(3 semester credits)

Small businesses make up a large majority of all businesses in the United States. Students in this course are presented with the fundamentals of successfully establishing a sustainable small business enterprise. They address small business organization, operation, management, and sustainability. Business topics in the areas of planning, accounting, finance, and marketing are analyzed through the lens of the small business organization. Students analyze the unique relationships between government and small businesses. Topics include how to identify what determines the status of being a small business with local, state, and federal government agencies as well as how small businesses apply sustainable practices to be profitable. Students investigate the crucial role that technology plays in managing small business operations and evaluate popular software applications for efficiently managing those functions.