With sessions on inventory management, human resources, finance and accounting, marketing, sales, and even using social networking, students will be prepared to manage their new business.

This course includes:

• different business structures,
• who is managing and who is leading,
• how to create a brand,
• and the value of a strategic plan.

Course Topics:

Session One: Course Overview

Session Two: Who Are You and What Are You About?

• What is Our Business?
• Pre-Assignment Review
• The Owner’s Role
• Keeping Things Moving

Session Three: Designing Your Organizational Structure

• Bringing the Idea to Life
• Leveraging Structure
• Looking at the Options
• Who is in Charge?
• Structural Considerations

Session Four: Introduction to Operations Management

• Defining Operations Management
• Types of Operations
• Practical Application

Session Five: Understanding Financial Terms

• Accounting Terminology
• General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP)
• Key Reports

Session Six: Getting the Right People in Place

• Six Essential Steps of Hiring
• Making Connections

Session Seven: Getting Your Product Together

• Inventory Management
• Understanding the Value Chain
• Outsourcing Options
• Quality Control

Session Eight: Building a Corporate Brand

• Your Brand
• Brand Names and Slogans
• Developing a Slogan
• Creating a Visual Identity
• Types of Visual Identities
• Working It Out

Session Nine: Marketing Your Product

• Introduction to Marketing
• Stage One: Consumer and Market Analysis
• Stage Two: Analyzing the Competition and Yourself
• Stage Three: Analyzing Distribution Channels
• Stage Four: Creating a Marketing Plan
• Making Connections
• The Final Stages: Implement, Evaluate, Review, and Revise
• Leveraging Social Media

Session Ten: Selling Your Product

• Building Your Sales Force
• The Sales Cycle

Session Eleven: Planning for the Future

• Introduction to Strategic Planning
• Making Connections
• The Strategic Plan Pyramid

Session Twelve: Goal Setting and Goal Getting

• Setting Achievable Goals
• Goals with SPIRIT
• Getting Into It

Session Thirteen: Succession Planning 101

• What is Succession Planning?
• Defining Succession Planning

Session Fourteen: Managing Your Money

• What is a Budget?
• Managing Your Budget

Session Fifteen: Ethics 101

• Are You Ready?
• Sample Codes of Ethics
• Your Code of Ethics

Session Sixteen: Building a Strong Customer Care Team

• The Pillars of Success
• The Remaining Elements
• Developing and Maintaining Relationships

Session Seventeen: Training Employees for Success

• Why Continuous Learning?
• Making Connections

Session Eighteen: Leadership Essentials

• Leading and Managing
• Understanding Your Comfort Zone
• Managing Performance
• Recommended Reading List
• Post-Course Assessment
• Pre- and Post-Assessment Answer Keys
• Personal Action Plan