Starting Up:Basics of Founding a Social Enterprise

Welcome to Starting Up!

Instructor: Betsy Lay, betsy.lay@iliff.edu

Course Synopsis: This course will explore social entrepreneurship and mission-based business models and provide basic tools for starting a social enterprise business or non-profit. Through the process of building a business plan, students will explore a variety of issues related to founding a company, such as fundraising, marketing, legal concerns, accounting, and more.

Start here - course intro video:

Course Overview

This course will explore social entrepreneurship and mission-based business models and provide basic tools for starting a social enterprise business or non-profit. Through the process of building a business plan, students will explore a variety of issues related to founding a company, such as fundraising, marketing, legal concerns, accounting, and more. 

Course Objectives

Learning Outcomes: 1) To understand what social entrepreneurship is; 2) To explore the benefits and downfalls of mission-based business models; 3) To consider whether capitalism and commerce have a place in creating positive social impacts; 4) To learn the basic foundations of creating a mission-based business plan.

Exploration and Engagement: 40% of your total grade

Exploration and Engagement will be how we interact with our readings, assignments, and each other. This is meant to be primarily a place of discussion with one and another. 

Building a Business Plan: 40% of your total grade

As we move weekly through the course, you will be given assignments that will help you systematically build a business plan. Instead of constructing a plan all at once, you will go section by section as they are assigned. 

Final Business Plan: 20% of your total grade

If you complete all of the assignments in Build a Business Plan, you will have most of the content you will need to construct your final business plan. The primary function to complete the final plan will be to edit and polish the work you have already done through out the term. 

Date	Day	Details
Sep 20, 2021	Mon	Week 1 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Sep 20, 2021	Mon	Week 1: Introductions	due by 05:59AM
Sep 20, 2021	Mon	Week 1: Exploration and Engagement - The Meaning of Social Entrepreneurship	due by 05:59AM
Sep 27, 2021	Mon	Week 2 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Sep 27, 2021	Mon	Week 2: Engagement and Exploration - Mission-Based Business Models	due by 05:59AM
Sep 27, 2021	Mon	Week 2: What's your big idea?	due by 05:59AM
Oct 04, 2021	Mon	Week 3: Exploration and Engagement - Muhammad Yunus	due by 05:59AM
Oct 04, 2021	Mon	Week 3 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Oct 04, 2021	Mon	Week 3: Reminder - What's your big idea?	due by 05:59AM
Oct 11, 2021	Mon	Week 4 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Oct 11, 2021	Mon	Week 4: Your Big Idea!	due by 05:59AM
Oct 18, 2021	Mon	Week 5 Overview	due by 05:59AM
Oct 18, 2021	Mon	Week 5: Target Market & Competitors	due by 05:59AM
Oct 25, 2021	Mon	Week 6 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Oct 25, 2021	Mon	Week 6: Sales & Marketing	due by 05:59AM
Nov 01, 2021	Mon	Week 7 - Overview	due by 05:59AM
Nov 01, 2021	Mon	Week 7: Operations	due by 05:59AM
Nov 08, 2021	Mon	Week 8 - Financial Spreadsheet Overview	due by 06:59AM
Nov 08, 2021	Mon	Week 8: Financials	due by 06:59AM
Nov 15, 2021	Mon	Week 9: Putting it all together	due by 06:59AM
Nov 20, 2021	Sat	Final Overview	due by 06:59AM
Nov 20, 2021	Sat	Submit Your Final Business Plan	due by 06:59AM