Rutgers University Food Innovation Center

Food Business Basics
Module III. Business and Finance

As you form your company, it is critical to understand the structure under which your business can operate, how your business structure affects your financing, how to obtain financing and how to develop a business plan that meets the needs of the financial community and strategic partners.

This course is designed to meet these learning objectives, and is divided into three sections:

  1. Evaluating Business Structures provides the information you will need to determine the business structure that best suits your needs for the near and long term, and how your business structure affects potential funding options. Business structures examined in this course include sole proprietorships, corporations, partnerships, and LLCs.
  2. Developing a Business Plan provides a step-by-step approach to developing a business plan that can be used internally as you chart your company’s course for success, and externally when you approach lenders, financers and strategic partners.
  3. Obtaining Financing outlines the considerations and requirements, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of grant funding, equity financing and debt financing. Also provided is advice on how to talk to lenders and financers, and a lengthy listing of sources for grant, debt and equity funding.

Course Price: $79                       Group Price for Complete Series: $500

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**Access to course materials is valid for four (4) months from the date of purchase.**


Course Outline

  • Introduction
    •  
  • Evaluating Business Structures
  • Sole Proprietorships
    • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Partnerships
    • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Corporations
    • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • LLCs
    • Advantages and Disadvantages
  • Summary
  • Registering Your Business
    • Sole Proprietorships and Partnerships
    • Corporations and LLCs
    • Establishing a Trademark
    • Employer ID Number
  •  
  • Developing a Business Plan
  • Components of a Business Plan
  • Executive Summary
  • Company Overview
    • Mission vs. Vision Statement
  • Product Overview
  • Market Analysis
    • Data Sources
  • Target Market
  • Opprotunities and Threats
    • Opprotunities
    • Threats
  • Marketing Goals
  • Management Team
  • Financial Data
    • Balance Sheet
    • Profit and Loss Statement
    • Cash Flow Projections
  • Business Plans for Funding
  • Further Reading
  •  
  • Obtaining Financing
  • Funding and Business Structures
  • Debt Financing
    • What Lenders Look For
  • Equity Financing
    • Angel Investors
    • Venture Capital
  • Grants
    • Grant Writing
  • Summary
  • Funding Sources
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