Where did all the great business owners learn all the tools and tricks of the trade? Even though some well-known entrepreneurs dropped out of college, such as Steve Jobs and Mark Zuckerberg, in all actuality, there are exceptions to the rule.
A vast majority of the world’s top industry leaders gained the knowledge they needed to succeed by going to business schools and universities across the world. People like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos learned the strategies and theories they implement in their own business from courses that they learned in school.
Establishing a business requires a great deal of motivation, planning, and a wealth of knowledge across several subjects. For instance, in order for you to juggle the risks associated with starting a new venture, you need to understand how the economy and the business world works as well as the difference between an s corp vs c corp. Based on what other entrepreneurs have done, we created a list of courses that you should definitely take if you plan to start your own business, once you graduate college.
1) Industrial Engineers
This particular course may seem surprising. When people think of the term “industrial engineering,” a team of engineers may be the first thing that comes to mind. Many people never picture a leader of a startup company or a well-known CEO when they hear the term engineering. But in general, industrial engineers have a wealth of knowledge on multiple aspects of the business sector from cost planning and supply-chain management to project management and policy analysis.
In addition to that, engineers possess strategic thinking and ingenuity skills which are crucial when it comes to starting a business. They also developed an eye for detail and possess the ability to operate numerous technological and informational systems. An industrial engineering course can help to prepare you for crunching small to large business data.
2) Economics
Taking a course in economics may seem like a no-brainer when it comes to college attendees who plan to start a business. However, statistics indicate that many students stay away from economics. The primary reason? Economics consists of dealing with math, a subject area that has been deemed to be one of the most undesirable subjects amongst college students. However, economics covers more than just math. One of the things it also covers is a more thorough understanding of how money is traded, exchanged, and distributed as well as the management of resources. An economics course can also teach you everything from consumer confidence, consumer behavior, trade regulation, and tax law. Therefore, if you plan to start a business, you need to understand how business economics.
3) Computer Science
In today’s technologically advanced world, you may have come to learn that a significant amount of work behind a business consists of web development, computer programming, and information technology. By gaining knowledge within any of these sectors, you will gain the ability to establish a business that’s on the same stage as Apple, Facebook, and Google. Computer science can help you understand the digital marketplace, computers, and how the digital world operates.
Some of the most successful entrepreneurs have an excellent background in computer science. Some of those include:
- Steve Wozniak
- James Gosling
- Mark Zuckerburg
- Kim Dotcom
- Reed Hastings
4) Business Management/Administration
Most entrepreneurs would agree that one of the key things a business needs to succeed is an owner who has strong leadership skills. When it’s all said and done, knowing how to manage expectations and how to make executive decisions are some of the most critical traits that can help to turn your ideas into a thriving business. Many colleges and universities allow you to take a course in business administration as to which you can learn how to develop strong leadership skills which are critical when it comes to leading your business in the right direction.
5) Entrepreneurship
Last but not least, and perhaps the most crucial course all inspiring business owners should take is an entrepreneurship course. An entrepreneurship course is significantly different from a traditional business course because it focuses on getting you to participate in exercises that help to develop your business idea. During an entrepreneurship course, students also get the opportunity to learn how they can get financing as well as how to attract investors.
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