Simmons College

Entrepreneurship: Business Pla

Prerequisites: GSM 425, GSM 570, GSM 421 or GSM 435 (co-req ok), or permission of professor This course is the nuts and bolts of thinking through, testing, and presenting a creative plan for launching your own venture, whether that be a new business or social enterprise, or a venture with line authority in an existing organization (for-profit, non-profit, government). Students will use and add to their knowledge of finance, marketing, operations, and strategy to craft a plan thereby integrating their MBA training into a finished, professional product proposing a scalable, sustainable venture with impact (the SOM entrepreneurship program mission). (Note: Many graduates have said this is the best exercise they were given to truly capture the full MBA learning path.) Students will work on an idea of their choosing, or if they do not have a scalable idea at the ready, can develop an idea with the professor or work with a local entrepreneur. For the latter, students must be in touch with the professor at least a month before the first day of class. Three other critical elements of the class beyond development of the plan are presentation skill development, cohort building, and interaction with guest speakers and advisors. Students will refine their skill in presenting a business idea in short (30 second), mid (2-3 minute) and long (10 minute) form. Each student will also be linked with a professional advisor to review the plan and comment before our final, public presentation day, entitled the Raw Business Plan Competition. While Business Plans and Proposals is the second course of the concentration in entrepreneurship for the MBA, it is also an MBA elective and all MBA students and alumna are welcome to participate, given satisfaction of pre-requisites.