Course Syllabus

MODULE 1 TOPIC: NAVIGATING THE ONLINE CLASSROOM
Overview: The focus of this module is to learn to navigate the course and become familiar with the asynchronous class format. You may enter the class anytime during the semester before the 7th week. The entire 15 modules must be completed on or before the semester ends, but you will set your own pace. When you complete Module 1, Module two will then be made available. I have included several documents located in Module 0 to describe how the course works. We will begin reading the text in Module 2, so please be sure to purchase it from the CCV Bookstore. See the Syllabus for information on the textbook. assignments and papers in proper APA format. • Purdue OWL: The Purdue OWL Online Writing Lab to assist in properly formatting and creating citations for sources in APA format.

For this module, it is important to read all documents in Module 0: Course Preparation and in this module. Objectives: By the end of this module, you will: 1. Locate content in the available modules. 2. Explain and describe your ability to break out of your comfort zone. 3. Properly format, compose, and send a business e-mail. Resources • @ccv.edu Email Coming Your Way: Instructions on how to use your CCV email. We will use this throughout our course. • Hartness Library Citation Guide: Examples on how to cite your sources and create references for the reference list you will add to some of your assignments. • Citation Machine: This will help you develop citations for your entire course.

• Read the article, “Growth Happens When You Put Yourself Outside Your Comfort Zone”: You are beginning a new experience with this class. This article deals with growth and change.

• Please read the preparation materials in Module 0: Guidelines for Online Communication and Guidelines for Successful Course Completion.

• Demonstrate Your Learning Forum Prompt: The Comfort Zone Read the article, “Growth Happens When You Put Yourself Outside Your Comfort Zone”. Relate the article to a recent event that placed you out of your comfort zone. • What was the event? • How did you feel before you made the leap? • How did you feel after deciding to begin or beginning the event? • What did you gain or lose by taking yourself out of your comfort zone? • What did you find in the article that related to your experience? Reply posts are encouraged!
• Business Email Assignment Description: All businesses continue to receive and send e-mails. It is essential to compose and send e-mails that represent you and your company. This is an opportunity for branding and marketing. The e-mail can be your first introduction to possible clients, vendors, and or colleagues. A properly constructed business email contains: • A subject line to minimize the risk of the e-mail delivered to the receiver’s junk or spam folder • A salutation ending in proper punctuation • A body of no more than 2 paragraphs- if longer in length then create a separate document and attach it to the e-mail • A professional closing • A signature block permanently created to automatically appear at the end of all your emails. If the original recipient wishes to forward the e-mail to another manager, your email address disappears and is replaced by the new sender. You need to have your contact information in your signature block to ensure all can easily find your contact information and get in touch with you. Assignment Guidelines: Instructions: 1. Use your CCV email account (see the resource about locating your CCV email). 2. Please review the Email Template with Comments for directions on how to develop a formal business email. Then use the Email Template Without Comments to create your own email. 3. Create your Business Email and: a. Upload it to here. b. Email it to your instructor. You will earn 5 points for developing your email based on the template provided and 5 points for sending your email to your instructor. Please review the rubric for complete grading instructions. Points: 10

MODULE 2 TOPIC: ENTREPRENEURIAL SMALL BUSINESS START-UP

The focus for this module is your small business or entrepreneurship venture. It is important for the sake of this class to create a business even if that is not your life's intent. In the 15 modules, we spend together you will develop a Business Plan that is 8 pages minimum but can be longer (note this term is not in your text, but one we use to describe a plan that is not a "venture capital plan"). The Business Plan is your final project, but you will be completing sections of the plan as assignments all through the remaining modules.

Start here: Module 2 Lecture: Small Business Administration - A Brief History & Module 2 Lecture:

SWOT Analysis
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 1
• US Small Business Association

Demonstrate Your Learning Forums
1. Key Term - Economies of Scale
2. Selecting Your Small Business After reading the text and locating the resources on the SBA website, it's time to make a decision. What is the small business you are planning on opening? Even if you do not plan on operating a small business for the purpose of the assignments and final project in this course, you must select a small business or an entrepreneurial enterprise. Please respond to the questions in the prompt.

Module 2 Assignments:

1. Small Business Administration Worksheet
2. SWOT Analysis Worksheet, create a SWOT analysis chart for your company

MODULE 3 TOPIC: RISK TOLERANCE, PERSONALITY & ETHICS

The focus of this module is family-owned businesses and small business launches. To begin to formulate business ideas, it is helpful to understand the three elements of an entrepreneurial outlook including:

1. Assessing your risk tolerance level,

2. Evaluating your prior experience, and

3. Considering the impact that your personality orientation has on the success of the business

Module 3 Lecture: The Three Elements of an Entrepreneurial Outlook & Module 3 Lecture:
Chapter 2 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 2
• TedTalk with Maya Penn, a young entrepreneur
• Article: Why Should Small Business Owners Think About Ethics?
• Three Personality Assessments: • Myers-Briggs • Big Five • Enneagram

Demonstrate Your Learning Forums

1: Assessing Personality in Preparation for the Business Launch

2.:Ethics in Business

• Module 3 Assignment:
  One-Page Pitch
• Module 3 Assignment: Prepare for the Interview in Module 4

MODULE 4 TOPIC: ASSESSING AND EVALUATING IDEAS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR A BUSINESS
Overview: The focus of this module is assessing and evaluating ideas and opportunities for a business. In particular, we will explore how to perform a Gap Analysis. Several videos of well-known companies will further your understanding of profit and growth by performing a Gap Analysis. During the assignment to interview a business owner, see if their business idea grew out of a Gap Analysis!

