Many startup crises can be averted by seeking expert guidance in the planning stages, long before leases are signed or business cards are printed. Like a savvy career counselor or financial planner, the right advisor can help you build a solid foundation as well as steer you through choppy waters once you open your doors.

The Business Model Canvas (BMC) gives you the structure of a business plan without the overhead and the improvisation of a 'back of the napkin' sketch without the fuzziness.  The Canvas has nine elements: Customer Segments, Value Propositions, Channels, Customer Relationships, Revenue Streams, Key Activities, Key Resources, Key Partnerships, Cost Structure.  The Canvas is popular with entrepreneurs for business model innovation.  Fundamentally, it delivers three things: focus, flexibility, and transparency. 

Students will be able to:
- Explain various ways to fund a new business
- Analyze sample elevator pitches and their effectiveness
- Understand how social media marketing can help reach their target audience
- Identify key considerations when hiring for their new business

Students will be able to
- Apply their knowledge on creating a business
- Craft a business presentation, advertisement, and elevator pitch
- Present their business idea to your classmates