Topic outline

  • COURSE INTRODUCTION

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    • Time: 39 hours
    • Free Certificate
    This course will introduce you to entrepreneurship and business planning. By way of introduction, the word entrepreneur originates from the French word entreprendre, meaning "to undertake". Today, we define an entrepreneur as an owner or manager of a business enterprise who attempts to make profits by starting and growing their business. In earnest, entrepreneurs are a diverse group of risk-takers who share the same goal of cultivating ideas and developing them into viable business opportunities. Consider the statistics below to get a sense of some of the (potentially surprising) qualities attributed to entrepreneurs:

    • According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor's 2024/25report, around 800 million people worldwide were involved in starting or running new businesses in 2021. Further, in the United States, entrepreneurship activity increased by 7% in 2021, with an estimated 21.6 million Americans starting or running a new business.
    • According to the National Bureau of Economic Research, immigrants are almost twice as likely as native-born Americans to become entrepreneurs. 
    • The 2021 State of Women-Owned Business Report by American Express revealed that the number of women-owned businesses in the US grew by 58% between 2014 and 2021, compared to a growth rate of 12% for all businesses. 
    • According to the 2024 Wells Fargo Impact of Women-Owned Business Report, there are over 14 million women-owned businesses in the U.S., representing 39.1% of all businesses. These businesses employ 12.2 million workers and generate $2.7 trillion in revenue.
    • According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2024/2025 Global Report, the top 10 countries for entrepreneurship are: United Arab Emirates; Netherlands; Finland; Saudi Arabia; Lithuania; South Korea; Switzerland; United States; Qatar and India.
    • The average age of a first-time entrepreneur in the United States is 34 years old. According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor 2024/2025 Global Report, the 18–24 age group exhibits the highest Total Entrepreneurial Activity rate globally.

    As you can see, the entrepreneurial community is diverse, yet its members share many striking similarities. This course is geared towards both the eclectic mix of individuals planning to develop and launch their own businesses and those with established small business ventures they would like to expand. We will begin by reviewing the history of small business and identifying a successful entrepreneur's characteristics. The course will then coach you in some basic business skills, teaching you how to write a business plan, launch a new venture, identify market opportunities, create a marketing plan, and finance a business.