Certificate in Business Creation

The Certificate in Business Creation is a comprehensive introduction to the field for those who wish to gain expertise, along with a professional certificate, in operating a business. The program includes both theory and practical skill development. The program is offered through a blended approach of online sessions and classroom delivery. Those who do not wish to complete a full certificate are welcome to register for individual modules (1-4).

Who Should Attend

Individuals who have a business idea
Those who want to start a business and become their own boss
Existing business owners with no business plan
Individuals who want to turn personal interests into a business

Key Benefits

Access to a team of business professionals and adult educators with proven experience of facilitating self employment programs
Gain an enhanced appreciation of the challenges of starting a business
Develop a customized business plan
Gain the confidence you need to trust your judgment when it comes to handling the business and making decisions
Learn from fellow participants who face similar opportunities and challenges

Program Requirements

A willingness to participate actively in a variety of learning formats
Have identified a specific business idea
Completion of all modules
Written submission of an acceptable Business plan

Program Design
The program design is based on a proven track record of delivering the Self Employment Program for Service Canada for 14 years. The program is comprised of five modules which conclude with writing a Business Plan. The program consists of 90+ hours of instruction, assignments and the written submission of an acceptable Business Plan.

There are several assignments in the Certificate Program which include:

A two-year Marketing plan
Three year financial forecast
Presentation of business plan

Your written Business Plan is submitted for assessment by program instructors. This is designed to give you the opportunity to apply what you have learned in the program in a practical way and to provide a method to assess your development through feedback.

You are also required to facilitate a 20-minute learning session with a group of your peers in the program. Upon satisfactory completion of all five modules, assignments and submission of an acceptable written Business Plan, Dalhousie University College of Continuing Education will award the Certificate in Business Creation.

Modules
1. GETTING STARTED
(Classroom delivery)

Exploring your Entrepreneurial Spirit
In this module you will explore what self employment means and what it takes to be self employed. You will look at the different "hats" business owners wear and you will complete a self assessment tool and find out what is its value.

The Importance of Business Plans
In this module you will learn why business plans are necessary to start, build and manage a successful business as well as the components of a business plan.

Legal Issues in Business
The goal of this module is to explore various "legal" obligations of a new business owner, including but not limited to:

choosing a legal form of business and business registration
the privacy act
intellectual property
zoning of a business
HST registration

2. CUSTOM TWO-YEAR MARKETING PLAN
(Online)

Customers, Competition and Industry
This module will explain how to identify and select the appropriate target market(s); use competitive intelligence to know your competition and how to position your business for success in the marketplace; understand opportunities prevalent in the external environment and assess industry attractiveness.

Advertising and Promotion
This module identifies how to plan and execute advertising and promotional strategies that will create excitement around products/services, generate first-time and repeat purchases and communicate product/service value to capture the attention of your target market(s).

Pricing Strategies
Lastly, the importance of pricing cannot be under-estimated as incorrect pricing can often result in the failure of a business. New businesses often make the mistake of either charging too little or too much for their product(s) and services. To help you avoid making one of these mistakes, you will examine some of the guiding principles of price determination.

3. OPERATIONS—WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER
(Classroom delivery)

Time Management
The goal of this module is to revisit the "hats" business owners wear and assist you in refining your time management skills. Topics may include learning to prioritize, how to handle interruptions, identify time wasters in business, the value of technology and the advantages of planning and organizing time.

Day to Day Operations
In this module, you will examine the differences between an independent contractor versus employee (payroll); the importance of safety training required by the Department of Labour; Workers Compensation issues; and the insurance considerations of running a small business.

4. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT—KEEPING YOUR HEAD ABOVE WATER
(Classroom delivery)

This module will explain the key steps in preparing a budget/forecast for your business. With this module you will be able to take the guesswork out of dealing with numbers and be more confident in preparing and interpreting your results. You will learn the important steps and processes to follow when preparing a budget, how to use your budget to manage your business, basic terminology, the difference between an income statement, cashflow plan and balance sheet, etc. This module is a combination of theory and practice.

5. POWERFUL PRESENTATIONS
(Classroom delivery)

You will deliver a presentation to fellow participants and receive feedback and evaluation. You will be assigned to a group of 5-6 people for presentations and will be required to be present for all of the presenters. Each group will be given a specific day on which to deliver their presentations. Everyone in the group will need to be prepared to give and receive feedback on the individual presentations given by their group.

Presentations are usually one full day depending on the number in each group. You are welcome to attend any of the other presentation sessions as well.

The presentation includes a brief summary of your business plan. The components of the 20 minute presentation include:

Introduction—yourself, your topic and your objectives
Presentation—key elements of your business plan
Conclusion—what are your next steps?
Evaluation/Feedback of your presentation

Program Instructors
Our team of business professionals and adult educators has extensive experience facilitating self employment and adult learning that is relevant today. We bring to the classroom a deep understanding of business practices along with interactive teaching techniques which will both challenge assumptions and support innovative change. As a result, you will analyze your world from a broader perspective, act with greater confidence and gain an enhanced appreciation of the challenges of starting a business. With over two decades of experience, our program instructors bring a range of expertise, passion and commitment to self employment.

Admission Requirements
There are no prerequisites for admission into the Certificate in Business Creation Program, although it is expected that you will have a specific business idea. You will be asked to complete a profile sheet upon acceptance to help instructors design relevant scenarios.

Registration and Fees
The program tuition is $4,500. Tuition includes all course materials. Because enrollment is limited to 15 participants, we suggest you register early to avoid disappointment. To reserve a seat in the program a non-refundable deposit of $500 is required upon registration with the balance due prior to the first session. There is no refund after the start of the program. A payment schedule may be arranged by contacting our Registration Officer, Denise Sullivan at 494-8044.

For More Information
If you have questions regarding the Certificate in Business Creation, please contact us in any of the following ways:

Phone	(902) 494-2526		Email	ducceinf@dal.ca
Fax	(902) 494-3662		Website	www.dal.ca/cce

Program Schedule and Registration Form (PDF format)