In an Enterprise Camp, everyone is there because they've chosen to be there, because the theme at hand is something they have real passion about - and because they saw this gathering as a unique opportunity for connecting with others who are eager to learn about, plan for, and take action in an area that they see as critical to the success of their entrepreneurial effort. Whoever comes is the right people and whatever happens is the only thing that could have.

While loosely structured, there are rules at Enterprise Camps which take inspiration from Open Space Technology. The attendees are encouraged to facilitate or actively participate in the breakout sessions. Everyone is also asked to share information and experiences of the event, both live and after the fact, on the Enterprise Camp wiki and via social media channels including blogging, posting, twittering.

The approach is most distinctive for its initial lack of an agenda, which sets the stage for the meeting's participants to create the agenda for themselves. As individuals raise their issues related to the theme, the facilitator collects them and the group organises them into topics. For each topic a breakout session is defined and a participant volunteers as facilitator, usually someone with expertise or specific interest in the topic.

Each individual facilitator takes responsibility for kicking off the conversation in the breakout session, and taking notes on the online tool provided by our infrastructure. These notes are compiled into a proceedings document that will be distributed electronically to all participants. After the breakout sessions each group share their learnings with the other camp participants in a plenary session.

The invitation the participants receive announces the theme for the gathering and provides a brief explanation about its importance. It also invites them to spread the word, to other people they know who are interested in this work. The people who show up have real passion for the issue and understand that the best outcomes are theirs to create, that this meeting is intended to go beyond suggestions, beyond recommendations, beyond rubber-stamping, beyond past expectations. This meeting is for real responsibility, real learning, real action on the theme at hand.

Finally participants have to follow just one rule, to go where they need to go and do what they need to do. If at any time they find that they are not learning or contributing, they have the right and the responsibility to move on, find another breakout session, visit the food table, take a walk in the sunshine - but DO NOT waste time.