Module 4 Lectures:
Gap Analysis
Chapter 3 Key Terms

Readings and Resourcess
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 3
• Video: RedBox
• Video: TedTalk -
Uber Plans to Get More People into Fewer Cars
• Video: TedTalk - Elon Musk - The Mind Behind TESLA, Space X, and Solar City D

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum: Gap Analysis

Module 4 Assignment: Interview a Business Owner

MODULE 5 TOPIC: COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

Overview: The focus of this module is the competitive analysis for your business. All the research and investigation you complete for the assignment in this module will be saved and become part of your Business Plan having to do with your competition. It will part of your Executive Summary (that you will complete in a few more modules) and will contribute to other parts of the Final Project Business Plan like the Marketing Plan section.

Start here: Module 5 Lecture: How to Gather Information About Your Competitors, Module 5 Lecture: The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), and Module 5 Lecture:
Chapter 4 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 4
• North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Website
• Video: Redbox - Taking Risks and Making Profits within the Dynamic Business Environment

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum Prompt: Assessing the Environment

Module 5 Assignment: Competitive Analysis & Advantage Worksheet

Module 5 Quiz: Business Terms from Modules 1 - 5

MODULE 6 TOPIC: BUSINESS MISSION AND STRATEGY
Overview: One focus for Module 6 is The Mission Statement. The Mission Statement is usually 25 words and is written by the CEO/Founder of the company. The textbook mentions five elements to creating an exceptional Mission Statement.

The other focus for this Module is to select a business plan format or example business plan. There are many example business plans for the industry for your new launch. Research different business plans. There is also a sample business plan format in Module 0 that you could work from.

Resources
• Module 6 Lecture: The Mission Statement & Module 6 Lecture:
Chapter 5 Key Terms •
Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 5 & “Building a Business Plan" on pages 311-314 in the text. This section includes a sample business plan for the company Fraudian Slip. Your final project is to write a business plan for your company.
• Review sample business plans from the Small Business Administration and/or reach out to the Hartness Librarian for industry-specific example business plans

Demonstrate Your Learning Forums
1: Mission Statement
2: Select A Business Plan

Assignment: Write a Mission Statement for your company.

MODULE 7 TOPIC: FINANCIAL INFORMATION

Overview: The focus of this module is the financial health of your business. • Why is cash flow so important? Cash flow is actual cash that flows into the firm, minus the cash that goes out of the firm. • What are fixed costs and variable costs in a business? • When does a company or a project break-even and, oh, do we break into our happy dance when that happens?

Resources • Module 7 Lecture: Chapter 6 Key Terms • Please review the Publisher PowerPoint for Chapter 6. You'll see that there are notes for each slide that will help provide more context for the key points! • Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 6 • Review this Excel Cash Flow Template • Cash Flow Statement Explanation from the Accounting Coach • Video: Management Your Business - Prices, Financing and Staffing

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum: Cash Flow and Costs in Your Business

Assignment: Utilizing this Cash Flow Template, complete three months of cash flow for your business. Add the name of your company to the top of the Spreadsheet and then begin to fill in the information. I

MODULE 8 TOPIC: FINANCING, ACCOUNTING, AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Overview: In the last module and in this module, the focus is on the financial health of your business. In chapter 7 we'll work on the profit and loss statements for your business and you will investigate at least three widely available accounting packages.

Resources
• Module 8 Lectures: Module 8 Lecture: Grants & Module 8 Lecture:
Chapter 7 & 8 Key Terms
• Please review the Publisher PowerPoint for Chapter 7. You'll see that there are notes for each slide that will help provide more context for the key points!
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapters 7 & 8

Demonstrate Your Learning: Accounting Software for the New Entrepreneur

Module 8 Assignment: Grant Opportunity for Your Business

MODULE 9 TOPIC: THE LEGAL FORMS OF BUSINESS & THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview: The foci for this module are the Executive Summary and choosing a legal entity for your launch. The Executive Summary is the “hook” that encourages the reader to examine the entire business plan. In the summary, you will briefly describe your business concept in one or two pages. You should be clear about how you will provide value to the customer and what your competitive advantage is. Often a business plan evaluator, either a banker, Angel Investor, an SBA business mentor or anyone else reading your Business Plan will often have 100 plans on their desk to evaluate. Writing the plan with clear sections including the Executive Summary helps. You can also write the Executive Summary in a narrative form.

