The Entrepreneurial Startup

Here's what to expect when you enroll in this IEC Course: 1) You will have immediate access to the self-assessment tools to start building your business, and 2) A welcome packet will arrive in the mail with all of your course materials. We'll send email reminders throughout the course, and Bob will call to introduce himself on the first day of the course. This is a SELF-PACED course, so you can work ahead or catch up if you fall behind.

This session investigates the impact that technology is having upon business models and how this had led to an unusual opportunity for Entrepreneurial Innovation. But, most entrepreneurial ventures fail and this session explores why this is true and what the Entrepreneur can do to increase their probability of success. This session will change everything that you may believe about the process of business planning and the academic study of business.

Most businesses are started with a product and a business plan. This session will turn this process upside down. Is it possible to start a business without knowing what product or service you will sell? It is both possible and essential if you are going to increase your likelihood for success.

This session will discuss the elements of a business model and how business models support a company’s value proposition, financial strategy, and business strategy. Several different types of companies and business models will be examined and discussed in this session, which will lay the ground-work for the second session, a case study, on the topic of business models.

Pursuing business opportunities often requires outside resources. This session looks at the equity food chain and identifies several “stage appropriate” financing sources. We will look at an entrepreneurial venture concept from the viewpoint of the sources of resources. What factors make the opportunity attractive? What are the risks? Weighing the attractive aspects with the risks, we’ll examine whether we and they would make the investment. Finally we will explore ways to improve our probability of obtaining the needed resources.

Stimulated by their passion for sports and business three eager entrepreneurs delve into the fragmented Brazilian sports and entertainment business with both feet. While initial success provided a foothold to build their growing enterprise, a number of business model reinventions have allowed their company to grow significantly and attracting the attention of the major industry players. Will these entrepreneurs be modest interlopers or continue to reinvent themselves to sustain certain competitive threats from 'the big dogs'?

Participants will gain a better understanding of the key issues they must consider in selecting, motivating, and compensating an entrepreneurial team to create and enhance the value of a business. This will be an interactive session utilizing a case discussion, interactive exercises, and the sharing of participant experiences.

This course is a launching pad for future success, but you'll continue to face many challenges as your business evoloves. The International Entrepreneurship Center is a community that can continue to provide networking, mentorship, and a community of entrepreneurs to support you.