vcc.ca
LERN 1740: The Business Plan
Effective date
March 2021
Department
LERN UGotClass
School
Continuing Studies
Description
Whether starting a business or growing the one you have, a business plan serves as a roadmap and can help secure needed funding. In this course, you evaluate the many aspects and potential hurdles of the business and build the Business Plan, one step at a time.
This practical, hands-on approach encourages you to immerse yourself in the vision and planning aspects of your business. Focusing on the most critical components of the Business Plan enables you to uncover hidden risks and assess the business from a marketing, management, and financial vantage point.
This course is offered in partnership with Learning Education Resource Network - UGotClass. For more information see http://yougotclass.org/index.cfm/VCC
Credits
0.0
Year of study
General Interest
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Possess a clear description of your proposed business.
- Have the basic components of a business plan.
- Possess a detailed checklist for next steps to research and launch your business.
- Analyze the feasibility of your business.
Prior Learning Assessment & Recognition (PLAR)
None
Hours
Lecture, Online, Seminar, Tutorial: 16
Total Hours: 16
Total Hours: 16
Instructional Strategies
Grading System
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Passing grade
S - based on:1. Make at least one comment every week in the discussion.
Evaluation Plan
None
Course topics
- Getting Started—Refine your concept and begin your plan. • Prepare your concept statement—What, Who, Why, When, and How. • Identify product/service features and benefits. • Identify limitation, liabilities, and regulations. • Write your Business Description and evaluate it against a Business Description checklist.
- Prepare the Marketing Plan • Conduct an industry and competitive analysis. • Perform a market analysis and identify target markets and a market penetration strategy. • Identify your pricing strategy. • Write your Marketing Plan and evaluate it against a Marketing Plan checklist.
- Prepare the Management and Financial Plans • Identify key people and positions, duties and responsibilities. • Determine funding needs and sources. • Create sales and expense estimates. • Write your Management and Financial Plans and evaluate them against checklists.
- Complete the Business Plan and Assess Business Feasibility • Polish the plan and add final elements—Cover Page, Executive Summary, Table of Contents. • Evaluate business plan against checklist and identify items in need of additional work. • Assess business against feasibility checklist. • Identify next steps.
Notes:
- Course contents and descriptions, offerings and schedules are subject to change without notice.
- Students are required to follow all College policies including ones that govern their educational experience at VCC. Policies are available on the VCC website at:
https://www.vcc.ca/about/governance--policies/policies/. - To find out if there are existing transfer agreements for this course, visit the BC Transfer Guide at https://www.bctransferguide.ca.