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Business Foundations

Two hands-on courses that teach you how to develop business ideas and design business models before investing too much time or money.

You’ll learn a different way to think about starting a business and practice applying it to your own idea each week.

Taught by David J. Hansen, Ph.D.

Overview

Starting the wrong business—or starting the right business in the wrong way—can waste time, money, and effort.

Business Foundations helps reduce that risk by teaching you how to:

question the assumptions behind your idea;
gather evidence before making major commitments;
make changes based on what you learn;
design a business that is more practical to start;
identify your most important next steps.

You will leave with a better way to develop your business, even if every question has not yet been answered.

The Courses

All courses are taught live online

Weekly 90-minute sessions • Small cohorts • Hands-on learning

You can enroll in each class individually or sign up for both at a discount.

Course I: Developing Business Ideas

Don’t start the wrong business.

Many people begin with a business idea and assume that the next step is to build it. Others want to start a business but do not know what kind.

This course teaches a different way to develop an idea—by learning what the market wants, questioning your assumptions, and making changes before investing too much time or money.

You’ll learn how to:

begin from an idea, a problem, or an interest in starting a business;
learn from potential customers;
identify patterns, problems, and possible opportunities;
develop more than one possible idea;
test important assumptions;
revise your direction based on what you learn.

By the end of the course, you should better understand how to develop and examine a business idea and what you need to learn next.

The next cohort begins September 10th

Course II: Designing Business Models

Make your business easier to start.

A business idea explains what you may want to offer. A business model explains how the entire business could work.

In this course, you will design and revise different versions of your business using the Business Model Canvas. You’ll learn how to:

connect what customers want with what the business will offer;
determine how customers will find, buy, and continue using it;
explore how the business could earn revenue;
identify the main activity the business must do well;
determine which resources, suppliers, and partners are most important;
compare different versions and simplify the model.

By the end of the course, you should better understand how the parts of a business work together and how to continue improving the model.

The next cohort begins October 29th

What to Expect from Business Foundations Courses

How the Program Works

Learn by Doing

Two courses, each six weeks long
Live, online sessions for 90 minutes each week
Small-group discussions, guided activities, and feedback
Practical work on your own business or idea during and between sessions
Manageable activities between classes to help you apply what you learn

Each week, you will have opportunities to share what happened, reflect on what you learned, make changes, and plan your next step.

Most class time will be spent applying ideas rather than listening to long lectures. Participants will begin from different starting points and make different amounts of progress. The goal is to learn practical methods you can continue using as your business develops.

A Different Way to Develop a Business

Both courses are based on several important ideas:

Your first idea does not have to be your final idea.
Business ideas and models are based on assumptions.
Important assumptions should be tested before you invest heavily.
Evidence should guide your decisions.
Making changes is part of developing a business—not a sign that you failed.
The goal is continued learning and improvement, not having every answer immediately.

Preparation for FLEET

Business Foundations teaches you how to develop your business.

FLEET teaches you how to turn that work into a complete business plan.

Completing one or both Foundations courses can help you enter FLEET better prepared—and increases your chances of success.

Learn more about FLEET

Pricing & Scholarships

Choose the option that matches your primary residence. Eligibility confirmation is required before registering at scholarship or discounted tuition rates.

Illinois Residents

You may qualify for a full scholarship ($0 per course) if you are an Illinois resident and meet at least one of the following criteria:

Veteran, Active-Duty Service Member, or an immediate family member of a Veteran or Active-Duty Service Member.
Involvement with the criminal justice system, including but not limited to arrest, charges, conviction, incarceration, probation, or parole (active or closed case).
Reside or own a business in an R3 zone (maps can be found here and here).

Confirm Illinois Scholarship Eligibility

Outside Illinois

You may qualify for discounted tuition ($99 per course or $179 for both) if you meet at least one of the following criteria:

Veteran, Active-Duty Service Member, or an immediate family member of a Veteran or Active-Duty Service Member.
Involvement with the criminal justice system, including but not limited to arrest, charges, conviction, incarceration, probation, or parole (active or closed case).

Confirm Out-of-State Eligibility

FAQ

Do I need a business idea to start?

Do I have to take all three courses?

How much time should I expect outside of class?

How do scholarships work?

What if I miss a session?

How is this different from FLEET?

“Funding provided in whole or in part by the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority”

Contact Us

Email: info@entrepreneursacademy.net

Phone: 773-295-5365

Address: 4950 W Thomas St, Chicago, IL 60651