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Open Educational Resource · Free to read

EntrepreneurshipEssentials

Foundations for the modern entrepreneurial journey. Every module pairs a Skill Track you can use in any career with a Venture Track that builds real evidence for your own idea.

4 parts
8 modules
24 lessons
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Part I

Discover: Seeing Opportunity

Build the entrepreneurial mindset, learn to see problems worth solving, and prove that real customers have them.

  1. Module 1 · Entrepreneurial Foundation & Opportunity Awareness

    1.1 Entrepreneurial Mindset & Method

    Skill Track · What does it mean to think and act entrepreneurially, and how do I start seeing opportunities everywhere?

  2. 1.2 Opportunity Identification & Environmental Scanning

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  3. 1.3 Checkpoint: Opportunity Selection Memo

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

  4. Module 2 · Customer Discovery & Problem Validation

    2.1 Customer Discovery Methodology

    Skill Track · How do I truly understand my customers' problems, and how do I know if those problems are worth solving?

  5. 2.2 Problem Validation & Customer Understanding

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  6. 2.3 Checkpoint: Problem Validation Evidence Package

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

Part II

Design: Shaping the Venture

Turn a validated problem into a business model and a solution customers can react to.

  1. Module 3 · Business Model Design & Strategic Thinking

    3.1 Business Modeling & Strategic Thinking

    Skill Track · How do all the pieces of a business fit together, and what must be true for my business to work?

  2. 3.2 Business Model Development

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  3. 3.3 Checkpoint: BMC Presentation & Testing Roadmap

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

  4. Module 4 · Design Thinking & Solution Development

    4.1 Design Thinking & Creative Problem-Solving

    Skill Track · How do I create innovative solutions that truly address customer needs?

  5. 4.2 Solution Design & Prototyping

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  6. 4.3 Checkpoint: Prototype Demo & Validation Summary

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

Part III

Test: Proving What's True

Run real experiments and build the numbers that show whether the business can work.

  1. Module 5 · Experimentation & Validation

    5.1 Experimentation & the Scientific Method

    Skill Track · How do I test my riskiest assumptions and gather evidence that my business will work?

  2. 5.2 Run Experiment #1

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  3. 5.3 Checkpoint: Experiment Results Presentation

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

  4. Module 6 · Financial Modeling & Viability

    6.1 Financial Acumen & Viability Analysis

    Skill Track · Can this business make money, and how do I prove it?

  5. 6.2 Financial Modeling

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  6. 6.3 Checkpoint: Financial Viability Presentation

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

Part IV

Launch: Deciding & Pitching

Weigh the evidence, decide to pivot or persevere, and tell the story of your venture persuasively.

  1. Module 7 · Iteration & Strategic Decision-Making

    7.1 Iteration & Adaptive Decision-Making

    Skill Track · Based on all my evidence, should I pivot or persevere, and how do I optimize my business model?

  2. 7.2 Refine, Test & Pivot/Persevere

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  3. 7.3 Checkpoint: Strategic Decision Presentation

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.

  4. Module 8 · Pitching & Entrepreneurial Storytelling

    8.1 Storytelling & Persuasive Communication

    Skill Track · How do I communicate my entrepreneurial journey and business potential compellingly and persuasively?

  5. 8.2 Evidence-Based Pitch Development

    Venture Track · Apply the skill to your own opportunity and gather evidence.

  6. 8.3 Checkpoint: Evidence-Based Pitch

    Integration · Bring the evidence together and submit your checkpoint.