What is the Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute?

The Hirshberg Entrepreneurship Institute is focused around a high impact 3-day bootcamp conceived by Gary Hirshberg in 1998 based on his experience leading Stonyfield Farm from its start as a 7-cow operation in 1983 to its current nearly $400MM annual sales level. Previous Institutes have served hundreds of entrepreneurs across numerous business sectors in CA, NY, NH, MA, Toronto, Vancouver, and Auckland, NZ. The organization also offers a series of workshops for entrepreneurs and growing brands.

HEI 2023 Recap

Guest Testimonials

Why Should I Attend the HEI?

By creating a highly interactive, intimate venue for networking, storytelling, and problem solving, the Institute offers a safe, stimulating environment for hundreds of for-profit and not-for-profit entrepreneurs to learn about financing, marketing, organizational challenges, finding personal balance, managing change, and the many other areas that are fundamental to growing a business. The “case” method approach ensures a practical and grounded real world experience. Participants take home a wealth of pragmatic and useful ideas and strategies that can be immediately put to work in their expanding enterprises.

Who Should Attend the HEI?

The HEI is designed for any for-profit or non-profit entrepreneur in any sector who is trying to improve the effectiveness of your enterprise and to expedite your learning curve. Past attendees have included leaders from the CPG, service, digital, communications, media, retail, transportation, and agriculture sectors. We’ve had CEO’s, CFO’s, COO’s, CMO’s, farmers, teachers, students, activists, consultants, board members, investors and people contemplating a career change, all of whom have benefited from our focus on participants’ actual live cases. This allows us to bypass all of the usual jargon and platitudes and cut to real, high impact, and immediately useful advice based on panelists’ actual experience.

Who Should Attend?

Case Studies

The Institute is built around cases submitted by attendees. Cases are real problems or challenges that you would like our panelists to address. Panelists will ask you clarifying questions and then provide feedback, and as time allows, audience members are invited to contribute as well.

Why Should I Attend an Online HEI Workshop?

Between bootcamps, HEI produces a series of online workshops. These 90-minute interactive sessions are jam-packed with pragmatic advice and behind-the-scenes insights from senior executives, experts, and thought leaders in the natural and organic products industry. Participation in these sessions offers an excellent return on investment of time and allows growing brands to participate remotely via Zoom.