Business Basics 1

Business Isn't Scary! We'll Show You...

This online course is designed to support women who have a business, nonprofit, or project idea, who are taking over a family business/buying a business, or who have a few ideas but are not sure where to start. Designed to women but open to all! This course empowers women with a vision to take actionable steps to move their idea forward. This course content is based on experience from Montana female founders, Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars consulting for early-stage ideas, and principles of lean startup and design-thinking methods.

Open to UM students and Non-UM students.

This course provides:

  1. Actionable steps to starting your business, nonprofit, or community project idea.
  2. An introduction to female, Montana founders and business leaders and their compelling thoughts on starting businesses.
  3. An overview to Lean Startup principles and creating an Minimum Viable Product: getting customers and acquiring their feedback with an imperfect, but good product/service.
  4. A brief foundation to startup skills (marketing, legal, funding, accounting etc.) where we see many people starting out require additional assistance. We provide enough guidance to get you started as we can only go into so much in six weeks... ;)
  5. Opportunities to build relationships with like-minded women through digital cohorts.
  6. Flexible online delivery: Work is done on your own time, online, with deadlines. Optional, virtual labs one-two times per week in a lab where you can ask questions and connect with classmates.

Course details:

  • Starts Monday, November 30, 2020 and ends Friday, December 18th, 2020.
  • Online: work is done independently and autonomously to meet deadlines
  • Optional Tuesday and Thursday evening labs from 6:00-7:30 for questions, occasional guest speakers, and virtual relationship building with classmates (can also watch recordings of live sessions on your own time)
  • Spots Available: 50 (first-come, first-served)
  • Pre-requisites: while we recommend taking the original Pursue Your Passions course first to learn introductions to frameworks and gather validation, you can still take this course first if you want to jump in full force.
  • For students with children who may benefit from a childcare stipend for class time, please contact the online program manager.

How to Register

UM Students

For currently enrolled University of Montana students (7 credits or more). Registration opening soon: To opt into our text alert system for when courses open, text the phrase passion220 to the number 52855.

General Public

For anyone not currently enrolled at University of Montana, Registration is Open.