Small Business Administration Course

Lesson 1 • The Small Business Landscape

Defines small business by size, revenue, and industry benchmarks. Frames the competitive environment students will navigate throughout the course.

Lesson 2 • Core Business Functions Overview

Maps the six functional areas—operations, finance, marketing, HR, legal, and technology—that every owner must manage. Provides the framework used in all subsequent chapters.

Lesson 3 • Entrepreneurial Mindset and Readiness

Examines the attitudes, risk tolerance, and self-assessment tools that predict owner success. Connects personal readiness to business performance outcomes.

Lesson 1 • Idea Validation and Market Research

Applies primary and secondary research methods to test whether a business idea meets real demand. Grounds the planning process in evidence rather than assumption.

Lesson 2 • Writing the Business Plan

Structures the executive summary, company description, market analysis, and operational plan sections. Each section directly supports funding and strategic decision-making.

Lesson 3 • Presenting and Pitching the Plan

Converts the written plan into a concise pitch deck and verbal presentation. Prepares students for lender meetings, investor pitches, and partner negotiations.

Lesson 4 • Financial Projections in the Plan

Builds three-year income, cash flow, and balance sheet projections tied to realistic assumptions. Teaches students to defend projections to lenders and investors.

Lesson 1 • Ongoing Compliance Management

Establishes systems for tracking license renewals, regulatory filings, and labor law requirements. Prevents penalties through proactive compliance calendaring.

Lesson 2 • Business Registration and Licensing

Covers name registration, business licenses, and sector-specific permits required before opening. Establishes the legal foundation all other compliance activities build upon.

Lesson 3 • Contracts and Business Agreements

Teaches the elements of enforceable contracts used in vendor, customer, and partner relationships. Reduces legal exposure through proper documentation practices.

Lesson 4 • Intellectual Property Protection

Distinguishes trademarks, copyrights, patents, and trade secrets relevant to small businesses. Guides students in protecting brand assets and proprietary processes.

Lesson 1 • Debt Financing Options

Compares bank loans, microloans, lines of credit, and equipment financing on cost, terms, and eligibility. Builds on the financial statements from Chapter 4 to prepare loan applications.

Lesson 2 • Equity and Alternative Financing

Covers angel investment, crowdfunding, and revenue-based financing as equity-light alternatives. Addresses dilution trade-offs and investor relationship management.

Lesson 3 • Building and Managing Business Credit

Establishes a business credit profile separate from personal credit and monitors it for accuracy. Improves long-term borrowing capacity and vendor payment terms.

Lesson 4 • Bootstrapping and Self-Funding

Examines personal savings, asset leverage, and revenue reinvestment as primary funding sources. Establishes cost discipline habits that improve outcomes with external capital later.

Lesson 1 • Budgeting and Cost Control

Creates operating budgets, tracks variances, and applies cost-reduction strategies without sacrificing quality. Links budget discipline to profitability targets set in the business plan.

Lesson 2 • Tax Planning for Small Businesses

Applies deduction strategies, depreciation methods, and entity-level tax planning to minimize liability legally. Coordinates with the compliance obligations introduced in Chapter 3.

Lesson 3 • Setting Up an Accounting System

Configures a chart of accounts, selects cash vs. accrual methods, and establishes bookkeeping workflows. Creates the financial infrastructure used throughout the chapter.

Lesson 4 • Reading Financial Statements

Interprets income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to diagnose business health. Builds the analytical literacy needed for funding applications and strategic decisions.

Lesson 1 • Target Market and Customer Personas

Segments the market by demographics, psychographics, and behavior to define the ideal customer profile. Focuses all subsequent marketing investments on the highest-value segments.

Lesson 2 • Digital Marketing Fundamentals

Applies website optimization, search visibility, email marketing, and social media to generate leads. Prioritizes low-cost channels suited to small business budgets.

Lesson 3 • Sales Process and Conversion

Builds a repeatable sales process from lead generation through close and follow-up. Ties conversion metrics back to the revenue projections in the business plan.

Lesson 4 • Local and Community Marketing

Leverages local search listings, community partnerships, and referral programs to build a loyal customer base. Complements digital tactics with high-trust offline channels.

Lesson 1 • Vendor and Partner Relationship Management

Negotiates favorable terms, monitors vendor performance, and manages partnership agreements. Builds the supplier network reliability needed for consistent operations.

Lesson 2 • Inventory and Supply Chain Basics

Applies inventory control methods and supplier selection criteria to reduce costs and stockouts. Connects supply reliability to the cash flow management skills from Chapter 4.

Lesson 3 • Designing Core Business Processes

Maps key workflows using process documentation tools to identify bottlenecks and redundancies. Creates the operational blueprint that supports scaling in later chapters.

Lesson 4 • Quality Control and Customer Experience

Implements inspection checkpoints, feedback loops, and service recovery protocols to maintain standards. Links quality consistency to customer retention and brand reputation.

Lesson 1 • Revenue Growth Strategies

Applies market penetration, product expansion, and pricing optimization to increase revenue from existing assets. Builds on the marketing and sales skills developed in Chapter 6.

Lesson 2 • Building Scalable Systems and Teams

Delegates through documented processes, organizational design, and performance management systems. Shifts the owner from operator to strategic leader.

Lesson 3 • Geographic and Channel Expansion

Evaluates new location openings, franchise models, and e-commerce channels as growth vehicles. Applies the operational systems from Chapter 7 to new market contexts.

Lesson 4 • Strategic Planning and Exit Options

Creates a three-year strategic plan and evaluates exit strategies including sale, succession, and merger. Connects long-term value creation to decisions made throughout the course.