This course prepares students to start their own business and is 
designed to assist entrepreneurs to strengthen and manage their 
business skills.  Fundamentals of starting and operating a business, 
developing a business plan, obtaining financing, marketing a product 
or service, developing an effective accounting system will be 
covered.

• Katz. Entrepreneurial Small Business, 4 ed., McGraw-Hill, 2014. ISBN: 9780077513009

Understand the scope of small business in the United States.
Know the difference between small businesses and high-growth         
ventures.
Discover the rewards entrepreneurs can achieve through their 
businesses. 
Be able to dispel key myths about small businesses. 
Understand how small businesses are important to our economy.  
Define “ethics” & “ethical dilemmas” & the relationship between 
them. 
Discover why ethics are a big part of small business.  
Learn ethics planning, a three-step process to help make ethical 
decisions.
Learn the basic skills for handling a crisis. 
Learn the competencies of the successful entrepreneur.
Understand the challenges of family business owners.
Gain insight into the challenges women and minority business owners 
face.
Recognize the special nature of entrepreneurial teams. 
Understand how creativity methods can help business owners recognize 
new opportunities.
Understand value of building a creative culture in business. 
Know when and why part-time entrepreneurship makes sense.
Learn the four major paths to part-time entrepreneurship. 
Learn how to optimize delegation within the firm. 
Learn the benefits of bootstrapping. 
Describe five ways people get into small business management. 
Learn the rewards and pitfalls of starting a new business.
Understand the opportunities and pitfalls of purchasing an existing 
business.
Learn about the approach and reasons for buying a franchise.
Understand the problems of management succession in a family–owned 
business.
Learn how to sustain competitive advantage through attracting 
customers and discouraging competition.
Understand why and when to develop a business plan.
Learn the major sections of the classic business plan.  
Know characteristics of goods and services. 
Learn the stages of new product development.
Understand pricing and pricing strategies. 
Recognize the different types of direct marketing and their pros and 
cons.
Identify factors to consider in selecting a business location. 
Understand importance of marketing plan.
Recognize major methods of market research.
Understand importance of managing business’s money. 
Understand basics of managing cash flow.	
Learn strategies for coping with cash shortages. 
Know how to choose right type of financing for business.
Understand the meaning and nature of business risk. 
Learn how insurance can be used to manage business risk.
Learn how to manage short-term assets and fixed assets.  
Know when legal information is needed and how to get it. 
Know contract terms and when a contract is needed.
Understand basics of intellectual property.          

Identify actions key to becoming a small business owner. 
Identify the types of career paths entrepreneurs pursue. 
Identify the sources of opportunity entrepreneurs draw on for 
business ideas.
Track the traditional ways opportunities are screened for business 
potential.
Identify strategies for innovation in business. 
Identify the five pitfalls that hinder innovation. 
Conduct a comprehensive feasibility study for your business ideas. 
Understand what it takes to be successful in part-time 
entrepreneurship.
Explain four methods for purchasing an existing business.
Describe how hired managers become owners of small businesses.
Use SWOT analysis to identify strategic options. 
Develop a business plan.
Tell a successful business plan story.
Master presenting business plan to others.
Differentiate public relations from advertising and know how to 
write a press release.
Learn skills in personal selling and how to close the sale.
Master using the internet as a distribution channel.
Understand the pros and cons of buying, building, or leasing.
Identify critical components of a marketing plan.
Understand requirements for a small business accounting system.
Craft budgets for business.
Be able to reconcile bank and company book balances.
Be prepared to develop a cash budget.
Recognize advantages to renting or leasing capital equipment.
Master process of negotiating.
Understand how to recruit good employees on a budget.
Be able to recognize stages of small business life cycle.
   

Evaluation of student progress towards achieving the stated learning 
outcomes and performance objectives is the responsibility of the 
instructor, within the policies of the college and the department.  
Detailed explanations are included in the expanded Syllabus 
developed by the instructor for each section being taught.