Course Objectives: To germinate and clarify your idea for a business or non-profit to the point of being explainable in a paragraph; to write a complete formal plan for a viable business; to develop your small business research skills and develop a database of human and other resources necessary to begin your business; to learn how to effectively present your business idea to your peers and potential investors; to identify areas of strength and weakness in the skills and knowledge to run your business or non-profit and develop strategies to exploit the strengths and compensate for the weaknesses; to begin the development of your entrepreneurship network; to decide if you really want to invest yourself in this business or nonprofit dream; and to have fun while increasing your confidence in decision making, in communication skills, in interpersonal skills, and in realizing you have what it takes to start your own business.

The themes of this course are innovation and sustainable growth. Our focus is to facilitate the survival and growth of existing small businesses that are owned and managed by local entrepreneurs. The course is organized into two major components pursued in parallel with one another. Students will be exposed to a series of modules that address various aspects of the consulting experience. These modules, and the entire course sequence, are designed around the SEE Model, which is a three-stage model intended to guide teams as they approach, decipher, and ultimately create value for the entrepreneurial enterprise. The second component involves actual consulting interventions. Students will be organized into teams of three or four, and each team will be assigned to one consulting client. The teams will meet regularly with each client, and, employing the SEE Model, move through an evolving series of steps which culminate in a set of value-creating deliverables for the client, and a final consulting report.

Entrepreneurship is the key to the American dream. Sustainable growth and an enhanced standard of living for all Americans are dependent on a vibrant, growing entrepreneurial sector. There is a need for entrepreneurs with creative business concepts and the courage to turn these concepts into sustainable enterprises that create jobs for citizens and create value for customers. There is a key difference, however, between starting a business and growing one. The majority of small businesses fail to achieve meaningful growth, are marginally profitable, and operate as "mom and pop" or "hand to mouth" types of businesses. A smaller number are responsible for the vast majority of new jobs, new products and services, and net new wealth creation in society. It is this reality that lies at the heart of the Emerging Enterprises Consulting course. The themes of this course are innovation and sustainable growth. Our focus is to facilitate the survival and growth of existing small businesses that are owned and managed by local entrepreneurs. The course is actually organized into two major components, and these are pursued in parallel with one another. Students will be exposed to a series of modules that address various aspects of the consulting experience. These modules, and the entire course sequence, is designed around the SEE Model, which is a three-stage model intended to guide teams as they approach, decipher, and ultimately create value for the entrepreneurial enterprise. The second component involves actual consulting interventions. Students will be organised into teams of four, and each team will be assigned to one consulting client.

Welcome to the life of an entrepreneur/small business owner. Over the next few weeks you will explore this new and exciting world of creation and innovation. You will learn how the new venture and small business differs from managing or working in an existing corporation. You will hear from and discuss with practicing entrepreneurs what it means to "be your own boss." We will lay the ground work here for you to pursue your own business. In this class I play the role of professor, small business advisor, member of your board of advisors, and lead investor. Because this course involves less traditional lecture, more discussion, and a great deal of individual work, you bear a greater responsibility for self-management than in other G.C.C. courses. It is my expectation that you will carefully read and follow this syllabus where procedures are established. Where they are not, use your own initiative, after all you are a budding entrepreneur.