About this course

Every business needs entrepreneurial thinking. In this course we offer a model for using the principles of entrepreneurship to grow and evolve. This is a course for business leaders looking for new and bigger opportunities in a changing world. 

This course is a series of conversations between Brian Hayden, co-founder of HeatSpring, and Bob Caspe, his mentor. Each lesson contains an actionable truth and is paired with a corresponding story. The true value of the course lies in the interaction we can all have with each other; Bob & Brian will participate on the course discussion board, and in monthly live Q&A sessions.

Bob has an amazing ability to get people 'unstuck' and anybody in the course that wants to have that experience will get it. Bob's model for entrepreneurship optimizes for two things:
  1. Have the most fun and learn and grow
  2. Invest in relationships with people who you like working with

This course was built to help clean energy companies innovate more quickly. To help more companies grow sustainably by adapting to changes in the market with entrepreneurial solutions.

Learning Objectives

  • See the world as a place full of opportunity to create and grow a business
  • Maintain a focus on learning from customers and using their feedback to set priorities, and ignoring the well-meaning noise from others
  • Understand how to separate activities that are important from activities that are not important

Course outline

5 modules
4 hours to complete
3:02 hours of video lectures
Module 1 • 9 assignments
Introduction & Orientation

This course is self-paced, so you don’t need to be logged in at any specific time. You can get started immediately after you enroll and the course materials will remain in your account with minimum guaranteed access for 12 months (1 year) after enrollment.

  • About this course (02:23 minutes) Preview
  • Meet Brian Hayden, co-instructor for the course (02:17 minutes) Preview
  • Meet Bob Caspe, co-instructor for the course (07:12 minutes)
  • Story about how Bob started teaching at Babson (07:08 minutes)
  • Advice for how to be a great student in this class (01:54 minutes)
  • We're excited to teach...even if we're talking to ourselves (55 seconds)
  • Set up email notifications and your student profile
  • Introduce yourself and help us learn about you and your business
  • Optional Download: Bob's book - "Entrepreneurial Action" (PDF) (.pdf)
Module 2 • 7 assignments
What are we trying to do and what are the metrics for success?

We love entrepreneurship. It's a team sport where you get to earn a living and make cool stuff happen. In this module we talk about how to think about the work running a business, and how that impacts the tactics you use to win.

Entrepreneurial strategies are available to any company at any stage. It's not just a startup thing. Whether you work at a big company, a small company, or just have an idea, this course is full of practical strategies you can start using right away.

  • READ: "Entrepreneurial Action" pages 7-19
  • Journey > Destination (06:08 minutes)
  • What matters is how you treat people (34 seconds)
  • Winners are determined through evolution & randomness - so what does that mean for you? (07:41 minutes)
  • Focus on the business model (not the product) (09:01 minutes)
  • Customers only care about two things: Value & Risk (05:52 minutes)
  • OPTIONAL: Schedule a time to meet with Bob & Brian
Module 3 • 13 assignments
Search Selling: a Strategy for Getting Started

Bob & Brian are here to share their approach to entrepreneurship. We have a perspective. We like lifestyle businesses, we value relationships, we think business is a game that should be fun. The strategies in this module adhere to that general philosophy.

Our way isn't the only way! You could totally ignore all of these strategies - even do the exact opposite - and find success in business. We know that. So take these lessons as a launching point for discussion and apply the ones that make sense for you on your journey.

  • READ: "Entrepreneurial Action" pages 20-102
  • LISTEN: Start by Finding a Good Customer
  • Intro to Search Selling & the value of your network : The importance of "getting into the room" with a good customer (19:06 minutes)
  • Anybody can do search selling (01:54 minutes)
  • Why 'passion' for an industry isn't the best way to find a good opportunity (07:07 minutes)
  • Pick one (single) problem to solve for your customer (10:16 minutes)
  • Survive long enough to get lucky (not a typical VC strategy) (14:33 minutes)
  • Pricing the first transaction (How did you come up with $50k?) (04:23 minutes)
  • Competition isn't bad - it validates the need for your product (04:55 minutes)
  • Listen to the customer and be flexible about your business model (Story about cell tower A/C units) (10:22 minutes)
  • Consumer-oriented businesses are hard and you need to be focused on sales (02:14 minutes)
  • Story about using search selling to start a pesticide business (03:39 minutes)
  • OPTIONAL: Schedule a time to meet with Bob & Brian
Module 4 • 12 assignments
Strategies for Staying in the Game

You don't need to go to business school to be good at this stuff. But it helps to keep your eyes on the most important metrics. In this module we'll share a collection of ideas that will help your business survive...hopefully long enough to get lucky and grow.

  • READ: "Entrepreneurial Action" pages 103-226
  • Spend time with your best customers (03:38 minutes)
  • Understand the basic financials of your business (How a solar business goes bankrupt) (09:10 minutes)
  • If a product is hard to describe, it will cost a lot to sell (01:58 minutes)
  • Cost of Customer Acquisition (B-to-B vs. B-to-C) - Story about bus schedule service in Brazil (05:33 minutes)
  • Use science to pick a business model that will work (a story for inventors) (05:44 minutes)
  • Marketing is hard. Making product is the easy part. (03:29 minutes)
  • Don't rely on external marketing companies - do your own marketing so you really know the numbers (08:16 minutes)
  • Most companies don't know their cost of customer acquisition [Story about Scott] (07:31 minutes)
  • The same boring metrics still apply to new marketing channels (02:30 minutes)
  • Most small businesses are fine as they are - until they get disrupted (04:59 minutes)
  • OPTIONAL: Schedule a time to meet with Bob & Brian
Conclusion • 6 assignments
Feedback and Additional Resources

This is our last module but you still have access to the all of course materials for 12 months (1 year), so keep working and you'll be able to complete the course at your own pace. After your year of access expires you can optionally extend access with a HeatSpring Membership. Enjoy the course and keep in touch!

  • OPTIONAL: Schedule a time to meet with Bob & Brian
  • OPTIONAL: Connect on LinkedIn
  • 1 Year of Access to Course Materials
  • Feedback: 2-minute Exit Survey
  • Consider Joining as a HeatSpring Member
  • Certificate of Completion: Request a Certificate

Instructors

Bob Caspe

I'm retired! But I love offering consulting and educational services in the fields of innovation and entrepreneurship. Formerly, I founded and served as the CEO of the IEC where we focused on entrepreneurship education and on bringing non-US technology companies into the US market. Before that, I was teaching "Marketing for Entrepreneurs" at Babson's MBA Graduate...

Brian Hayden

Co-Founder, HeatSpring

Co-founder and Partner at HeatSpring. Brian also teaches "Finding Your Venture" at the the University of Michigan's Center for Entrepreneurship. Brian has business degrees from the University of Michigan (BBA) and Babson College (MBA). He loves renewable energy, entrepreneurship, and hearing and telling great stories.

Frequently asked questions

Full FAQ
How does this course work?
You can begin this online course instantly upon enrollment. This 4 module course is delivered entirely online. This course is self-paced and you can set your own schedule to complete the materials. You can begin the lecture videos and other course materials as soon as you enroll. During your year of access the instructor will be in the course answering questions on the discussion board. After successfully completing the course, you will be able to generate a certificate of completion.
How long do I have access to the materials?
Students get unlimited access to the course materials for as long as their membership remains active.
Is there a certificate of completion?
Yes, when you complete this course you are eligible for a certificate of completion from HeatSpring. You can download your certificate as soon as you have completed all of the course requirements. Students can easily share their verified certificates on their LinkedIn profiles using our LinkedIn integration.
Can I register multiple people?
Yes please visit our [HeatSpring for Teams](/for_teams) page to get a group discount.

$495

Take this course

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