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What is the weekend like?

The weekend is fun, mentally simulating and always profitable (2 of those are true)! It starts Friday at 6pm and finishes up Sunday at 6pm; the hours in between are up to the community.  Startup Weekend gets everyone in the same room, sometimes clothes and always feeds.  What is next is really up to the people that show up, it is your drive and passion that will lead the weekend.

What does a facilitator do?

In the new format for Startup Weekend, the facilitator plays a less important role than in the prior Startup Weekend model.  As opposed to being in charge of setting up equity, making sure everyone is okay, and being in “charge” of the whole event, the facilitator now plays a much more subtle role.

In a sense, the role of a facilitator is to be a person from, ideally, out of town that clearly holds no bias with regard to one group of people or another.

As a facilitator you should be attending the weekend, ensuring that it gets kicked off correctly and then just assisting with various tasks/problems that may or may not come up. 

Controlling and directing the event is NOT what you should do.  Generally these groups are very driven and are creative enough to figure out solutions to their own problems.  Further, they do not want a “boss” telling them what is best and how to set up their business etc.

Your primary role is one of minimalist direction and assistance when needed.  Further, keeping track of the events and if no blogger exists, blogging the event, would be extremely helpful.

What should you know how to do?

• Motivate people
• Be positive
• Blog
• Be familiar with basic web technologies
• Have a great time collaborating and developing with fantastic groups of people
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What do facilitators get in return?

Approved facilitators are refunded their travel expenses for the weekends and may receive some compensation depending on Startup Weekend sponsorship.  More to come on this, inquire further if compensation is a must.

Sponsor schwag that is given out at the event

Gratitude from the community you’re supporting

Great resume building for event planning and facilitation (if that’s your sort of thing).

You get to be a part of a great event and listen to hundreds of great ideas be tossed around in an environment totally focused on promoting tech and community within cities around the US.

Travel the country and see what is happening in cities that may not be typical tech hotbeds.

Still interested? Good.

So now that you have an idea about what a facilitator does and why it is such a sweet gig, your next step should be to contact clayton [at] startupweekend.com and we’ll get the ball rolling.