The Bold Academy

Three Big Announcements for The Bold Academy

A dear friend of mine came to visit me in Boulder today and within 20 minutes he changed my life and the trajectory of The Bold Academy.

His name is Ryan Allis. We became close friends last year when I helped him co-found a new division of his company. Most recently, as a 27-year old entrepreneur, his company iContact was acquired for $169M. I’m deeply grateful to say that Ryan has played a pivotal role in many of my business endeavors. Today, he agreed to be the Entrepreneur-in-Residence for The Bold Academy this July.

So back to those 20 minutes. It went something like this…

Me: “Ryan! We have SO MANY INCREDIBLE PEOPLE who’ve applied to Bold. We have EVEN MORE INCREDIBLE PEOPLE who deeply WANT and NEED this but cannot afford it, and they’re questioning whether they should apply. How can we ensure the most passionate, eager, caring and driven 24 change-makers are here this July? Oh, and there’s one caveat: we have to pay for a lot of expenses like operational costs and housing in the next two weeks.”

Ryan: “Oh, that’s easy. We shorten the application, create a fundraising platform for those who cannot currently afford it, pick the 50 most awesome finalists, and then bring the first 24 who submit tuition to Boulder this July.” 

And just like that… we had a solution. 

So here’s the deal… if you were thinking about applying but didn’t because of the cost, I would encourage you to apply today and we’ll work with you on a crowdsourcing campaign on the fundraising platform we select, enabling both you and us to reach out to sponsors and donors in our networks. The application deadline remains tonight, April 5, at Midnight PST. 

We’ll select and notify the 50 finalists on Monday, providing clear instructions for how to set-up the fundraising platform along with best practices for raising the cash. For those who have the $7,500 right now, we’ll have instructions for how to pay through Google checkout. 

And then, the first 24 to submit tuition will join us in Boulder this summer.

Think you’re crazy enough to change the world? Apply here. 

So, to wrap it up, here are our three big announcements:

  1. Ryan Allis has agreed to be our Entrepeneur-in-Residence in Boulder this July
  2. We’re creating a fundraising platform to help people pay for the experience
  3. 50 Finalists will be selected and notified on Monday

Know you need to be part of this first class? Applications close today, April 5, at Midnight PST. Apply now. And please tweet and share this opportunity with your networks too.

#hellyes

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Heart this? Tweet it!

xoxo,
Amber Rae, Co-Founder
The Bold Academy 

Bold Academy Applications Are Open

The landscape of higher education is about to change. 

Too many college students are carrying diplomas that speak nothing to their true potential. 

Too many recent grads feel confused about what to do with their lives and how to contribute to something meaningful. 

That’s why we’re building The Bold Academy. It’s a 4-week experience designed to help changemakers between the ages of 20 and 35 find clarity, build confidence, and unlock their full potential.

We’re creating this for those who want to do big things to “change the world” but aren’t sure how to best align what they love with what they do.

Applications are open now and close on April 5th at midnight PST.

We’ve brought an amazing team together, which you can read all about here, and we’ll be inviting experts to lead workshops and exercises too. 

If you know of a changemaker who is ready to figure out how to make the most of themselves in this world, please pass this along. 

We’re really excited. (Thank you!)

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On board? Tweet to spread the word.

Announcing: The Bold Academy

Three weeks ago, I announced a vision for an unconventional school that I hoped to make a reality this summer in Boulder. Since then, I’ve been thinking big and making plans. And I’m happy to say that Nathaniel Koloc, my partner-in-crime and the co-founder of ReWork, will be joining me to make this dream come true. It’s called The Bold Academy, and we couldn’t be more excited.

Why are we doing this? Because higher education isn’t good enough right now. People go through four years of school and still have no idea what they want to do, let alone how to make that work in a world of financial (and societal) pressure.

That’s why, this summer, we’re bringing 24 change makers age 20 to 35 to Boulder for a transformative life experience designed to give them the perspective and skills they need to build the lives they want, from authentic relationships to meaningful work. Each student will gain years of real-world experience in 4 weeks, while realizing how their natural talents and true passions align with what the world needs. Those who attend should expect to walk away on fire, with a clear vision for their near-term future as well as a plan to make it real. For those looking for inspiring work, they’ll be equipped with the strategy to land their dream job. 

There will be moments of fear, deep connections, triumphs, and breakthroughs. We see lifelong bonds being formed in days, and strengthened over weeks. We envision this experience being the catalyst for the rest of their lives.

This program will be designed for changemakers aged 20-35 who:

  • Want to “change the world” and contribute to something bigger than themselves, but aren’t sure how to get started
  • Feel unsure about “what’s next” and know deep down that a traditional career path is not for them
  • Want to live a meaningful life, feel like the best version of themselves, and be surrounded by those who help advance their true passions and strengths
  • Refuse to settle for anything less than realizing their full potential

Here’s what we know already:

  • This is happening. 24 young change makers will be coming to Boulder this summer for the experience of a lifetime.
  • The curriculum will revolve around action and deep reflection on six themes: self-awareness, integrity, confidence, risk-taking, resourcefulness, and strategy. For each theme, we’ll move from introduction and theory to learning-by-doing and practice to the point of mastery.
  • We’ll be using a tuition model which will include the 4-weeks of core programming, living accommodations, (healthy) food, playful adventures, and access to an in-house fitness trainer and nutritionist. Price is $7,500.
  • This pilot is an experiment. We want to scale big but we’re going to start small. 

Here’s what we’re still figuring out:

  • Living logistics. Participants will be living together. It may be one big house or 4-6 apartments, we aren’t sure.
  • The exact dates. July is looking good. Real good.
  • We’re hiring 3 people, including an Academy Director, Logistics Coordinator, and Communications Coordinator. Intrigued? Check out the roles and apply now.

More coming soon. Stay tuned. 

(Photo via 365q.)