Countdown is for you if....
- You’re building your first startup and wondering where to start
- You’re overwhelmed by conflicting advice and startup jargon
- You’re building on your own, with limited time and capital
- You're not sure what to build first and want help prioritizing
- You need real momentum, not just ideas
Led by Dan Manning, Founder Education Partner
🧠 Curriculum built by Dan Manning
Former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot turned founder, coach, and decision strategist — Dan designed this program to help you think clearly, build sustainably, and take confident next steps.
Dan has coached hundreds of founders and leaders on how to cut through chaos and act decisively. He teaches from experience — and with empathy.
✔️ 10 Countdown Steps
From mindset to marketing to your first sales, each step builds clarity and traction.
✔️ Real Mentorship
Gust-certified mentors guide you at key checkpoints — no vague advice, just honest feedback.
✔️ Learn by Doing
Short tactical lessons, weekly check-ins, and founder tools keep you moving — even if you’ve only got a few hours a week.
You'll leave the program with....
- A clear founder mindset
- A burnout-prevention plan and techniques
- 10 real customer discovery interviews
- Validated product experiments
- Your unique value proposition
- A lean business plan
- Your first launch offer
- A small-budget marketing strategy
- A repeatable sales pitch
- And… your first 5 customers
Applications are open. Apply Now!
🧠 Solo-friendly and paced for real life
💬 Weekly check-ins and expert office hours
Book a meeting with Dan to learn more and apply before this cohort fills up!
You don’t need an MBA, cofounder, or pitch deck. You need structure, support, and a clear path forward.
Frequently Asked Questions
Gust Countdown to Launch is $1,500.
The program and its benefits are primarily geared toward founders or prospective founders of US-based startups that have a technology component and some opportunity to achieve scalability. We recognize the existence of unicorns, but we’re equally interested in the abundance of less mythical creatures like zebras, camels, and gazelles!
You’ll likely get the absolute most out of the program if you’re seriously considering taking the leap in the next 12 months.
If you’re currently outside of the US but planning to incorporate and raise money in the US, you might still be a good fit. If you’re outside the US and planning to stay there and raise there this program likely won’t be a good fit. Same if you’re working on any of the following types of ventures:
- A single-location, brick and mortar small business
- A drop-shipping business
- A film, music album, or performance production
- A traditional business designed to quickly generate revenue
- Live small group sessions and individual mentoring sessions to help you work through the stickiest challenges every new Founder faces. But, rather than struggling alone, you get the benefit of mentors who have worked with 1000s of startup Founders just like you.
As a Founder, you get to choose where to invest your time. We promise to make the time you invest worth it. All of the work in the program is focused on the business you are building. There is no loose theory. It’s all instantly applicable for you. You can make progress if you can devote a minimum of 2 hours per week to this curriculum.
The small group sessions will typically be in the afternoon on weekdays, but if there is a time that is better for the group, we will adapt. Individual sessions are scheduled between you and the mentors you work with.
Of course. If you don’t feel like the program was 100% worth it, let us know and we’ll refund the full program cost.
We believe interacting with the peers in your cohort and the Gust team directly are a huge value-add to the program, so please try to attend whenever possible. That said, we know scheduling is hard, so we’ll record all sessions, including Q&A, and distribute them within 24 hours.
No, this is not an accelerator in the traditional sense: we charge up front, we don’t take equity, we don’t invest, and we do not have a geographic or industry-specific thesis. This program as an in-depth, general purpose compliment to an accelerator—in fact, portions of it have been embedded in other accelerators.
If you’re already in an accelerator, this program will provide deeper insight and support on core concepts.
Many founders also find Gust helps them more effectively utilize the resources they already have access to. If you’re already in an accelerator, this program will help you better leverage their resources for strategic concerns, rather than educational. If you’re not already in an accelerator, this program will help you understand their value proposition and determine whether there might be one in your future.
We think that’s a great idea! Drop us a line at partnerships@gust.com.
If you’re interested in a first look at the companies coming through this program drop us a line at dealflow@gust.com.
We’re here for you. If you’re interested, apply. There’s no obligation to attend and you’ll have the ability to sign up for an information session during the application process. You can chat us up on Intercom, too. 👉