Operations, Finance, and Marketing Foundations

This unit develops core operational, financial, and marketing skills needed to run and grow a small business. Students will work with budgets and financial statements, evaluate financing and investment options, design promotional and digital marketing tactics, and apply management, purchasing, legal, international, and risk‑management practices to real-world scenarios.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze budgets, balance sheets, and income statements by calculating and interpreting key financial metrics to assess liquidity, profitability, and short‑term cash needs
• Apply financing and investment principles to compare first‑stage and expansion funding options, evaluate stock investments, and calculate basic risk‑return measures for decision making
• Design an integrated marketing and promotion plan that incorporates market trends, web sales strategies, telemarketing, events/promotions, and measurable KPIs
• Demonstrate operational management and risk mitigation by developing purchasing decisions, employee empowerment and motivation strategies, legal/international compliance checks, and a goal‑monitoring plan