Writing Successful Business Plans

Now Only

$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
10196 Students

Turn your business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success.

Turn your business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. Committing your idea to paper in the form of a business plan not only increases your chances of obtaining financing, but also in keeping your business strategically focused. With the support of your instructor and a network of like-minded students, you'll work through all of the major components of writing a business plan and emerge with your first draft in hand. And most importantly, you will have completed the first--and most difficult--step on the path to small business success.

Courses are delivered to you through expertly executed lessons, online instruction and interaction with like-minded students. Our courses are designed to deliver all of the benefits of studying in a classroom whilst giving you the flexibility to study at a time and place to suit your needs. You can access your classroom 24/7 from any device with an internet connection.

This course has a 3 month duration. You'll complete comprehensive lessons, quizzes and assignments before submitting your final exam at the end of the course to achieve your certificate. Courses must be completed within the 3 month access period.

In this first lesson, as you take that first step along your entrepreneurial path, you'll meet your instructor and learn about her childhood, growing up in ChocolateTown USA. You'll meet several leading entrepreneurs and determine if you have similar passions and skill sets. And, you'll discover that business plans are not just for funding your dream, but for guiding it along the path to success (as you choose to define it).

Today, you'll start to mold your business. You'll develop a vision and a mission for your enterprise. You'll define and refine your product or service, and you'll uncover your niche. This is the fun part of the journey—your only limitation is your imagination!

We'll focus on the customer in this lesson. Today's successful companies focus not on the products and services that they offer, but on the customers that they serve—on many levels. Together, we'll position your company to be customer-centric. And, you'll learn how to move that customer from satisfied to loyal (and perhaps even an advocate for your business).

In this lesson, you'll structure your organization so it's in the best position to provide your product or service to your targeted customers. I'll help you create a board of experts to guide you along your journey. You'll discover the role that change plays in your entrepreneurial evolution. Change is good—it shows that you're thinking!

Today, we’ll explore the plan within the plan—the marketing section of your business plan. We'll lay the foundation for your marketing efforts and we'll define sales and marketing (there is a difference!). We'll also explore the features and benefits of your product or service, and we'll begin the ongoing task of market research. This is where you can differentiate your product or service from that of your competition.

For today's lesson, we'll explore three separate areas of marketing. First, you'll learn about your competitors so that you can better position yourself and discover just how solid your business ideas are. We'll discuss one of the most difficult issues of new business—pricing. Finally, we become the SWOT team—analyzing strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Today, you'll join a panel of outstanding marketing, public relations, and graphics experts who are also entrepreneurs and believe in the power of networking. We'll explore graphic design, logos, image, public relations, and guerrilla marketing. And you'll also discover marketing in action in this lesson.

Today, we'll start by hearing Alice in Wonderland explain to the Mad Hatter that, <em>in a topsy-turvy world, it seems like (you) have to do something wrong first, in order to learn from what not to do. And then, by not doing what (you're) not supposed to do, perhaps (you'll) be right. But (you'd) rather be right the first time, wouldn't you?</em> Confused? We'll tackle manufacturing and operations concerns in this not-so-topsy-turvy lesson.

In this lesson, you'll learn that both successes and failures can be tremendous teachers—but you'll have to apply those lessons learned to other life or business ventures. For today's lesson, we'll take a bird's eye view of the financial section of a business plan. We'll also briefly explore the capital equipment list, the balance sheet, and break-even analysis.

In this lesson, we'll discuss three additional financial components of the plan. We'll explore the projected income statement (always a fun area!), cash flow, and historical financial records. Be sure to take some time to explore the Supplemental Links area (in this lesson and in all the others) for outstanding online resources.

Today, we'll continue our focus on money, but from a different perspective than in the previous two lessons. We'll focus on funding and financing opportunities, and by the end of this lesson, you should have a better understanding of financing. You'll also find out where to locate traditional (and not so traditional) sources of funding.

In our final lesson, you'll end one journey while beginning another. First, you'll write an outstanding executive summary. We'll discuss a few important document formatting tips, and you'll learn what supporting documents you should add to your final business plan. You now hold all the keys to the doors along your entrepreneurial path. Journey well!

Kris Solie-Johnson

Kris Solie-Johnson, chancellor and president of the American Institute of Small Business, best-selling author, educator, speaker, and mother of three, is an energetic and passionate entrepreneur. Her books are in public libraries, high schools, co... Read more

Read Kris Solie-Johnson's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Online learning is a flexible way to study that fits around your schedule, giving you the freedom to learn at your own pace from anywhere in the world. You'll have 3 months to complete the course and can take the multiple-choice questions and final exam whenever it suits you.

