COURSE DESCRIPTION

We all have something that annoys us to no end (think long lines at Starbucks, waiting for the UVa bus, or trying to get onto an UVa printer). You come up with a solution to your vexation but what do you do next? That’s exactly what you will learn in this class. Presentation Strategies for Entrepreneurs is for every self-starter who has an idea for correcting a problem. This course provides real world, hands-on learning on what it’s like to actually start a company. This class is not about how to write a business plan. Instead you will be getting your hands dirty talking to potential customers, partners, competitors, as you encounter the chaos and uncertainty of how a startup actually works. You will learn how to present your concept to investors.  You’ll work in teams learning how to turn a great idea into a great company. You’ll also learn how to use a business model canvas to brainstorm each part of a company and customer development and get out of the classroom to see whether anyone other than you would want/use your product. Finally, now that everything is in place, how do you get the funding? In order to secure funding for your business, you will find yourself in front of a conference room of potential investors waiting to hear your presentation. Confidence is the key to any successful presentation, along with a deep belief in your idea. At the end of this class you will have the confidence that your idea is needed and wanted by the consumer and how to present your idea to investors with precision and confidence.

“This class is not taught it is experienced”