ENT 150A Planning Your Business 1

Lecture Hours: 3
Credits: 3

Begins the process of researching, developing, and writing a detailed business plan for a specific business. Conducts a feasibility analysis and defines the business in terms of mission, product and service, and structure. First of a three term sequence.

Prerequisite: Placement into WR 115 (or higher), or completion of WR 090 (or higher) with a grade of C or better; or consent of instructor.
Student Learning Outcomes:

Evaluate a business idea.
Determine personal willingness and desire to be successful entrepreneurs.
Research, identify, and assess business opportunities.
Conduct a Feasibility Analysis of your own business and its relationship to industry, competition and other market considerations.
Develop the foundational Company Description
Choose an appropriate legal structure and management infrastructure for a business concept.

Content Outline

Becoming an Entrepreneur
- Understanding entrepreneurship
- Recognizing entrepreneurial competencies
- Planning process
Developing and Screening Business Ideas (First Screen)
- Researching opportunities
- Looking at opportunities
- Assessing opportunities
Defining a Business Concept
- Defining products and services
- Identifying and learning about the customer
- Reaching the market
- Conducting research
- Writing a business concept
Full Feasibility Checklist
- Determining feasibility
- Product and/or service feasibility
- Market feasibility
- Financial feasibility
Management and Organizational Planning
- Company description
- Determining company name
- Selecting a legal form of organization
- Defining the management team
- Planning the entrepreneurial organization