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TOPIC HIGHLIGHTS

1. Essentials of Business Ownership
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. Starting a Business
   3. Finding a Niche/Differentiation
   4. Leadership Styles and Corporate Culture
   5. Taxes
   6. Financing
   7. Legal and Regulatory Issues
   8. Conclusion


2. Financial/Accounting Management
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. Importance of Financial Statements
   3. The Balance Sheet
   4. The Income Statement
   5. Statement of Cash Flows
   6. Financial Ratios
   7. Conclusion


3. Marketing Management
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. Marketing Goals
   3. The Marketing Plan
   4. The Marketing Mix
   5. The Marketing Budget
   6. Marketing Implementation
   7. Technology and Marketing
   8. Summary


4. Strategic Management in Operations
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. Definitions and Business Models
   3. Categories of Strategies
   4. Strategic Planning Models
   5. Creating Strategic Alternatives
   6. Implementation
   7. Conclusion


5. Positioning For and Finding Financing
   1. Introduction
   2. Positioning
   3. Positioning the Owner and the Entity
   4. Finding Financing
   5. Debt vs. Equity
   6. Factors to Consider and Terminology
   7. Summary


6. Persuasive Communication
   1. Introduction
   2. Fundamentals of Communication
   3. Knowing the Audience
   4. The Power of Listening
   5. Credibility of the Speaker
   6. Evidence in Persuasion
   7. Emotion in Persuasion
   8. Organizing the Argument
   9. Summary


7. Organizational Leadership and Decision-Making
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. What is a Leader
   3. Sources of Power in Leadership
   4. Leadership Theories
   5. Transformational Leaders
   6. Decision-Making and Empowerment
   7. Accountability
   8. Summary


8. Legal Issues in Operations
   1. Introduction
   2. Sources of Law
   3. Agency and Employment Law
   4. Torts Law
   5. Sales and Products Liability
   6. Intellectual Property
   7. Ethics
   8. Summary


9. Business Plan Development
   1. Introduction and Overview
   2. Definition of a Business Plan
   3. Development of a Business Plan
   4. Sections of a Business Plan
   5. Financial Projections
   6. Common Mistakes
   7. Summary


10. Understanding Financial Statements
    1. Introduction
    2. Positioning
    3. Positioning the Owner and the Entity
    4. Finding Financing
    5. Debt vs. Equity
    6. Factors to Consider and Terminology
    7. Summary


11. Organizational Development and Change
    1. Introduction and Overview
    2. The Culture of an Organization
    3. Types of Culture
    4. Organizational Change
    5. The Human Side of Change and Resistance
    6. Summary


12. Principles of Buying and Selling a Business
    1. Introduction and Overview
    2. Business Brokers
    3. Preparing for Sale or Purchase
    4. Key Steps in Preparation
    5. Corporate Culture
    6. Purchase Price
    7. Summary and Conclusion

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CERTIFICATE REQUIREMENTS

A 70% or better must be achieved in order to receive a Certificate of Completion.

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COURSE OBJECTIVES

By completing the Entrepreneurship: Start-Up and Business Owner Management course, students will:

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PDF BROCHURE

Please click here to download the PDF brochure for the Gatlin online courses offered by OCPE.

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WHO SHOULD ATTEND

Students should have basic keyboarding and computer skills, and be comfortable navigating the Internet. They must also have an understanding of a word-processing computer program (Microsoft Word recommended), and have e-mailing capabilities.

This program is intended for anyone interested in developing their non-profit management skills.

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Katherine Squires Pang, JD, LLM, MEd Founder/President and Chief Knowledge Officer, EdWay Online
Dr. Pang received her BA in 1980 from Clark University, her JD from the University of Dayton Law School in 1982, her LLM in taxation from Georgetown University Law School in 1983 and her MEd from the University of Texas in 2001. She has practiced law with national law firms since 1983, ran for the United States Senate in California in 1994 and was appointed by Governor Wilson as a Commissioner to the WCAB from 1994 to 1996. Dr. Pang has served as an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Management at the University of Texas, Dallas and has been an adjunct faculty member in the law and business schools of many universities including the Stern School of Business at New York University, Pepperdine University, USC, Golden Gate University and the University of California, Irvine.

Dr. Pang not only has over 20 years of law firm experience but has also founded several companies including LawPrep, Inc./LawPrep Press, Inc., Legal EdNet.com and EdWay Online. From 1989 to 1996, Dr. Pang authored over six books, videos and interactive CD-ROMs. Dr. Pang was also the Manager, Firmwide Practice Section Development, Training and Forms for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, L.L.P. Dr. Pang has experience providing multimedia and interactive distributed learning to working professionals, as well as adult learners in law and business, via a variety of technologies including video streaming and online-conferencing (Webcasts, synchronous and asynchronous threaded discussion boards and chat rooms) via the Internet, satellite, ISDN-based videoconferencing, and CD-ROM.

