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RICEx: Small Business Entrepreneurship: 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.

Small Business Entrepreneurship: Starting a Business
4 weeks
3–5 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

There is one session available:

After a course session ends, it will be archivedOpens in a new tab.
Starts Nov 22

About this course

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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.

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.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English

What you'll learn

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You will be able to:

  • Generate and assess business ideas, identifying their market potential and feasibility through market research and validation techniques.
  • Identify the elements of a modern business model and plan, including financial projections, marketing strategies, operational structure, and risk analysis.
  • Explore various sources of funding for small businesses, from bootstrapping and angel investors to venture capital and crowdfunding.
  • Familiarize yourself with marketing strategies to reach target audiences, build a strong brand identity, and create a competitive advantage in the market.
  • Develop the entrepreneurial mindset required to tackle challenges, bounce back from failures, and stay motivated throughout your entrepreneurial journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

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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

Interested in this course for your business or team?

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