Get Started with Small Business Entrepreneurship Course 1: Starting a Business

Build your confidence as an entrepreneur, from ideation to drafting your business plan

Welcome to Small Business Entrepreneurship - Starting a Business, a practical online course designed to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge and skills required to turn innovative ideas into successful and sustainable ventures.

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DESCRIPTION

Recommendation: As a next step in your business venture, we recommend completing the second course in this series, Small Business Entrepreneurship – Marketing a Business, after completing Starting a Business.

Small Business Entrepreneurship: Starting a Business (Course 1)

Rice University’s online business courses for entrepreneurs provide a convenient, yet interactive and hands-on, way to learn or brush up on practical entrepreneurship skills.

Taught by industry professionals from Rice Business, the #1-ranked Entrepreneurship Graduate Program in the U.S. (Princeton Review, Entrepreneur Magazine), learners will explore the entire entrepreneurial journey, from conceptualizing a business idea to crafting a business model canvas, pitch deck and business plan draft. Through a combination of engaging lectures, practical case studies, group discussions, interviews, and hands-on exercises, students will gain invaluable insights into the principles and best practices that define successful small business ventures.

Who should attend:

Aspiring entrepreneurs, start-up founders, or small business owners
MBA students or college students majoring in business or a related subject
Current small business owners, entrepreneurs, or leaders who need help crafting a business model canvas, pitch deck, or business plan draft

You will be able to:

Understand the legal and regulatory aspects of launching and operating a small business, including business structures, permits, licenses, and intellectual property protection.
Master the art of selling, customer acquisition, and retention strategies to ensure long-term business success.
Explore techniques to scale and expand your business, while maintaining its core values and objectives.

LECTURE SAMPLES

MEET YOUR RICE PROFESSORS

Craig Ceccanti

Craig a is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Softeq Development Corporation, a technology consulting and full-stack development firm based in Houston. In his role as COO, Craig is responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the company, focusing on optimizing processes to ensure efficient functioning. Craig is also a Managing Partner at Softeq Venture Fund, a fund dedicated to fostering the growth of early-stage tech startups. This unique dual role enables him to channel his passions for operational excellence, exceptional customer experience, and the flourishing of the startup ecosystem. He has remained involved at Rice University as an Adjunct Professor and Board of Advisors member for the Jones School of Business.

Al Danto

Al Danto is the Senior Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and teaches the Executive MBA New Enterprise Class, the Enterprise Acquisition class and their corresponding E-Labs which give students the opportunity to work on their own startup company or begin the search for a business to acquire. Al has served as lead representative on a wide range of business acquisitions and has proven experience working with lenders, private equity groups and individual purchasers. He has served on a variety of boards, including the alumni board of the Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice University and the Entrepreneurs Organization.