-- Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce Announces Fall 2026 Entrepreneurial Success Program
MONROE, N.Y. — August 2026 — Artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever for aspiring entrepreneurs to generate business plans, marketing strategies, financial projections, customer profiles and startup ideas in a matter of minutes.
But having AI write a business plan does not mean the entrepreneur understands how to successfully run the business behind it.
That challenge will be a major focus of the upcoming Entrepreneurial Success Program (ESP), a live, in-person 10-week, 20-session business development course beginning Tuesday, September 15, 2026, presented through the Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce.
“AI can help you create a business plan faster than ever. The challenge is knowing whether it’s a good business plan,” said Edison Guzman, lead instructor of the Entrepreneurial Success Program. “Having AI write the plan for you does not mean you understand pricing, cash flow, marketing, sales, customer acquisition, operations or what it takes to build a profitable business.”
The South Orange YMCA has extended the use of its facilities to host all 20 live sessions, helping provide local entrepreneurs with a dedicated place to learn, collaborate and develop their businesses alongside experienced business owners.
The program comes at a time when both entrepreneurship and artificial intelligence are growing rapidly.
According to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 Empowering Small Business report, 58% of small businesses reported using generative AI, compared with 40% in 2024 and 23% in 2023. At the same time, the U.S. Census Bureau reported 531,423 business applications in June 2026 alone.
For Guzman, who has been teaching ESP for approximately 20 years, those trends reinforce the need to continuously update entrepreneurship education.
“Every year before we teach the program, we look at what has changed in business and improve the curriculum,” Guzman said. “Twenty years ago, we weren’t teaching entrepreneurs how to use artificial intelligence. Today, I believe we would be doing them a disservice if we didn’t.”
More Than a Business Plan
ESP is designed to help participants understand the thinking behind their business plan, not simply produce a document.
Throughout the 10-week program, participants examine questions such as:
Who is the real target customer?
What problem does the business solve?
Why will customers choose this business over competitors?
Is the pricing model profitable?
How many customers are needed to reach financial goals?
Which marketing strategies make sense?
What systems are needed to operate efficiently?
How can the business become more organized, profitable and scalable?
“The business plan is not the business,” Guzman said. “The real value is understanding why the business should work and what the owner must do to make it work.”
Teaching Entrepreneurs to Use AI More Effectively
ESP will not discourage entrepreneurs from using artificial intelligence. Instead, participants will learn practical ways to use AI and automation to improve productivity and strengthen their businesses.
Topics will include using AI for research, marketing ideas, content creation, customer communications, planning, business systems, productivity and repetitive task automation.
“Entrepreneurs absolutely should be using AI,” Guzman said. “The opportunity is enormous. But AI should amplify the entrepreneur’s knowledge and judgment, not replace it.”
The program combines modern technology with traditional business fundamentals such as marketing, sales, financial management, operations, competitive positioning and strategic decision-making.
Why the Program Remains Live and In Person
ESP consists of 20 live sessions over 10 weeks, giving participants something that online courses and AI tools cannot easily duplicate: direct access to experienced entrepreneurs.
Participants can ask questions, challenge assumptions, receive personalized feedback and learn from business owners who have already experienced many of the problems newer entrepreneurs are likely to face.
The live format also allows participants to learn from one another and build relationships with other local entrepreneurs.
“AI can give you an answer,” Guzman said. “Experienced entrepreneurs can help you determine whether it is the right answer for your business.”
Who Should Attend?
The Fall 2026 Entrepreneurial Success Program is designed for:
Aspiring entrepreneurs preparing to launch a business
New business owners who need a realistic business plan
Existing owners who launched without a formal plan
Solopreneurs overwhelmed by doing everything themselves
Owners struggling with inconsistent sales or profitability
Entrepreneurs who want to better understand their finances
Business owners who want to use AI and automation more effectively
Entrepreneurs seeking experienced guidance and accountability
The program is especially relevant for people who have experimented with AI tools and discovered that generating ideas is easier than knowing which ideas should become real business decisions.
Registration Now Open
The next Entrepreneurial Success Program begins Tuesday, September 15, 2026 and runs for 10 weeks with 20 live, in-person sessions at the South Orange YMCA.
Registration is now open through the Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce.
For additional information or to register, visit https://GMCoC.com/esp.
About the Entrepreneurial Success Program
The Entrepreneurial Success Program is a live business-development course designed to help aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small-business owners build stronger business plans, understand core business fundamentals and use modern technology more effectively.
The program combines experienced entrepreneurial guidance with practical instruction in business planning, marketing, finance, operations, artificial intelligence and automation.
About the Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce
The Greater Monroe Chamber of Commerce supports local businesses and entrepreneurs through networking, education, business resources and programs designed to strengthen the local business community.
Contact Info:
Name: Edison Guzman
Email: Send Email
Organization: HowToAttractCustomers.com, LLC
Address: 6 Old Temple Hill Rd 14, Vails Gate, NY 12550, United States
Website: https://howtoattractcustomers.com
Release ID: 89200105