Starting a business is one of the most challenging and rewarding things you can do. But it also offers the chance to create something truly your own. This course will not only help you start a business, but build one that lasts.
This course is for:
- Beginners who have a business idea but want guidance on how to get started
- New entrepreneurs who need help on structure, strategy and growing their business profitably
- Anyone who wants to get insider tips from successful business owners
What you'll get:
- 100 minutes of instructional video content, broken into digestible lessons
- A workbook with summaries and exercises
- Instant access to watch and read at your own pace
- Entrance to an exclusive online community to discuss progress and pitfalls in real time
Through this course, you will:
- Prepare for the journey of becoming an entrepreneur
- Identify what you’re passionate about and start testing your business idea
- Understand market research and how to conduct it effectively
- Explore different ways to fund your business
- Learn how to manage cash flow and prioritize profit as you grow
- Develop smart strategies to market your business
- Learn how to connect with other entrepreneurs and build a strong support network
- Discover ways to structure and protect your business
New!
Now access our exclusive online community free with purchase
Why choose Smarter by CNBC Make It:
Expert-Led Instruction: Learn from experts with extensive experience in starting businesses.
Actionable Insights: This course will teach you how to effectively start a business, with practical steps and exercises to help you get started the right way.
Comprehensive Curriculum: This course will provide a broad overview of everything you need to know about starting a business. We'll guide you through this journey step by step, in simple language that is easy to understand.
Your Instructors:
Kathryn Finney
Venture Capitalist
Kathryn is an entrepreneur, investor, startup champion and the author of bestseller “Build The Damn Thing: How to Start a Successful Business if You're Not a Rich White Guy.” She's the founder and general managing partner of Genius Guild, a Chicago-based venture capital fund. She explains how to build a business from the ground up — developing a business plan, finding investors, growing a team and refining a product.
Mike Michalowicz
Entrepreneur
Mike is the creator of Profit First, a cash-flow management system that's used by hundreds of thousands of companies across the globe to drive profit. He's a former small business columnist for The Wall Street Journal and business makeover specialist on MSNBC. Mike is an entrepreneurship-focused mainstage keynote speaker and the author of several books, including "All In," "Get Different" and "Profit First."
Brian Moran
Business Consultant
Brian is the founder and CEO of Small Business Edge, Brian Moran & Associates, and co-founder of Bricks or Sticks, three companies dedicated to helping all business owners run better, more efficient and more productive companies. Brian also spent two years as an executive director at The Wall Street Journal, where he led the sales development and marketing programs for financial and small-business categories among the many Journal brands.
Course Curriculum
- From Ideas To Strategy (0:16)
- Market Research (5:06)
- Testing Your Business (2:42)
- Case Study: Sell The Tell In Practice With Lloyd Ortuoste (1:39)
- Creating A Business Plan (5:56)
- Pricing Your Product (3:36)
- Case Study: Picking the Right Price Point With Brian Scudamore (4:08)
- Funding Your Business: Part One (6:38)
- Funding Your Business: Part Two (10:36)
- Recap: Building Your Blueprint (1:24)
- Taking Your Business To Market (0:22)
- Registering Your Business (3:46)
- Case Study: Registering As An LLC With Vienna Hintze (3:38)
- Liabilities & Insurance (2:49)
- Managing Cash Flow (6:00)
- Building Your Team (4:45)
- Marketing 101 (2:05)
- Case Study: Push And Pull Marketing With Vienna Hintze (3:22)
- Growing & Scaling (2:17)
- Recap: Launching & Growing Your Business (4:34)
Additional Courses:
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smarter by CNBC Make It a subscription?
Smarter by CNBC Make it is not a subscription.
This means that you will be charged only once for the course you select, and you will not be charged again on an ongoing basis.
After your initial purchase, the course will be available to you for as long as you need it, and you will be able to re-take the course as often as you want.
How many times can I take a Smarter course?
Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are pre-recorded videos, and you can watch them whenever you want (as many times as you want!) on your own schedule.
Do Smarter courses have subtitles?
All Smarter by CNBC Make It courses have subtitles available.
You can enable them by clicking on the subtitle icon (first on bottom right corner) on your screen.
I am enrolled in a Smarter class and having technical issues!
Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are only supported on Chrome and Firefox browsers.
If you are experiencing log-in issues with your class, please try signing in here: https://smarter.cnbcmakeit.com/sign_in
You can try troubleshooting with the steps from this article:
General technical troubleshooting.
For other issues, please visit Teachable's help page here.
Can I take Smarter classes on a mobile device?
If you have an iPhone, you can download the Teachable iOS app here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/teachable-online-courses/id1177062376
For more instructions on how to use the Teachable app to access your Smarter courses please visit:
https://support.teachable.com/hc/en-us/articles/115000766167-Use-the-iOS-App-as-a-Student
Please note: Smarter by CNBC Make It courses are only supported on Chrome and Firefox browsers.
Can I take Smarter classes outside of the US?
Yes, you should be able to access Smarter courses outside of the U.S., but let us know if you run into any issues. Course lessons apply to people living in the U.S. and outside the U.S. Please note that course materials are in English.
How do I download the workbook for my Smarter course?
Once you are enrolled in the course, you will have the option to download the course workbook as a PDF.
You will find the download button at the bottom of the Workbook lesson.
Can I purchase a Smarter by CNBC Make It course as a gift?
If you would like to give a Smarter course as a gift, you can select "Send as a gift" at checkout.
When you check "Send as a gift," you will have the option to type in the recipient name, email, and a gift message.
Please note that the purchased course will be sent to the recipient immediately upon purchase.
What is the refund policy for Smarter courses?
All sales for Smarter services are FINAL sale, and no returns, refunds or exchanges will be provided.
You can find the Terms of Service here: https://smarter.cnbcmakeit.com/p/terms.
Have more questions? Reach out to us at [email protected] and we'll help you out.