Top courses to do for entrepreneurs in 2021

 

Real-world experience is the best teacher in the world, but with the plethora of knowledge on offer over the internet, online courses are too good an opportunity to pass up. With their structured guidance and focused curriculum, online courses can help entrepreneurs steer in the right direction.

1.  Business Strategy

Entrepreneurs are often hailed as gamechangers of the industry. Successful entrepreneurs take it upon themselves to come up with new, creative ideas. But such innovation requires well-planned strategies and calculated risks.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

To succeed in a particular field or industry, an entrepreneur needs to have a deep understanding of the inherent structures of the business. Business courses can give entrepreneurs key insights into areas of idea development, business modelling and transfer of technology, from paper to market. But most importantly, entrepreneurs can learn to have clear vision of their target. Armed with the right mindset they can make critical predictions with calculated risks.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

• Cultivating the Entrepreneurial Mindset, online course offered by Stanford School of Engineering
• Learn how to start a company, with help from the world's top startup accelerator - Y Combinator by Startup School
• Entrepreneurship Specialization from Wharton University of Pennsylvania by Coursera

2.  Sales

Many entrepreneurs believe that their product or service is good enough to sell itself but it cannot be farther from the truth. In their optimism, they overlook the importance of having good sales skills.  

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

Whether they’re selling a product or service to a potential customer or selling their vision to a possible investor, to be successful entrepreneurs should know how to sell effectively and professionally. However, sales is not just about the ability to make a sell, but also about the ability to maintain long-term relationships with clients. Managing multiple clients, listening to their company’s needs and adhering to them takes guile, commitment, good interpersonal skills and the ability to plan on a micro and macro level.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

•     Queen’s University Professional Certificate in Enterprise Sales
•     Udemy SalesSchool: Sales Training for the Entrepreneurial Business
•     Strayer University – MBA in Sales online course

3.  Finance & Accounting

Many founders and entrepreneurs don’t come from a finance or accounting background, and these financial areas can be a little opaque. Knowledge in finance or accounting can be critical in securing a venture’s financial future.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

An entrepreneur’s job does not end with the procurement of funds; it is just the tip of the iceberg. Different funding strategies need to be employed during the various growth stages of a company. According to a study by U.S. Bank, more than 80% of small businesses fail due to cash flow problems and almost 30% run out of cash. Hence, it is of vital importance to keep a keen eye on the balance sheet, since cash mismanagement can grow into full-fledged problems in no time.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

• Financial Accounting by Prof. V.G. Narayanan, Harvard Business School Online
• Coursera Entrepreneurial Finance: Strategy and Innovation Specialization offered by Duke University
• Online BSc Accounting and Finance degree provided by London School of Economics and Political Science

4. Communication

Communication is key in maintaining a good relationship with clients and stakeholders. It is the building block that holds an organization together. Even successful promotion of products or services to target groups is an effective form of communication.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

Entrepreneurs may need to take on various roles at the early stages of their company and hence they may need to communicate with a broad spectrum of people, ranging from customers, vendors to departmental heads, investors, and the likes. Since no two conversations are the same, how we communicate matters. For up and coming entrepreneurs, communication courses can mold them into better public speakers and teach them the crucial art of negotiation.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

• Organization Communication by LinkedIn Learning
• Udemy’s The Complete Communication Skills Master Class for Life by TJ Walker
• Program Management and the Art of Communication offered by University of Maryland

5. Digital Marketing

The internet being the wealth of information it is, digital marketing has become key in promoting and growing one’s business. Marketing presents companies with an opportunity to connect with their target audience and to tell their side of the story.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

Be it entrepreneurs trying to get their businesses off the ground or competing with huge brands, marketing has the potential to take an organization to the next level. With the arsenal of digital marketing tools at disposal, it would be criminal if entrepreneurs fail to properly utilize them. Marketing courses are necessary to have an in-depth knowledge of social media advertising, SEO, content and viral marketing among others, for entrepreneurs to stay above the competition. They are even more so crucial for start-ups providing marketing services.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

• Introduction to SEO: Tactics and Strategy for Entrepreneurs by Skillshare
• Alison Diploma in E-Business
• LinkedIn Marketing, Lead Generation & B2B Sales for LinkedIn for Entrepreneurship, Startups Business by Skillshare

 

6. Data Science

Data Science has taken the tech world by storm and enterprises around the world are rushing to capitalize on it. Data entrepreneurs can use their knowledge of AI and machine learning to make a difference across many different areas of data science, including predictive analytics, big data, business intelligence, and more. For an entrepreneur from a non-technical background, hiring a data science team maybe logical but confounding nonetheless.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

Data analysis is needed even at the pitching stage by entrepreneurs to convince investors that their ideas are worth committing funding towards. Data science has a variety of tools on offer such as insights into demographics, bounce rate on websites, predictions on client behaviors, trend analysis, etc. that can just be the defining factor that makes an entrepreneur successful.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

•          Data Science for Business by Harvard Business School Online
•          Udemy’s Machine Learning Entrepreneurship - Applied Data Science course
•          Data Science and Business Analytics with Python by Skillshare

7. Foreign Language

Learning a foreign language can be cumbersome in the beginning but research shows learning one helps with our cognitive abilities and boosts creativity. It gives us the ability to learn about the people and culture of a country other than our own.

Why should entrepreneurs learn it?

For entrepreneurs, learning a new language can open a world full of opportunities. It can not only help in better understanding of foreign markets but also broaden one’s professional network. Another important prospect however is the opportunity to secure funding from foreign investors who can bring with them their own set of experience and connections. Above all, learning something new can have positive effects upon a person’s mental health and help entrepreneurs on their journey towards success.

Where should entrepreneurs learn it?

•          Online Japanese classes from Coto Japanese Academy
•          German language course for companies by Goethe-Institut
•          MIT OpenCourseWare’s Spanish I