This course is designed to integrate into the busy schedule of a home-school family by allowing the student to learn on-line either via a computer-based replay. The course can to be taken over a “typical” 32 week school calendar with one hour classes being held approximately every other week. If you opt for using the course that way you can plan on breaks for Christmas and Spring and be finished right along with your other school classes. You can also take the class at any pace you wish and at any day or time via the on-demand viewing ability.
All that is needed is a computer with internet connection. On the alternating weeks the students will have assignments to complete which should take no more than one hour.
Here is an overview of the course:
Session 1 – Introduction and overview to the course. Discovering your passion for business, and understanding “why you want to start one. This Session is available immediately after you register.
Session 2 – Glossary of Business Terminology. This will equip the student with business terms and their meanings that are used throughout the course.
Session 3 – Basic Business Accounting- Understanding the financial side of a business including cash flow, assets, liabilities, and financial statements..
Session 4 – Setting Up Your Business – An overview of the legalities involved in setting up a business, and how to structure your “entity.”
Session 5 – Choosing a Business – Not sure what you want to do? We will look at the balance between your interests and researching the needs of the market.
Session 6 – Budgeting and Record Keeping – Building off of the concepts learned in Session 3, the student learns how to create a budget and how to keep track of the financial transactions of a business.
Session 7 – Mid -Term Review & Understanding profitability as it relates to product costs and what is charged and how to create a “proforma.”
**If taking during a September-May school schedule this is where you would insert your Christmas break **
Session 8 – Business Communication and Etiquette – learn how to properly and professionally communicate with your customers and when to use contracts.
Session 9 – Recordkeeping, filing, and time management – the essentials of a record keeping/filing system and how to manage your time.
Sessions 10 – 12 – How to write a marketing plan (3 parts) – These sessions show how to get customers to to buy your products or service. The student will learn how to write a marketing plan, create a unique selling proposition, set marketing goals, and determine which media strategies will be best for their business.
Session 13 – Copywriting/Designing a Brochure – principles of copywriting and design. How to produce a professional sales piece on a shoestring budget.
**If taking during a September-May school schedule this is where you might insert your Spring break **
Session 14 – How to build your own website for under $100 – using free or low-cost tools. Plus optimizing your site for search and social media.
Session 15 – Case Studies – looking at existing businesses and how you can learn from them to start your own.
Session 16 – Review of the course and insights on how to really launch and get started with what you have learned.
As you can see the course is quite extensive but is presented in a manner that will be understood by a high school student. We even encourage parents and siblings to get involved should there be a combined desire to set up a family enterprise. The course tuition is charged by family unit, so multiple children can participate.
Again, there is an opportunity for Q&A with each session with the provided contact information available after registration. Students will have access to unlimited replays for review and the videos can be stopped and started in the middle of a session – you have complete control of your pace.
