Foundations of Small Business Launch

This unit introduces core concepts and practical skills needed to evaluate, plan, and launch or acquire a small business. Students will assess business types and readiness, estimate start-up capital and cash flow, perform basic due diligence and valuation, and create foundational documents covering mission, marketing, operations, legal/tax compliance, and team assembly.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the characteristics, lifecycle stages, and market fit of small businesses and assess personal readiness and strategic fit for a selected business idea or acquisition using defined criteria
• Calculate start-up cash requirements and prepare a 12-month pro forma cash-flow projection that identifies funding gaps and viable bootstrapping or financing options
• Evaluate acquisition and start-up options by applying due diligence procedures, basic valuation methods, and contingency planning to recommend buy, build, or avoid decisions
• Develop foundational launch documents—including a mission statement, concise business plan outline, marketing lead-generation strategy, technology and compliance checklist, and prioritized money-to-do list—for a chosen small business scenario