrepreneurs.
Abraham Taleb is co-founder and manager of TerraShift which is a human capital development company providing social ventures, and forward-thinking corporations with project teams. He majored in Industrial Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, graduating in 2009.
Carlos Gasca has assisted over 300 entrepreneurs develop and start their own businesses. He is a social entrepreneur, started his first business at the age of 14 and has experience starting businesses with less than $50.00 dollars. He also founded Prairie Sky Alberta’s first cohousing development and is a tireless promoter of appropriate housing solutions for all households. He believes that good housing solutions improve a household’s health, social well-being and economic condition.
Caroline Savery is passionate about studying and teaching the structures of democratically run groups and workplaces. Over the past three years she has been active with numerous collective groups in Pittsburgh; most notably with Free Ride! where she teaches youth and adult bicycle mechanics classes. In 2009 she traveled across the United States interviewing people from 30 collective groups for a zine about effective organizing tools and tactics for collective and cooperative groups which is scheduled to come out in 2011.
Greg Boulas is actively involved in a number of sustainable local economic development initiatives that focus on a variety of issues ranging from sustainable agriculture to energy efficiency. He is the former western regional director of the Pennsylvania Association for Sustainable Agriculture (PASA) and currently serves as Mid-Atlantic regional governor for Slow Food USA, CEO of Homesteaders Consulting LLC, farmer and co-owner of Blackberry Meadows Organic Farm and CSA and co-initiator of Transition Pittsburgh. He is also involved with Pittsburgh’s Coalition for Food Abundance and Yinzers.
John Stephen is a community development lawyer affiliated with the Pittsburgh-based firm of Elliott-Davis, LLC. His legal practice is focused on environmental, land use, non-profit corporation and community development law. He has held many roles with non-profit organizations including founder and executive director of Friends of the Riverfront. Currently he is the executive director of the Allegheny River Towns Enterprise Zone. His clients include the Rachel Carson Trails Conservancy, West-to-West Coalition, Health Care 4 All PA Education Fund, Dream of the Earth and the World Education Initiative.
Johnathan King is a career private equity and venture capital investor who now provides advisory services to companies in the clean technology and renewable energy sectors. He is also a former CMU business school professor.
Lisa Stolarski is a cooperative development practitioner with the Keystone Development Center. She has a Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development specializing in cooperatives from Southern New Hampshire University. Lisa develops cooperative businesses throughout southwestern Pennsylvania and is a member of the professional cooperative developer association Cooperation Works!.
Mark Dixon graduated from Stanford University in 1997 with a degree in Industrial Engineering and he literally “thinks” in spreadsheets. He has been using Excel for over 20 years and has managed and implemented large spreadsheet-based systems at various companies including Intel. Mark uses Google spreadsheets to manage his responsibilities at work and home. Mark is a fun friendly teacher and has yet to be stumped by a spreadsheet related question.
Pamela Robinson is in organization, money management and facilitation. She is a Science of Mind Practitioner. Through her spiritual training she has concluded that most people are unaware of their own mental patterns and that this is “the missing link.” She is enthusiastic and passionate about sharing this initiative throughout the region.
Shari Mastalski is the creator of Dance on Water: Story Dancing and the visionary for Dreams in Motion: A Movement Movement. She has a Master of Science degree in Sustainable Systems from Slippery Rock University and degrees and professional experience in landscape design, theater and dance.
Teaching opportunities
We currently are accepting class proposals in any of the following areas:
The areas of learning include;
- Green Businesses;
- Community Health Businesses;
- Open Source small business computer systems;
- Social Entrepreneurship;
- Small Business Development;
- Business and social etiquette;
- Home & Life;
- Travel;
- Languages;
- Traditional arts.
Course formats include; webinars, weekly seminars or workshops, one-day classes and mini-conferences on specific topics and regularly scheduled classes.
What do I need to become a teacher?
By investing in the cooperative instructors gain access to classroom space, technical assistance and marketing & promotional support. Instructors are compensated by the number of students and classes taught. Instructors also share in the school’s profits according to their level of investment.
Paid instructors
To become a paid instructor you must submit a class proposal for review and choose to become a co-op member by acquiring a $500 share; the share can be purchased in monthly installments.
Volunteer instructors
You can also choose to be a volunteer instructor. Volunteer instructors donate the revenue their class generates towards our sustainable business model start-up capital fund. If you have expertise but have never taught adults, we would be happy to share our teaching experience with you and help you develop a class. Make a difference, make new friends, and help us develop a local living economy!
Teaching at Startup! How it works
To apply please download the application form, complete it and email it to us.
Startup! Instructor Application Form .PDF
For more information please contact: