About This Course

This course describes the financial models and structures of business, as related to launching a particular design product, service or system. It introduces students to issues of organizational structure, for-profit and non-profit business activities, and methods of product introduction and distribution.


Core Concepts and Ideas

This class emphasizes the following main ideas, themes, and concepts:

  • Grant systems, including tradeoffs between various funding sources and the nature of grant writing and facilitation
  • Financial models, illustrating how to represent various fictional but realistic scenarios for funding
  • Project management, in order to successfully coordinate both public and private regulations, rules, and procedures
  • Non-profit law, methods, and tendencies

Outcomes and Competencies

The following outcome statements articulate the competencies, abilities, and skills a student will have as a result of completing this class. Students will...

  • Be able to write a cohesive plan for introducing a given design solution into the world, describing issues related to the value of the design, the business plan for introduction, the timeline and dependencies related to the solution, and plans for growth and continued refinement
  • Understand the methods of legal organizational structure that will enable a design solution to be successfully brought to fruition in society
  • Be able to appropriately describe the entrance (and, if necessary, exit) strategy for a given design solution
  • Be able to address – in both writing and in personal interactions – concerns of potential investors, donors, and other interested parties

Course Schedule

Class Date Major Theme In Class Out of Class

1 and 2

3/12, 3/14

Defining the idea

Discussion: Course overview

Student activities:

Present your design solution, service or product

Refine Business Model Framework
Case study discussion

Guest speaker: Kenneth Cho, Chief Strategy Officer and Co-Founder at Spredfast

Read articles: Are Business Plans Still Necessary?, A Business Plan? Or a Journey to Plan B? (PDF provided)

Read forum: Quora: As first time entrepreneurs, what part of the process are people often completely blind to?

3 and 4

3/19, 3/21

Structuring the launch

Discussion: A comprehensive review of the options for structuring the business around your design solution, service or product, including:

  • Legal implications
  • Tax concerns
  • IP considerations

Student activities: Present business milestone plans

Guest speaker: Truman Fenton, IP Associate at King and Spalding, LLP

Read Article: The For-Benefit Enterprise

Review: Corporations Section of the Texas Secretary of State website

Other course materials: TBA

5 and 6

3/26, 3/28

Pitching the idea

Discussion: The focus is on developing the skills to quickly and successfully articulate the value of your idea. We’ll also review the other side and discuss what is important for those who will be listening to you.

Student activities:
Complete Pitch Yourself! Exercise
Present your design solution, service or product again

Guest speaker: TBA

Review Exercise: Pitch Yourself!

Other course materials: TBA

7 and 8

4/2, 4/4

Funding the idea

Discussion: As more and more non-traditional funding becomes available, we will discuss the funding landscape and how/if you want to navigate it as you move forward with your idea.

Student activities:
Case study discussion
Present funding plan

Read Article: A New Approach to Funding Social Enterprises

Review Case Study: MusicJuice.net: The Challenges of Starting Up a New Internet Venture

Other course materials: TBA

9 and 10

4/9, 4/11

Building on the launch

Discussion: Once you’ve launched your idea, what are the next set of product-related activities to insure continued growth and success?

We will also review the requirements for the final presentation.

Student activities: Case study discussion

Guest speaker: Brian Dainton, Founder and Director of Product at Mass Relevance

Review Case Study: How Serial Entrepreneurs Build and Manage a Board of Directors in a Venture-Backed Start Up

Other course materials: TBA

11 and 12

4/16, 4/18

Managing the idea

Discussion: A business is often more than just the product. In this class, we will discuss the most important activities from a management point of view.

Student activities: TBA

Guest speaker: Jeff Steinberg, Founder and General Manager at Projekt202

Read Article: Planning a Start Up? Seize the day…

Other course materials: TBA

13 and 14

4/23, 4/25

Logistics

Discussion: This class discussion extends the discussion from the previous week with a particular emphasis on more tactical issues associated with moving your idea forward.

Student activities: TBA

Guest speaker: TBA

Review: Starting a Business section of the IRS website

Review: Starting a business checklist

Other course materials: TBA

15 and 16

4/30, 5/2

Evaluating your idea

Discussion: Part of launching an idea includes consistent introspection and evaluation on the merits of the operation. This class discussion will focus on the right questions to ask when determining success.

Student activities: TBA

Guest speaker: Chris Hyams, formerly Founder and CEO of B-side entertainment

Other course materials: TBA

Final presentations