Supporting Small Business Leaders

LIFT is a cohort-based, online learning experience designed for small business leaders who want to strengthen their social media marketing skills. Over 6 weeks, participants complete focused lessons and apply new insights directly to their business.

The program is delivered by the Texas State University SCALEUP initiative and is supported in part by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

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Program Overview

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More than 350 small business owners in the U.S. strengthened their digital marketing strategies — nearly tripling their marketing confidence — through Texas State University’s six-week LIFT (Learning and Insights for Forward Traction) accelerator. Those owners are now positioned to grow their businesses, strengthen local economies and create jobs nationwide.

The program was funded by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and received more than 3,000 applications nationwide, reflecting strong demand for accessible, evidence-based marketing education among small businesses.

The program was led by the Sustainable Cultivation and Advancement of Local Enterprises with University Partnership (SCALEUP) program and designed as a direct response to persistent marketing challenges identified through SCALEUP’s national research on small business ecosystems over about two years. After identifying marketing and advertising as primary challenges, LIFT provided entrepreneurs with a hands-on curriculum in social media strategy, content creation, audience engagement and brand development.

Program Impact: From Marketing Barriers to Breakthroughs

Program data show measurable changes in how participating entrepreneurs use digital tools:

  • Confidence using social media platforms increased, with the share of business owners who felt “very confident” rising from 28% before the program to 73% after completion.
     
  • Ninety-seven percent of participants rated their understanding of how to grow their business through social media as “good” or “expert” at the end of the program.
     
  • Nearly all program graduates (98%) reported setting clear marketing goals, up from 46% before the program.
     
  • The share of businesses maintaining a written strategy, content calendar, and key performance indicators increased from about 20% to more than 80%.
     
  • Entrepreneurs also nearly doubled their weekly marketing engagement, increasing from 12 to 22 hours per week.

LIFT participants also reported stronger online presence and diversified marketing practices across digital and community channels. Use of social media rose from 55% to 93%, and website ownership increased from 5% to 34%.

Many entrepreneurs used the program to incorporate new technologies into their workflows.

“Prompt engineering changed everything,” said Jose Cortez, founder of Eagle Eye LLC. “I can now plan 30 to 45 days of marketing content with AI tools that I used to think were out of reach.”

QUICK FACTS: LIFT PROGRAM

• Program name: LIFT (Learning and Insights for Forward Traction)

• Host: SCALEUP, Texas State University

• Program type: Short-term, online training program for small business leaders

• Focus: Building structured, repeatable social media and digital marketing capabilities

• Cohort size: 350 entrepreneurs admitted

• Program length: 6 weeks

• Geographic reach: Participants from across the US (majority located in Texas)

• Target audience: Small business leaders seeking foundational marketing strategies and systems

•  Funding: Primary funding by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation

•  Outcomes: Measured using pre- and post-program participant surveys; full results available in the outcomes report

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2026 Outcomes Report

A detailed overview of the LIFT Accelerator Program, participant outcomes, and next steps.

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