Design Your Strategy Course

Overview

Design Your Strategy Course is the second 12-week course in our Launch Academy. This course helps you further define your product or service offering, sales process, business model, and initial strategy for your business and its social impact.

Course Objectives

Develop a mindset and habits of constantly re-evaluating your business model based on market conditions
Use information on your current business performance to refine your ideal client target customer, product / service offering, value proposition, and pricing
Learn about different types of business strategies based on different business models
Develop a basic business strategy appropriate for your business model

Weekly Sessions

Unit	Topics Covered
Introduction	Gain an understanding of how time is your most important resource in your business Learn how to track and manage your time on business activities Map out your current process from customer lead to retention, identify the time it takes to complete each step, and reflect on opportunities for improvement
Refine Your Value Proposition	Gain an understanding of why it’s important for you to get clear on the work you do in your business Reflect on your current business development and what you’ve learned about your target customer, product / service offering, and value proposition Use the information from your marketing and sales to date to refine your target customer, product / service offering, and value proposition
Revisit Your Business Model	Gain an understanding of how business model design is an ongoing process and necessary for business resilience Learn about different business models for different industries Review and update your business model canvas for the growth of your business
How Your Business Makes Money	Gain an understanding of the basic ways that small businesses generate income Review your business model and identify how your business generates income Use a spreadsheet to categorize your business sales and calculate how much money your business has made to date
How Your Business Spends Money	Gain an understanding of the basic costs of doing business Review your business model and identify the costs specific to your business Use a spreadsheet to categorize your business costs and calculate how much money your business has spent to date
Value Your Work	Gain an understanding of how to develop a pricing model for your products and services Learn how to calculate the costs of producing and delivering your products and services Identify pricing for your product or service offering based on your costs
Basics of Business Strategy	Gain an understanding of what business strategy is and why we need business strategy Discuss different practices for how you can develop a strategic mindset for your business Assess how you are approaching your business strategy and what you can do to further develop your practice of thinking strategically
Assess Your Business	Learn how to assess your current business using data Learn how to use your business assessment to set business goals Assess your current business and set goals for your business over the next year
Achieve Your Goals	Gain an understanding of different types of business strategies and how business strategies evolve over time Learn how market opportunity, business model, and other factors shape strategy Develop your strategy for achieving your business goals
Understand Your Impact	Learn how to connect your business strategy and positive social impact Learn how to use the theory of change framework to define your business’ positive social impact Define your basic theory of change and connect your theory of change with your business strategy
Stay Relevant	Gain an understanding of the importance of regularly re-evaluating your business strategy Discuss different processes and approaches to re-evaluate and adjust your business strategy based on internal and external factors Develop processes you need to regularly evaluate and adjust strategy
Final Presentations	Present your business’ strategy and approach to strategy adjustment to your peers and mentors Receive constructive feedback from your peers and mentors on your presentation of your business’ strategy and approach to strategy adjustment

Course Details

Length: This course is 12 weeks (54 clock hours).

Format: This course is delivered online and combines live, interactive learning with flexible, self-paced work. Each week includes:

Weekly live, instructor-led workshops via Zoom
Online readings, videos, and applied activities you complete on your own schedule
One-on-one mentoring meetings and facilitated peer group sessions focused on learning progress and course activities

Time Commitment: You will spend about 10 hours per week engaging in workshops, coursework, and applied business-building activities.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of the first quarter of the Launch Academy, including Explore Your Idea Course, Getting Organized Course, and Communicating Effectively Course.

Enrollment Requirement: This course is only available to those enrolled in Launch Academy.

Completion: This course is completed on a Pass / No Pass basis. To pass the course, you must attend required sessions and complete all assigned course activities and final deliverables.

Support & Feedback: You will receive ongoing instructional feedback throughout the course during workshops and facilitated peer mentoring conversations.

Apply to Our Launch Academy

To take our Design Your Strategy Course, you must be enrolled in our Launch Academy.

Apply for our Launch Academy.

Overview

Course Objectives

Weekly Sessions

Course Details

Apply to Our Launch Academy

Contact Information

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