NxLeveL Training Programs

NxLeveL™ for Entrepreneurs Course

The Entrepreneurs course is a 40-hour in-classroom course in which participants develop a marketing, financial and complete business plan. Course instructors  guide participants through the process of conducting industry research, pricing structures, product promotion, cash flow analysis, profit and loss statements, projections, and even exit strategies for selling the business. Each session is taught one night per week, with session breaks scheduled in the middle of the course. Evening sessions include Instructor led discussions, Guest Speakers on related topics, Networking breaks and Work with instructor consultation time. Most sessions last 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Course Materials 

NxLeveL™ Guide for Entrepreneurs—This book is a comprehensive overview of the art of business and how to improve business operations from marketing to financial controls. 
NxLeveL™ Business Plan Workbook—This workbook is used in each course session to take the participant through a step-by-step planning process to develop a comprehensive business plan. It includes easy-to-use worksheets, and in-depth topic information.
NxLeveL™ Business Resource Guide—This text contains useful resources for either start-ups or established entrepreneurs. The text also includes useful legal forms and samples of practical business letters, library resource information and additional reading references.

Course Outline

Session 1 - Overview of Entrepreneurship—Do you have the skills necessary to start a business? If not, how do you fill that void? Learn more about the skills and knowledge entrepreneurs need to succeed. Assess your own personal and business resources. Do you have the money, facilities, and skills to start or expand the business?

Session 2 - Planning and Research: Entrepreneurial Essentials—The skillsets, start-up costs and competitive challenges needed to begin a manufacturing service or retail business vary widely, as do the approaches to managing these businesses. What are the essentials that create a success business?

Session 3 - Organizational Matters: Management and Legal Structure—What should be the legal structure of your business? During this session you will explore the characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of business legal structures. What are the key regulatory and taxation issues pertinent to your business? Who are your "management team" members, do you look inside the business or outside for your expertise? Who should you hire as your business grows? One key to a successful business is hiring the right people!

Session 4 - Marketing - "Behind the Scenes": Analysis and Understanding—You've heard about it, you've experienced it, now learn about it -- what is marketing! Learn about the key concepts, terms and how-to's in marketing. How does marketing work for a business? How do you develop a marketing strategy? What is the difference between marketing and advertising? Also during this session, you  begin to analysis your competition, direct, indirect and future competition. The obvious competitor is not the only competitor. All outlets have to be factored in to determine all competition in the market place.

Session 5 - Marketing "On Stage": Strategies, Tactics and Implementation—A positive image lets the prospective customers know that the business is "for real." A business with no business cards or with a name that doesn't convey the nature of the business may not get a second look from prospects. Even if the entrepreneur works from home, he/she should covey the image of a major business. Other marketing strategies include pricing structures, advertising/promotions, distribution channels, etc. The development of a good marketing plan will guide your business sales.

Session 6 - Financial Overview: Books, Records and Controls—Financial statements are a means of standardizing business information. For the outside user (banks, financial institutions, investors, government agencies, etc.), information needs to be presented in standardized formats so it can be compared to other similar businesses. For managerial use, standardize  information provides feedback about decisions you have made to evaluate the performance of your business (both internally and with other similar businesses) and identify planning opportunities and needs.

Session 7 - Managing Your Money: Financial Planning, Budgets & Assumptions—
What makes a good budgeting system? The involvement of the owner and key employees in the budgeting process is essential. What are the roles of assumptions? Assumptions are the justifications or reasons that explain why budgets contain the dollar amounts you have assigned to them and serve as a guide for analysis.

Session 8 - Developing and Using Cash Flow Projections—Break- even analysis is a way to see what minimum levels of sales (in units and in dollars) is required to cover all budgeted expenses. Managing your cash flow is critical to keeping your business flowing through sales and expense cycles.

Session 9 - Understanding and Using Your Financials—Projected financial statements give you, and the reader of your business plan, a summary of how all of your business decisions will impact the growth, expansion or start-up of your business. While we know that projections are not going to be 100% accurate, the financial road map points you in the direction of deciding whether or not your idea has financial merit, and what adjustments you may need to make to ensure you get where you want to go.

Session 10 - Financing Your Business: Alternative Sources of Money—A business plan is the basis for a good financing proposal. Small business owners often make the mistake of seeking financing before they have a complete, written business plan. The Executive Summary of your written business plan should outline the purpose of the loan requested, the amount and proposed term and the collateral offered, in addition to the highlights of your business endeavor. 

Session 11 - The Deal Making Process: Negotiating in the Real World—All businesses operate through negotiation of sales contacts, terms of agreements, etc. Knowing how to successfully negotiate can save your business time and expense. What are the key components of the negotiation process?

Session 12 - Your Business Future: Managing Growth and Plan Completion—Is the business plan do-able? Do you have the necessary information, family support, or desire to move forward? Is your business growing too fast? Take time to analysis the future of your business, what works best for you.