Sewing Salon Entrepreneurial Courses

This is an exciting, new opportunity for us to expand our teaching services to our students. Courses will be held online. The 13-month program is designed to give our students a great start on their entrepreneurial dreams. Interested in getting involved? We are looking for students, speakers and mentors to participate in this program.

Syllabus Overview

Following are key objectives for each module. Ten of the modules are from the FDIC/SBA Money Smart Program. Each has an Instructor Guide and a Participant Guide available for review online. You can access the materials at:  

https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/business.html

Support materials for the three Marketing-related modules (Marketing, Customer/Client Relationships and Online Promotion and Selling) will be developed in collaboration with the instructors. 

Is Owning a Business a Good Fit for You? (January 2021 - Instructor: Dr Trish Eisele) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Discern between the myths and realities of small business ownership - Start a self-assessment to determine their readiness to become a small business owner 

- Gain insight about their readiness to start a business 

Planning for a Healthy Business (February 2021 - Instructor: Dr Trish Eisele) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Discover a 4-Step Business Planning process, via a case study, that will help them create a long-term healthy business:  

• Back-of-Napkin Plan 

• Resource Plan  

• Business Plan  

• Action Plan

Banking Services (March 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will: 

- Gain a solid understanding of the banking products and services available to small business owners 

- Understand the importance of building effective long-term relationships with a banker or lender 

- Recognize the role of a personal credit score in the lending process 

Organizational Types (April 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Know that the legal structure of a business determines how a company operates and is taxed 

- Distinguish the general characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of organizational types:  

• Sole proprietorship 

• Partnerships  

• Limited liability company 

• C-corporation  

• S-corporation 

Time Management (May 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Understand the importance of time management  

- Discover commonly used time management practices like:

• Pareto analysis  

• ABC method  

• Eisenhower method 

• POSEC method 

Financial Management (June 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will: 

- Grasp the importance of sound financial management 

- Understand the basics of small business financial management including:  

• Start-up financing  

• Financing for a growing business  

• Financing working capital  

• Financing fixed assets 

Record Keeping (July 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Comprehend the necessity for good record keeping 

- Learn about the practices and rules of record keeping for small businesses

- Discover record keeping software tools

Marketing (August 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Understand the basics of marketing a start-up business 

- Learn about consumer research and product/service development

- Discover marketing tools for growth and expansion 

Customer/Client Relationships (September 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Learn how to establish and develop relationships with suppliers and customers

- Understand how to communicate effectively 

- Discover ways to maintain customer contacts  

Risk Management and Insurance (October 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will:

- Understand the common risks associated with a small business 

- Identify the external and internal factors which can cause risks for a small business

- Implement, monitor and evaluate a risk management plan for a small business

- Recognize the importance of small business insurance 

- Understand the full range of insurance products and services:  

• Required coverage 

• Other coverage 

Tax Planning and Reporting (November 2021) 

Entrepreneurs will: 

- Understand the range of state, local and federal tax reporting requirements of a small business and its owner 

- Be able to research general tax reporting requirements 

- Understand the importance of establishing a plan to pay taxes 

Online Promotion and Selling (January 2022) 

Entrepreneurs will: 

- Understand the range of online tools available to market a business

- Be able to evaluate different options for selling to customers 

- Learn how social media can boost business reach 

Managing Cash Flow (February 2022) 

Entrepreneurs will: 

- Learn how critically important cash flow management is for a small business - Act as advisors to Bob and The Wired Cup 

- Understand the need for expert assistance and advice