The eLearning Center for Gatlin Education Services

Interested in starting, owning and operating a business? The Entrepreneurship: Start-Up and Business Owner Management program provides an excellent foundation for not just the start-up business owner, but also the business owner or manager who wants to gain a further understanding of some of the essential principles associated with owning and operating a start-up or on-going business. The program includes Business Plan Development, Positioning For and Finding Financing, Legal Issues in Operations, as well as Buying and Selling a Business. You will grow in your understanding of financial and accounting terms, gain confidence and improve your communication skills, as well as explore some of the topics of running a business in accord with legal requirements. It’s never been easier to get your own business up and running!

By completing the Entrepreneurship: Start-Up and Business Owner Management course, students will:
• Know the various types of financing from venture capital to traditional financing source
• Gain confidence and improve their communication skills.
• Develop a successful leadership style.
• Understand some of the more important topics in running the operations of a business in accord with legal requirements.
• Learn the essentials of creating and developing a successful business plan that can be used for both internal strategic management and external positioning for financing
• Explore the developmental process, and how to be successful in effectuating change

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I. Essentials of Business Ownership
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Starting a Business
c) Finding a Niche/Differentiation
d) Leadership Styles and Corporate Culture
e) Taxes
f) Financing
g) Legal and Regulatory Issues
h) Conclusion

II. Financial/Accounting Management
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Importance of Financial Statements
c) The Balance Sheet
d) The Income Statement
e) Statement of Cash Flows
f) Financial Ratios
g) Conclusion

III. Marketing Management
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Marketing Goals
c) The Marketing Plan
d) The Marketing Mix
e) The Marketing Budget
f) Marketing Implementation
g) Technology and Marketing
h) Summary

IV. Strategic Management in Operations
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Definitions and Business Models
c) Categories of Strategies
d) Strategic Planning Models
e) Creating Strategic Alternatives
f) Implementation
g) Conclusion

V. Positioning For and Finding Financing
a) Introduction
b) Positioning
c) Positioning the Owner and the Entity
d) Finding Financing
e) Debt vs. Equity
f) Factors to Consider and Terminology
g) Summary

VI. Persuasive Communication
a) Introduction
b) Fundamentals of Communication
c) Knowing the Audience
d) The Power of Listening
e) Credibility of the Speaker
f) Evidence in Persuasion
g) Emotion in Persuasion
h) Organizing the Argument
i) Summary

VII. Organizational Leadership and Decision-Making
a) Introduction and Overview
b) What is a Leader
c) Sources of Power in Leadership
d) Leadership Theories
e) Transformational Leaders
f) Decision-Making and Empowerment
g) Accountability
h) Summary

VIII. Legal Issues in Operations
a) Introduction
b) Sources of Law
c) Agency and Employment Law
d) Torts Law
e) Sales and Products Liability
f) Intellectual Property
g) Ethics
h) Summary

IX. Business Plan Development
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Definition of a Business Plan
c) Development of a Business Plan
d) Sections of a Business Plan
e) Financial Projections
f) Common Mistakes
g) Summary

X. Understanding Financial Statements
a) Introduction
b) Positioning
c) Positioning the Owner and the Entity
d) Finding Financing
e) Debt vs. Equity
f) Factors to Consider and Terminology
g) Summary

XI. Organizational Development and Change
a) Introduction and Overview
b) The Culture of an Organization
c) Types of Culture
d) Organizational Change
e) The Human Side of Change and Resistance
f) Summary

XII. Principles of Buying and Selling a Business
a) Introduction and Overview
b) Business Brokers
c) Preparing for Sale/Purchase
d) Key Steps in Preparation
e) Corporate Culture
f) Purchase Price
g) Summary/Conclusion

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