Entrepreneurship

COURSE: ENTREPRENEURSHIP: START-UP AND BUSINESS OWNER MANAGEMENT (GES439)
Online Entrepreneurship Training
Learn To Run a Startup Business

Starting a successful small business is a possibility for entrepreneurs with skills, knowledge and passion to bring their product or service to market. This 100% online will teach you the principles for opening and running a small business or start up. Key topics include the communication and leadership skills, management principles and financial and legal concepts needed to start and operate a new business entity.

Job Outlook for Small Business Owners
  • According to TheHill.com, there are over 582 million entrepreneurs in the world. FreshBooks estimates that more than 15 million Americans are full-time self-employed. Entrepreneurship is a nearly-unlimited opportunity, given skills, knowledge and determination.
  • FactFinder data indicates the 83.1% of American entrepreneurs started their own companies.
  • Entrepreneurs start their own companies at any age and may be either male or female. Guidant Financial says that 60% of new businesses are started by people between the age of 40 and 60. Babson’s data indicates that as many women start businesses as men.
Small Business Owner FAQs
  • WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO START A BUSINESS?

    Starting and running a small business requires mental, emotional and financial resources. There is an established set of procedures that involve organizing, launching and operating an owner-managed business. Knowledge about legal and financial aspects of business creation, development and management principles and communication skills are invaluable to the start-up entrepreneur.

  • DO START-UP BUSINESSES HAVE HIGH FAILURE RATES?

    While conventional wisdom holds that a majority of new businesses fail, recent data may point toward a different conclusion. According to Enrepreneur.com, new business failure rates have fallen by 30% since 1977, due in part to the relatively low cost of starting a small-scale business. Small Business Genius estimates the failure rate for brand new businesses at 22.5% for the first year. A well-organized and professionally run business has a nearly-80% chance of succeeding through the first year start-up process.

  • IS TRAINING IMPORTANT FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP?

    While some entrepreneurs start their businesses without formal training, a well-designed entrepreneurship course provides formal knowledge about financial, legal and management issues they may not receive outside the course format. For example, according to CBInsights, 42% of businesses that fail do so because there is no demand for their product or service. Another 29% fail for lack of proper capitalization and budgeting.

Course Objectives
  • Know the various types of financing available for entrepreneurs, from venture capital to traditional financing sources
  • Gain confidence and improve management communication skills needed to collaborate with vendors, clients, and partners, including employees
  • Understand legal requirements for starting and running a business
  • Learn the essentials of creating and developing a successful business plan
  • Learn to use a business plan as a tool for internal strategic management and external positioning
  • Explore the business development process
  • Understand how to create change
Prerequisites and Requirements

There are no prerequisites to take the course.

Curriculum
  • ESSENTIALS OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIP

    Introduction to starting a business, finding a niche and establishing your leadership style and corporate culture

  • FINANCIAL AND ACCOUNTING MANAGEMENT

    Overview of financial aspects of entrepreneurship, including balance sheets, rations and financial, income and cash flows statements

  • MARKETING MANAGEMENT

    Building a marketing program to support your business; marketing goals and planning, budget and implementation

  • STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IN OPERATIONS

    Defining your business model and strategic plan; creating and implementing strategic alternatives

  • POSITIONING FOR AND FINDING FINANCING

    Positioning the owner and the entity to find financing

  • PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION

    Fundamentals of communication and active listening; knowing the audience, establishing credibility as the speaker

  • ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERSHIP AND DECISION MAKING

    What is a leader?; leadership theories, decision making and empowerment

  • LEGAL ISSUES IN OPERATIONS

    Navigating Agency and Employment Law to run your business legally and ethically; Sales and Products Liability

  • BUSINESS PLAN DEVELOPMENT

    Defining and developing a comprehensive business plan

  • UNDERSTANDING FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

    Debt vs. equity; factors to consider and terminology

  • ORGANIZATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND CHANGE

    Types of organizational culture and change; the human side of change and resistance

  • PRINCIPLES OF BUYING AND SELLING A BUSINESS

    Key Steps in preparing to sale or purchase; considerations about corporate culture

Instructors

  • Kelley Burgess

    Kelley Burgess is a public-speaking coach and author and presenter of the half-day seminar “Serving with Maximum Effectiveness.” Previously spent five years teaching speech, debate, and mediation at the high-school level and was named in “Who’s Who of America’s Best Teachers” in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland.

  • Katrina McBride

    Katrina McBride’s career reflects extensive experience in organizational leadership, marketing strategies, and market development in multi-national corporate environments. Her leadership abilities have been utilized to develop new programs and functional areas. In director-level positions for Nortel Networks, she led strategy for competitive intelligence, emerging markets, and lead generation. McBride holds an M.A. in organizational management and a B.S. in psychology.

Registration and Enrollment

This course is 100% online. Start anytime.