ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT THE CARUTH INSTITUTE

Certificate Course: Starting A Business

For more than 30 years, the Caruth Institute for Entrepreneurship has offered Starting A Business. This certificate course provides the business community with an awareness of what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur as well as the skills required to prepare and present professional business plans. Since the course was first offered in 1972, over 6,700 students have taken what has come to be known throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth community as the “SMU entrepreneur course.” Over the years, Starting A Business has been offered three times per year in an eight-week, one night per week format.

Click here to request more information, or
To register call Janet Flynn at 214-768-3689.

Course Description

Starting a Business explores the creation of value through the process of starting a new business venture. The course covers a range of topics, including:

• Personal characteristics of successful entrepreneurs.
• How to identify windows of opportunity.
• Developing a viable business concept.
• Analyzing competition and market opportunities.
• Understanding financing alternatives.
• Preparing a professional business plan.

Course Graduates

Since 1972, a number of successful entrepreneurs have taken the Caruth Institute’s Starting A Business course, including Lee Posey, chairman and founder, Palm Harbor Homes, and Garrett Boone, chairman and co-founder, The Container Store.                          

Distinguished Past Lecturers

Over the years, a number of distinguished entrepreneurs have lectured for the course, including:

• David Litman, co-founder, Hotels.com (NASDAQ).
• Sheryl Leach, founder, Barney and Friends.
• Jeff Smith, founder, VERIO (NASDAQ).
• Bo Pilgrim, founder, Pilgrim’s Pride (NYSE).

Listen to a cool mp3 file describing the course (click here)

Previous Distinguished Entrepreneur Speakers

• Garrett Boone - SMU Entrepreneur Course Alumni, Co-Founder & Chairman of The Container Store
• Lawrence D. Schwartz - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Stampede Brewing Co., Inc.
• Phillip M. Drayer - Founding Partner, Portfolio Manager of Kalydus Asset Advisors, LP
• Michael Gorton - Co-founder & CEO of TelaDoc Medical Services
• Matt Rutledge - Founder & CEO of ' Woot.com '
• Ferdinand Hauslein - Director, President and Chief Executive Officer
  of International Security, Inc.