Entrepreneurship Fundamentals and Challenges Skills To Succeed #251015

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Validate a Business Idea: Systematically assess the feasibility and commercial potential of a business concept using lean startup methodologies.

• Develop a Business Model Canvas: Create and iterate a one-page strategic plan that outlines the fundamentals of how your business will create, deliver, and capture value.

• Craft a Compelling Value Proposition: Clearly articulate the unique benefit your product or service provides to a specific target customer.

• Understand the Basics of Startup Financing: Identify and evaluate potential sources of funding, from bootstrapping to angel investment, and create basic financial projections.

• Build a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) and Launch Strategy: Learn how to test your concept with real customers with minimal resources and plan an effective market entry.

• Anticipate and Manage Key Challenges: Develop strategies to overcome common entrepreneurial pitfalls, including cash flow management, time management, and personal resilience.

This course is ideal for individuals at the beginning of their entrepreneurial journey or those looking to formalize their skills with a structured approach.

• Aspiring Entrepreneurs with a business idea they want to validate and launch.

• Early-Stage Founders currently in the first few years of running a startup.

• Students and Graduates interested in pursuing entrepreneurial careers.

• Intrapreneurs within larger organizations who want to drive innovative projects.

• Professionals considering a career shift into entrepreneurship.

• Small Business Owners looking to revitalize their approach with modern startup methodologies.

• Pre-assessment
• Live group instruction
• Use of real-world examples, case studies and exercises
• Interactive participation and discussion
• Power point presentation, LCD and flip chart
• Group activities and tests
• Each participant receives a binder containing a copy of the presentation
• slides and handouts
• Post-assessment

Day 1: The Entrepreneurial Mindset & Ideation

• Morning:

  • Module 1: The Entrepreneurial Journey: Introduction to the realities of entrepreneurship: the highs, the lows, and the key success factors.

  • Module 2: Cultivating the Right Mindset: Developing resilience, adaptability, and a tolerance for ambiguity and failure.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 3: Idea Generation & Validation: Techniques for generating business ideas. Introduction to the Problem-Solution Fit and how to test assumptions.

  • Workshop: The Problem Interview: Participants practice conducting interviews to validate a core customer problem.

  • Day 1 Recap: Is my idea a business opportunity?

Day 2: Building the Blueprint – The Business Model

• Morning:

  • Module 4: The Business Model Canvas (BMC): A deep dive into the 9 building blocks of the BMC and how they interlink.

  • Module 5: Value Proposition Design: Mastering the Value Proposition Canvas to ensure your product truly meets customer needs and pains.

• Afternoon:

  • Workshop: Canvas in Action: Participants map out their own business idea on the BMC and Value Proposition Canvas.

  • Peer Feedback Session: Groups provide constructive feedback on each other’s business models.

  • Day 2 Recap: Architecting your business.

Day 3: Knowing Your Market and Customer

• Morning:

  • Module 6: Market Research & Analysis: Defining your target market, estimating its size (TAM, SAM, SOM), and analyzing competitors.

  • Module 7: Customer Personas & Journey Mapping: Creating detailed profiles of your ideal customers and mapping their experience with your solution.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 8: Go-to-Market & Marketing Strategy: Developing a practical plan for reaching your first customers on a limited budget.

  • Workshop: Pitching Your Value Prop: Crafting a 30-second “elevator pitch” for your business.

  • Day 3 Recap: Who are you selling to and how will you reach them?

Day 4: The Money Side – Finance & Funding

• Morning:

  • Module 9: Startup Financials 101: Understanding key concepts: unit economics, burn rate, and basic financial statements (P&L, Cash Flow).

  • Module 10: Building Financial Projections: Creating a simple, assumptions-based sales forecast and expense budget.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 11: Funding Your Venture: Overview of funding options: bootstrapping, friends & family, debt, angels, venture capital. Understanding what investors look for.

  • Workshop: The One-Page Financial Model: Participants work on defining their key revenue drivers and cost structure.

  • Day 4 Recap: How will you fund and sustain your venture?

Day 5: Launch, Growth, and Overcoming Challenges

• Morning:

  • Module 12: The MVP and Lean Launch: Defining your Minimum Viable Product and planning your first launch to gather validated learning.

  • Module 13: Legal Basics & Operational Setup: Choosing a legal structure, intellectual property basics, and other key operational first steps.

• Afternoon:

  • Module 14: The Founder’s Challenges: Managing stress, avoiding burnout, building a support network, and leading through uncertainty.

  • Capstone Activity: The Final Pitch: Participants refine and deliver a 3-minute pitch for their business, incorporating learnings from the entire week.

  • Course Conclusion: Resources for continued learning, action planning, and awarding of certificates.