Resources

•Module 9 Lecture:
Chapter 9 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 9
• Please read the article, The Top Three Considerations When Choosing Your Startup’s Business Structure

Demonstrate Your Learning Select a Legal Entity for your new Business

Assignment:
Assignment Title: Module 9 Assignment: Write the Executive Summary for your company

MODULE 10 TOPIC: THE HUMAN RESOURCES SIDE OF OPERATING YOUR BUSINESS
Overview: The focus of this module is Managing Human Resources. HR is a complex and challenging part of any company. It is much more cost-effective to retain a good employee than to replace and then train a new one.

Resources • Module 10 Lecture: Chapter 10 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 10
• Please select and read an article from Nolo Press Employee Law

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum: Human Resource Plan

Module 10 Assignment: Employment Law Paper

Module 10 Quiz: Business Terms from Modules 6 - 10

MODULE 11 TOPIC: UNDERSTANDING YOUR MARKET

Overview: The focus of this Module is the basic principles of Marketing. First, we define and examine the nature of marketing. Then we look at how marketers develop marketing strategies to satisfy the needs and wants of their customers. Next, we discuss buying behavior and how marketers use research to determine what consumers want to buy and why. Finally, we explore the impact of the environment on marketing activities.

Resources
• Module 11 Lecture: The Marketing Plan and Module 11 Lecture: Chapter 11 Key Terms • Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 11
• Watch this video about Poe Weavers. The young mother in the video is a former student, Amber. She made a joint promo with her friend from Poe Weavers. Notice the necklace on Amber. Amber's company is Love at First Bite. She sells wearable teething jewelry. She noticed her kids sucking and chewing on everything including her jewelry. The beautiful family in this video is not made up of actors, but Amber, her husband, and their kids. Awe!!
• Please watch this TedTalk: How to Get Your Ideas to Spread • SCORE's Explanation of the Marketing Plan

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum Prompt: Marketing, Reaching Customers and Creating Sales

Module 11 Assignment: Write The Marketing Plan for your business

MODULE 12 TOPIC: ORGANIZING OPERATIONS FOR THE BUSINESS & MANAGING YOUR TIME

Overview: The assignment for this module is to develop a list of all activities necessary to begin and open your business and then create a Critical Path Chart to organize them. This can save money and time!

Resources

• Module 12 Lecture: The Critical Path Chart & Planning and Operations Charts and Module 12 Lecture:
Chapter 12 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 12 (Here is the Publisher PowerPoint to review as well!)
• Read 24 Time Management Strategies to Be More Efficient from Entrepreneur

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum: Time Management

Module 12 Assignment: Critical Path Chart

• MODULE 13 TOPIC: THE EXIT, HARVEST, AND TURNAROUND IN A BUSINESS Overview: Each word in the title for this module needs to be explained.
  • Exit – The owners want to shut the doors and walk away. Maybe the company is in grave debt and needs to declare bankruptcy. Or, in the case of a friend, she just got too exhausted and didn’t even consider selling. She ran a modestly successful little Bistro, but wanted to close the door and walk away. She did sell the expensive kitchen and store equipment, but just shut it down.
  • Harvest - The entrepreneurs know they want to start the business and get it off to a great start and then sell the business for a tidy profit. Another company sees the potential to expand their company and the owners are handed an offer to purchase their company for an excellent price. For example, Unilever purchases Ben and Jerry’s or Amazon wants to move into the grocery business and purchases Whole Foods.
  *Turnaround - This describes a company that is in trouble - not good. The company needs to turnaround and make more money.

Resources
• Module 13 Lecture:
Chapter 13 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 13
• Video: Zappos.com CEO Tony Hsieh is evangelical about keeping employees happy
• Video: Tony Hsieh explains why he sold Zappos and what he thinks of Amazon

Demonstrate Your Learning: Amazon Purchases Zappos. That’s a story of big business. What’s the exit or harvest plan for your launch?

Module 13 Assignment: Your Business Plan - Rewrite or Write one section of your business plan -your choice

MODULE 14 TOPIC: FRANCHISING OR PURCHASING AN EXISTING BUSINESS Overview: There are some real advantages to purchasing an existing business or entering into a franchise business. Both opportunities can have real opportunities. Excellent franchises give the business owner support and training. Buying an existing business can provide you with established credibility within your market. You won’t be the untried “newbie”. As in all cases, buyers beware. Do your research and hire experts to be on your side and help you to make the right decision.

Resources •
Module 14 Lecture: The Small Business Franchise Act (SBFA) & Buying an Existing Business
Module 14 Lecture:
Chapter 14 Key Terms
• Entrepreneurship: The Art, Science, and Process for Success: Chapter 14
• Explore the International Franchising Association

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum Buying A Franchise

Module 14 Assignment: Get Working on Your Business Plan!

Module 14 Quiz: Business Terms from Modules 11 - 14

MODULE 15 TOPIC: YOUR FINAL PROJECT: THE BUSINESS PLAN

Overview: This is the last module. WOW! Great work getting to this point! The focus for this module is your culminating project that ties all the assignments together: The Final Project - The Business Plan. This is a research paper (with proper citations) in the form of a Business Plan. Treat it that way

Resources

Read the directions and all support information for the Final Project: The Business Plan

Demonstrate Your Learning Forum Prompt: Tying it All Together

Module 15 Assignment: Final Project - The Business Plan