Starting Your Own Business

The course consists of a number of online learning modules which guide you through the development of a business plan. The training is particularly useful for people who may have just started or are seeking to start running their own business. It is also useful for people who are in employment but who have direct responsibility for running a department within a larger organisation.

The interactive platform used is highly robust and reliable. It is supplied to Three Pebbles by Blackboard (previously WebCT), a respected international company. A large proportion of students in further and higher education will have integrated with the Blackboard learning platform at their own institution.

± Course outline

There are twelve modules in this program. Each one covers a different topic with the final module requiring the integration of all knowledge acquired from previous modules to compile a business plan:

Induction
Skills for your business
Defining your business idea
Researching your market
Knowing your customers
Resources and your business
Checking your viability
Budgeting for small businesses
Business and the law
Your operational plan
Your financial plan
Your business plan

± How does this help business start-up?

This program of study introduces students to the essential concepts of starting-up and running a business, including Personal Suitability, Financial Management, Business and the Law, Marketing and Business Planning. It aims to provide knowledge and understanding to give new businesses the best possible start.

The output of the final module in the programme is a robust outline business plan, which is suitable for use when seeking start-up funding from banks etc.

± What do students get out of it?

After completing this course students will be able to:

use the skills developed to start up and run a new business or develop an existing one
access informed and experienced business support from the tutors
use the business plan to access wider business support, for example to gain funding
use this learning as a stepping stone to further study

± Case studies

Click here to view case studies of individuals who have successfully completed the course and set up their own business.