If you need help, you can contact us anytime. You can also join the discussion area where you can interact with other students. The discussion area for each lesson is open for the entire duration of the course.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

We do not offer extensions or transfers for this self-paced course. However, you will have 3 months to complete the course, and if you need to cancel within the first 10 days of enrolment, we offer a money back guarantee.

What people are saying about our courses

I can't begin to tell you how much this course has helped me. For the last 14 years, I have been shying away from writing a "Business Plan." After having everything in place, I still had not written a plan, but alas, now it's done. I just have to refine and get it to read and present professionally.

Verified Student

I finally have a three-dimensional package and not just a "thought."

Verified Student

I have a small business and thought I would take this class to start up something new. I now have the knowledge that I would need to tackle that feat. During the lesson on customers, I spider webbed an idea to make my business more customer centric. I simply offered another low overhead service to my largest client. The spider web exercise led to three large markets opening up for me. I am now projecting to gross last year's income times 4. What an investment! Thanks again for the great ideas.

Verified Student

See More Reviews

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Writing Successful Business Plans you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now

Our Values

Learn At Your Own Pace

We believe in personalised learning. That's why we provide all the tools and support you need to succeed at your own pace. With flexible learning, you'll stay motivated and retain more information. Plus, you can balance your studies with work and family commitments to make your dreams a reality.

We Won't Break The Bank

Education should be accessible to anyone who wants to learn. That's why we offer some of the most competitive prices in the industry with payments plans for just $25 per week. Investing in your future is a smart choice and doesn’t have to break the bank.

Industry-Led Courses

There's no better way to learn than from experts with years of experience in your field. That's why each of our 200+ industry-led courses are designed to give you a real-life perspective on your industry. With our expert mentors, you'll learn from people who have a wealth of knowledge and experience, and who are passionate about sharing it with you.

Get The Personal Support You Deserve

At Vibe Learning, we're real people who are dedicated to providing you with personal support every step of the way. Our industry experts are not only professional and knowledgeable but also incredibly passionate about sharing their expertise with you. With their guidance, you'll gain invaluable insights and practical knowledge to help you succeed.

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Writing Successful Business Plans

$599

$389AUD

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Manufacturing Fundamentals

Now Only

$389

AUD

35% off

$599 AUD

Quick Facts

Delivery Method Online
Professional Certificate
24hrs Suggested Study Time
3 Months Access
Tutor Support
Study On Any Device
795 Students

Learn the basic skills required to work in the manufacturing field.

Learn the basic skills required to work in the manufacturing field. Discover the role of production design, process planning, and the heart of 13 different manufacturing processes. Understand why facility location and plant layout decisions are so vital and learn how job design helps you accomplish company goals and achieve worker satisfaction. Find out what makes up the physical work environment and learn how to characterise different types of production materials. Master product development concepts such as the voice of the customer (VOC), quality function deployment (QFD), and failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA). Learn how performance measurements and standardisation improve manufacturing operations.

In this instructor-facilitated online course, you will learn how successful organisations use costs to communicate manufacturing progress and how to effectively develop short and long-term budgets. Also, you will discover how the application of technology turns an ordinary company into a high-performing organization. You will also find out how ISO 9000 and enterprise resource planning (ERP) make the most of a manufacturer's potential.

To make sure we get off to a good start, we'll begin this first lesson by defining manufacturing—looking at its history, identifying the various types of industries, and discussing different types of products. We'll survey the critical areas of design, materials, processes, technology, and systems. Then, we'll finish up by examining manufacturing capability, trends in the field, and manufacturing careers.

Production design is a critical activity for any manufacturing firm because it plays a major role in defining overall costs. Once a production design is set, it charts the course for a product. Even the most expensive equipment and the best engineers can't offset the limitations of a production design. Today, we'll examine the elements of production design and process planning. Then, we'll explore the vast number of processing types including metal casting, bulk deformation, sheet metal forming, material removing, polymer and plastic processing, rubber production, glass manufacturing, powder processing, surface processing, joining and fastening, electronics assembly, and chemical processing.

Before you can manufacture anything, you need some land, a building, and a layout. Your decisions about these elements are extremely important, especially the first two. Once you buy land and erect a building, it's usually too late to change your mind without incurring a stiff penalty. So, in this lesson, we'll explore the ins and outs of facility selection and layout. We'll begin by discussing the influence of forecasting, long-range planning, and capacity planning. Then we'll identify the numerous factors you need to consider for a general and specific location and look at a way to evaluate them. We'll also examine plant layout and review a few options for it.

