This course focuses on the core principles of economics, with an emphasis on the specific terminology, models, and concepts describing the micro-economic entity of the firm. It will also integrate the core tenets that drive the American market system of free enterprise. Topics will include: a) producer supply, buyer demand, and the four market structures of monopoly, oligopoly, monopolistic competition, and commodity-based perfect competition; b) marginal analysis of revenue, costs, profits, and productivity; and c) integrating pricing, revenue, and margins into decision making for the emerging entrepreneurial venture.

This course focuses on the core principles of entrepreneurship and the processes involved in developing new ventures. Entrepreneurs function in start-up companies, emerging growth ventures, and a wide range of strategic small business development. Topics include: a) recognizing and quantifying market opportunity, b) the integration of creativity and innovation in problem-solving through a new products or services, c) assessing the risks of competitive product-market positioning and costs-benefits, d) the relationship of networking and perseverance, e) the role of venture capital and angel-investor networks, and f) the different types and stages of entrepreneurial ventures.

This course focuses on the integration of models and constructs from managerial accounting and corporate financial management – developing perspectives and applications specifically for entrepreneurs engaged in new venture development. The objective is to equip entrepreneurs with an exceptional working knowledge of accounting and finance matters directly related to managing an emerging firm. Topics include: a) detailed financial ratio analysis of the balance sheet and income statement, b) a comprehensive understanding of the time value of money – using both a financial analyst calculator and computer spreadsheets, c) pro forma modeling of cash flows, assets, debt, and equity, d) capital budgeting – net present value [NPV], internal rate of return [IRR], and benefit-to-cost ratios [B:C], e) tax accounting issues for C-corporation, Subchapter-S, and LLC venture structures, f) Sources and Uses of Funds budgeting, and g) investor capitalization and valuation techniques for privately-held companies.

This course focuses on innovation’s role in 21st Century organizations, with a systemic approach to building innovation capabilities, along with the challenges of integrating the many facets of innovation management. Leading innovators and building innovative organizations are covered from  both theoretical and applied perspectives. Topics include fundamental theories of innovation, developing an innovation strategy, innovation as a business process, the role of the innovation context including leadership and organization, culture and values, people and skills, processes and tools, and assessing and improving innovation performance.

This course focuses on the core principles that comprise the formal creative process whereby entrepreneurs trouble-shoot problems in a given market, recognize a clear product-service opportunity and then target an innovative-creative solution to meet the potential upside demand. Topics will include: a) the formal market-mapping process, b) developing a detailed competitive matrix for any market, c) formalizing the creative process into specific stages, models, and quantifiable outcomes, d) product-service feasibility studies, and e) pro forma opportunity forecasting and sensitivity analysis under various assumptions.

This course focuses on how entrepreneurial teams develop successful marketing strategies for start-up and emerging growth ventures. The emphasis is on assessing the external competitive environment, creating a distinctive price-features profile for the product-service concept, leveraging high-level partnership-referral networks, and executing the marketing message around a clear value proposition for specific target markets. Topics include: a) stages product development life-cycles, b) mapping the existing competitive environment, c) mapping the projected future market profile, d) product-service adoption stages among buyers in a target market, e) marketing research principles, methods/models, and assessment, f) aligning the product-place-promotion-price components for the product-service offering, g) potential partnerships and referral networks to drive market awareness, h) promotions-public relations- advertising tactics, and i) packaging and merchandising for in-store and online selling.

This course focuses on the core concepts and best practices used to build sophisticated financial models for entrepreneurial ventures, including high-level scenarios analysis and valuation techniques for privately-held companies. Topics include: a) developing macros and interactive cross-tabs functions in MS-Excel spreadsheets, b) configuring multiple variables with “what if” scenario impacts and rationales for financial models, c) accounting for risk and managing quantitative and qualitative components into the models that directly impact the decision making of entrepreneurial managers, d) establishing solid metrics and sound underlying rationales for pre-money and post-money valuations of pre-public business ventures, and e) relating cash flow and operations models to changes in firm valuations.

This course focuses on the entrepreneur’s development of a comprehensive business plan, executive summary (XSumm), and slide presentation for a start-up or emerging growth venture. Topics include: a) the common “8 Facets of New Ventures”, b) the competitive matrix, c) the Uses of Funds schedule, d) pro forma cash flows and venture potential, e) investor capitalization sheets and venture legal formation, f) the Business Model for the product-service, g) the format and targeted uses for an Executive Summary (XSumm), h) the business plan slide presentation (the pitch), and i) the format and attendees at public and private venture forums.

This course focuses on the development in entrepreneurs of sound Biblically-based ethics and a stewardship-based perspective on all facets of the new venture development process, such that clear a priori bases in ethics and stewardship will inform and guide all aspects of the entrepreneur’s decision making. Topics include: a) absolute vs. relative truths, b) developing a Biblical worldview, c) servant leadership, d) faith, wisdom, discernment, and venture decision making, e) personal and professional stewardship, f) income, wealth, debt, and philanthropy, g) personal data, business surveillance, and privacy, h) free market self-interest, profit motives, and risk, i) personal vs. corporate responsibility and j) employee wealth, ownership, vesting.

This course focuses on the development and on-going management of targeted social media strategies for emerging entrepreneurial ventures. Topics include the launch, start-up and on-going costs, performance metrics, and operating logistics for utilizing widely available social media platforms within a formal, well-coordinated strategy for success.

This course focuses on bringing together and integrating all facets of the program into a comprehensive entrepreneurial experience where students consult to a Houston-area entrepreneur/founding team on the complete new venture development process. This experience provides a “working lab” within which the full complement of the MSME courses come together in a formal, systematic manner. Topics include: a) comparisons-contrasts of the consulting venture and the student’s own proposed new venture, b) engaging in high-level dialogue with an entrepreneur/business owner across a wide range of pros and cons related to all facets of the venture development process, and c) recognizing various opportunities for strong ethics/morals throughout the many levels of entrepreneurial leadership in the firm.