From One Day to 3 Months, The Evolution of the Solutions Lab
Four Hours Wasn't Enough
On June 8, 2026, we gathered a room full of founders, nonprofit leaders, creatives, service providers, and community builders in downtown Asheville for the first Biz Hero Solutions Lab. Even the local news WLOS, came out to witness what we were doing.
Everyone arrived carrying something different.
A growth challenge. A funding challenge. A hiring challenge.A marketing challenge.
A dream they hadn't quite figured out how to bring to life.
But underneath all those challenges was something surprisingly similar:
A decision.
Should I grow? Should I hire? Should I pivot? Should I invest? Should I launch? Should I let this go?
For four hours, we worked through those questions together.
And by the end of the day, something became very clear.
The biggest challenge facing many founders isn't a lack of information. It's navigating complexity.
A Room Full of People Trying to Build Something That Matters
Before the event, participants shared what they were struggling with. One founder was exploring how to turn several community-focused ideas into reality.
A nonprofit leader was trying to build systems for sustainable growth.
A business owner was searching for ways to attract more customers after rebuilding from Hurricane Helene.
Others were wrestling with visibility, hiring, leadership, funding, partnerships, burnout, and operational overwhelm.
One participant summed up a challenge I hear many founders I work with quietly carry:
"Trying to connect with the money to do good instead of this being a hobby."
Different organizations. Different industries. Different stages of growth.
Yet, the same fundamental challenge:
How do I make good decisions when everything feels important?
The Question That Changed My Life
Seven years ago, to the exact day of the Solutions Lab, June 8th, 2026, I was asking myself a similar question.
A rainy afternoon ended my first business.
Years of burnout followed.
One cold winter day, as I recovered, I found myself driving to meet a client in my car, which had a broken window covered by a trash bag.
The bag flew off.
Cold air rushed in.
And I completely fell apart.
Then I pulled myself together, walked into the meeting, and coached someone else through their business challenges.
That moment forced me to confront something I had been avoiding:
I cared deeply about the work I was doing. But I didn't know how to build something sustainable around it.
That realization sent me on a journey to understand why intelligent, purpose-driven people so often find themselves overwhelmed, reactive, exhausted, or disconnected from the very things they care most about.
Over time, that exploration became the foundation of the Mission Critical Method™ and the frameworks we introduced during our event.
What We Learned
When we reviewed the event feedback afterward, one thing stood out.
People didn't leave asking for more networking. They didn't ask for more motivational talks. They didn't ask for more content.
They asked for more time.
More time to think.More time to process.More time to work through decisions.More time with people asking thoughtful questions.More time with peers facing similar challenges.
One attendee described leaving with a "more organized thought process."
Another shared that they learned to focus on what matters most instead of trying to do everything.
Several specifically requested support over the next 90 days around strategic planning, decision-making, accountability, and implementation.
The message was clear.
Four hours created clarity.
People wanted a way to continue the work.
So that's exactly what we built.
The Biz Hero Solutions Lab evolved from a one-day event into a three-month online incubator designed to help founders navigate decisions with greater clarity, confidence, and intention.
Together, we explored questions like:
What am I actually building?
What matters most right now?
Which opportunities deserve my attention?
What assumptions am I making?
What does sustainable growth look like for me?
How do I make decisions that align with my values, vision, and capacity?
Over three months, participants developed practical tools for navigating complexity, evaluating opportunities, and leading more intentionally.
Not because anyone needs another business guru.
But because meaningful work deserves thoughtful decision-making.
What’s Next for Solutions Lab?
Our first Solutions Lab cohort gave us the chance to put that idea into practice. And learn from it, too.
Solutions Lab will continue to evolve, with future programs and experiences announced as they take shape. Interested in joining us next time? Join Biz Hero Ink, or twice a month newsletter, to stay in the loop on future programs, gatherings, and other things we’re building.
And if you're looking for support now, head to Work With Us at the top of this page to explore the ways we're currently helping founders and organizations figure out what matters next.