Dr. Pang has been a speaker at the MEC 2001 Conference: Turning a New Page in Educational Technologies, sponsored by Arizona State University; the 2001 Conference on Training and Knowledge Management: Moving Beyond Training, sponsored by Generation 21 Learning Management Systems; and various other e-learning conferences. She has design, development, implementation, and managerial experience in educational multimedia course design and development, including experience with instructional design and educational technologies. She has been responsible for course design and delivery using Macromedia Director, Windows Media Player, FrontPage, PowerPoint, Blackboard, Prometheus, WebCT, Webboard, and a host of other proprietary platforms. She also has experience with digital video, MPEG, MOV, and AVI Files.

Katrina McBride
Katrina McBride's career reflects extensive experience in organizational leadership, marketing strategies, and market development in multi-national corporate environments and as an independent consultant. Her leadership abilities have been utilized by employers and clients to develop new programs and functional areas as well as in the re-organization of resources with aggressive deadlines. She has positively impacted revenue and customer satisfaction for large, global organizations and for small to mid-sized businesses that are experiencing changes as a result of rapid growth or restructuring, so that they can maintain their competitive positions.

In director-level positions for Nortel Networks, Katrina was engaged to develop, define, and implement strategies for competitive intelligence, sales support, emerging markets, lead generation, and customer relationship management. Sought after as trainer, speaker, and facilitator, Katrina develops and presents professional education courses in leadership development, team strategies, strategic marketing, organizational leadership, and change planning.

She is an active member of the American Marketing Association, the American Management Association, the Society for Human Resources Management, and the Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association. She has also served on the Board of Directors of the Dallas Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Katrina holds an MA in organizational management and a BS in psychology as well as certifications in mid-management leadership and marketing. She is also a trained dispute mediator.

Kelley Burgess
With a bachelor's degree in paralegal studies from the University of Maryland, Kelley started her career as a legal assistant at law firms in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Texas. After serving as a college speech tournament judge for three years, Kelley switched to a career teaching communications. She became a certified educator in Texas and spent five years teaching speech, debate, and mediation at the high school level. She was named in the Who's Who of America's Best Teachers in 2003, 2004, and 2005. She now freelances as a public speaking coach. She is the author and presenter of the half day seminar "Serving with Maximum Effectiveness" (a seminar specifically tailored for ministers). She travels to various states across the United States assisting ministers with their public speaking skills. Kelley Burgess resides in Carrollton, Texas with her husband, Tom, where they are joyfully anticipating the arrival of their first child.

Karen Thompson
Karen Thompson graduated from USL in Lafayette, LA in 1983 with a BSBA in economics. She is currently the Vice President of Amegy Bank - Government Guaranteed Lending. Most of her career has been in the banking and finance industry with the exception of a six year "very educational" period during which she helped manage a small business.

Her education, work experience, hands-on business management, and passion for helping small business owners led to her current position with Amegy Bank as an SBA loan officer. She also received the 2007 Financial Services Champion of the Year, awarded by the U.S. Small Business Administration - Dallas/Fort Worth District Office.

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1. How do I register for a Gatlin online course?

Please contact our office on the Fairfax campus in Northern Virginia (NOVA) or call 703-993-2113. Click here for more information or to download a copy of the registration form.

2. How much do Gatlin online courses cost?

To view the prices for all Gatlin courses that are offered by George Mason University, please click here.

3. Why do I have to take Gatlin courses through a participating school?

Gatlin does not offer courses directly to the public. They partner with major colleges and universities to offer their programs.

4. Do I have to travel to register for or to attend a Gatlin online course?

All Gatlin courses are delivered entirely online, you do not have to go to a class or travel to a school. If you are unable to visit our office on the Fairfax campus in Northern Virginia (NOVA), please contact us at 703-993-2113 or click here for more information or to register for a course.

5. How long does it take to complete a Gatlin course?

All of our Gatlin courses are asynchronous. You can start and finish the course at your own pace. Most courses are designed to be completed within 180 days. You may request an extension if you think you will need more time to complete a course (fees may apply). Please contact us at 703-993-2113 or click here if you have any questions or if you would like to register for a course.

6. Do I have to buy additional materials?

Please refer to the green Included Materials box located on the upper right hand side of this page. If materials are included in this course, they will be shipped by Gatlin to you via UPS ground service after you have registered for a course.

7. Can I get financial aid for Gatlin courses?

Gatlin courses are non-credit and therefore are not eligible for Federal Student Aid. However there are a number of loan programs that can be used to fund your course. Click here to view a list of these options or call 703-993-2113 for more information. Gatlin also provides a loan opportunity for students (www.collegeloanapplication.com).

8. What happens when I complete the course?

If you obtain a final passing grade of 70% or greater in a course, we will award you a George Mason University certificate of completion.

9. Who will be my instructor?

Each student is paired up with a facilitator for one-on-one interaction. The facilitator will be available (by e-mail) to answer any questions you may have and to provide feedback on your performance. Facilitators are all successful working professionals in the fields in which they teach.

10. What are the system requirements in order to take an online course?

Please see the "PC requirements" section listed for individual courses.

11. When can I start the course?

Registrations are rolling. Please send us your registration form at the time you wish to start your course. Registrations take five to seven business days to process.

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