Our topic today is job design. Job design has changed dramatically over the years and the majority of manufacturing jobs now combine human labor and machines. While a few positions such as assembly or heavy labor may not involve equipment, it's difficult to think of work that doesn't involve mechanical aids or tools. We'll discuss how job design is made up of job content and work methods and how jobs relate to each other. You'll find out how machines relate to human beings, and also how an operation chart helps define the steps a worker takes to complete a job. Then, we'll finish up with a discussion about work teams and a matrix organization, and see how job enlargement and job enrichment increase employee satisfaction.

Today, we'll add another essential layer to our manufacturing picture: how to create an effective and productive physical work environment. The physical work environment includes temperature, humidity, airflow, noise, lighting, and levels of contaminants (hopefully low). It plays a major role in worker well being and productivity. We'll examine the elements of a manufacturing work environment starting with the physical building and moving on to temperature, humidity, airflow, and noise. We'll also talk about lighting, contaminants, and hazards. Then, we'll close with a general look at safety and the elements of an effective safety program.

If you let your imagination run wild, you can probably think of hundreds, perhaps thousands of manufacturing materials. At the companies I've worked for, we've used latex rubber, electronics, sheet metal, wood, human plasma, seaweed, titanium wire, and alligator blood. That's some list! We won't be able to look at all materials, but, in this lesson, we'll cover the basic ones—metals, ceramics, polymers, and composites. We'll start by discussing the nature of materials. Then, we'll move on to their mechanical and physical properties and talk about dimensions, tolerances, and surfaces.

New products are the lifeblood of manufacturing organizations. But did you know that it takes more than 50 new product ideas to generate a single successful one? Unfortunately, most new products don't satisfy customer or company objectives. A major reason new products don't succeed is because they aren't marketed well. Today, we'll make sure this doesn't happen to you. We'll delve into the concept of customer orientation, starting with a brief overview of marketing. Then, we'll explore the voice of the customer (VOC). And finally, you'll see how failure mode, effects analysis (FMEA), and project management can lead to success.

Cost is the price you pay to acquire, maintain, produce, or use materials or services. Since most firms account for their operations at cost, it's vital that you understand how costs are determined and used. In this lesson, we'll examine many different types of costs including discretionary, relevant, variable, and standard. After we finish exploring these costs, you'll see how manufacturers reflect them in their accounting systems.

Today, we'll look at investment decisions for items such as equipment and fixture purchase and replacement. We'll also spend some time on budgeting. We'll discuss the different types of investment decisions, including average rate of return (ARR), payback period, discounted cash flow (DCF), net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). After we work through a few problems, we'll discuss the basics of budgeting.

In this lesson, we'll examine performance measurements as a way to keep track of progress. After all, you don't really know how your manufacturing operation performs unless you have an official scorecard. So, today we'll identify the attributes of effective performance measurements and look at a few traditional and progressive methods. Then, we'll wrap things up by addressing physical measurements.

Today is all about standards. They've been around for quite a few years, but it's just in the past few decades that they've stepped out into the spotlight, mainly because of the high profile of ISO 9000. We'll talk about how standards are used, identify where they came from, and discuss how they're developed. We'll also explore their benefits and discover how they're defined.

For our final lesson, we'll focus on technology. We'll look at a few specific technological advances, namely computer aided design (CAD), computer aided manufacturing (CAM), computer integrated manufacturing (CIM), flexible manufacturing system (FMS), and bar coding. Then, we'll close the course by looking at a powerful software package used by manufacturers around the world: enterprise resource planning (ERP).

Tony Swaim

Tony Swaim has helped many clients, colleagues, and students reach their professional and personal goals. He has been an online instructor since 1998 and has taught at colleges and universities across the United States since 1981. His focus areas ... Read more

Read Tony Swaim's Profile

Frequently Asked Questions

Once you've made the payment, we'll send you a confirmation email with a link to start your course. Feel free to get started whenever you're ready!

You'll have 3 months access to your course. In that time you are free to study at your own pace. The course duration is 24 hours.

Of course! We offer a 7-day money back guarantee. As long as you haven't completed the course, you can get a full refund within 7 days of enrolling.

The Learning Environment

From the moment that you enrol in the Manufacturing Fundamentals you will become an integral part of our learning community. You'll find yourself with the freedom to learn at a speed that suits you, on any device, from anywhere in the world. Achieving your career goals no longer has to mean compromising family and work commitments.

Ready to get started?

Enrol Now