MILWAUKEE — It takes time to start a business — and for many entrepreneurs, the early years are the most dangerous.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, about 23% of small businesses fail within the first year. About half fail within five years, and nearly 70% fail within 10 years.
Laura Markewicz, founder of non-alcoholic drink company Lotza, said her entrepreneurial journey started long before her business launched.
"It was a seedling in college."
Markewicz said the road to building Lotza came with uncertainty.
"I had no idea what I was getting into."
Now, she and her team are planning for Lotza's future — with help from mentors.
"We don't know what we don't know when we're starting something new."
That need for guidance is exactly what Mitchell Schweda set out to address. Schweda, founder of The Workshop, said new small business owners can sometimes lack direction and run into avoidable, costly mistakes — something he experienced firsthand.
"I have my own startup and I was looking for help."
The Workshop connects new business owners with experienced ones for advice and mentorship. The small group meets for 2.5 hours, giving mentors and founders a space to introduce themselves and discuss the challenges they face in their startups.
"They can save a lot learning from each other, but also talking to the mentors."
The meetings are based in Milwaukee, but Schweda said anyone can attend. He hopes to expand the program across the state — a goal Markewicz said could make all the difference for entrepreneurs.
"Make sure you really surround yourself with the people that have gone through it before you don't make a lot of those big mistakes."
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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