Turn Your Ideas Into Reality
Entrepreneurship: From Idea to Business
Have you ever dreamed of starting your own business, earning money doing something you love, or turning a great idea into something real? This hands-on, interactive course helps high school students take the next step from idea to action.
Course Details
Who: High school students
Grade Range: 9th–12th grade
When: Tuesdays, September 1–November 24
Time: 2:30 PM–4:30 PM
Cost: $300 / semester
Class Size: Limited to 15 students
Format: In-person, hands-on, project-based
This course includes interactive class time, guest speakers, weekly assignments, business research, and a final entrepreneurial project. The course outline confirms this is a 13-week course with weekly topics, assignments, guest speakers, a final presentation, and 68 total learning hours.
Curious Beginners
For students who are interested in entrepreneurship but do not know where to begin.
Who This Course Is For
Whether you're just starting to explore or already leading a venture, this course meets you where you are.
Idea Builders
For students who already have a business idea and want help developing it.
Young Business Owners
For students who have already started something and want to improve, grow, or communicate it more clearly.
What Students Will Learn
Students will learn the fundamentals of entrepreneurship through discussion, team activities, real-world examples, practical projects, and guided business development.
Entrepreneurial Thinking
Students learn how to identify opportunities, solve problems, and understand why businesses exist.
Customer Understanding
Students explore empathy, customer needs, market research, interviews, and value propositions.
Professional Communication
Students practice active listening, body language, customer conversations, professional email, phone etiquette, networking, and feedback.
Marketing & Storytelling
Students learn the basics of branding, logos, social media, audience identification, and why stories help ideas connect.
Money Basics
Students explore revenue, expenses, profit, pricing, startup costs, break-even point, cash flow, business licenses, calculated risk, and opportunity cost.
Leadership in Business
Students learn about hiring, team building, servant leadership, culture, motivation, and leading with integrity.
13-Week Course Journey
Each week builds on the last, helping students move from early ideas to a final business presentation.
1
Week 1: What Is Entrepreneurship?
Students explore entrepreneurship, class expectations, entrepreneur vs. employee, why businesses exist, problem-solving, and finding opportunities.
Week 2: Discovering Your Strengths
Students look at personality, strengths, skills, passions, and working in their “zone of genius.”
2
3
Week 3: Knowing Your Customer
Students learn empathy, customer needs, market research, interviews, and value proposition.
Week 4: Communication in Business
Students practice active listening, reading body language, asking good questions, and customer service.
4
5
Week 5: Professional Communication & Feedback
Students practice elevator pitches, sales conversations, professional emails, phone etiquette, difficult customer conversations, networking, and feedback.
Week 6: Marketing & Storytelling
Students explore branding, logos, social media, storytelling, and audience identification.
6
7
Week 7: Public Speaking for Entrepreneurs
Students prepare and practice a 3-minute business pitch and receive peer feedback.
Week 8: Business Planning & Project Management
Students begin writing a business plan and create a launch timeline for their business idea.
8
9
Week 9: Business Ethics
Students discuss honesty, reputation, customer trust, truthful advertising, handling mistakes, employee treatment, and integrity.
Week 10: Money Basics
Students learn revenue, expenses, profit, pricing, startup costs, break-even point, cash flow, business licenses, franchises, calculated risk, opportunity cost, and when to say no.
10
11
Week 11: Problem Solving & Adaptability
Students explore failure, pivoting, learning from mistakes, innovation, resilience, and real business case studies.
Week 12: Leadership in Business
Students learn about hiring, team building, servant leadership, culture, and motivation.
12
13
Week 13: Final Business Presentations
Students present their business idea, target customer, marketing plan, financial basics, and why they believe the idea can succeed.
Guest Speaker Sessions
Learn From Local Business and Community Leaders
Throughout the semester, students will hear from guest entrepreneurs and community leaders who share real-world experience and answer student questions. These 10 sessions help students connect course concepts to actual business ownership, leadership, and community involvement.
Final Entrepreneurial Project
By the end of the course, students will have developed a business concept and prepared a final presentation. Students will explain their idea, identify their target customer, describe their marketing plan, share basic financial considerations, and explain why they believe their idea can succeed.
The final project gives students a meaningful way to apply what they have learned and practice communicating their ideas with confidence.
Students may present to:
- Parents
- Local business owners
- Community leaders
- Bankers
- Chamber members
High School Learning Hours & Parent-Directed Credit
This course is designed to provide a structured, project-based entrepreneurship learning experience for high school students. Cast Forward Solutions provides course instruction, assignments, business research expectations, final project structure, and documentation of completed learning hours.
Families using this course for homeschool, charter school, vendor-funded, or parent-directed education are responsible for determining how the course applies to their student’s academic plan, transcript, or credit requirements. Upon completion, Cast Forward can provide documentation showing the course description, learning objectives, completed hours, and final project requirements so parents or the student’s education program may apply the course appropriately.
Course Component
Hours
In-person classroom instruction
26 hours
Weekly homework assignments
13 hours
Business Research Journal
13 hours
Final Entrepreneurial Project
16 hours
Total Course Time
68 hours
Cast Forward Solutions does not independently issue high school credit unless otherwise stated through a specific school, homeschool, or program agreement. Parents, guardians, homeschool programs, charter schools, or vendor programs are responsible for determining and applying any academic credit.
Jennifer Walther is a leadership consultant and lifelong Alaskan with 20+ years of business ownership experience. She specializes in operations, team development, and relationship-centered leadership.
Taught by Experienced Small Business Owners
This course is taught by Jennifer Walther and Christine Smith, experienced entrepreneurs passionate about helping students take meaningful steps toward their business goals.
Christine Smith is an organizational development professional and business analyst. She leverages her expertise in workforce strategy and process improvement to help aspiring entrepreneurs solve complex challenges.
Parent Consent & Student Expectations
All students must have a completed parent/guardian consent form before participating. Families will also review and acknowledge student behavior expectations during registration. Students are expected to participate respectfully, follow instructor guidance, and contribute to a positive learning environment.