Basic Business Management

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