I need some advice on classes

[Melo]

My end goal is to successfully open and operate my own small business. Now, looking at the classes offered at good old Houston Community College, I'm thinking either Introduction to Business or Small business management.

Both classes seem like they would be beneficial, but I really dont know much about any of this. The bf's mom has a degree in marketing and owns her own business and told me that instead of business, I should study marketing. At this point, I have no clue which would be better. Anyone have any experience with this, or any advice for me? It would be GREATLY appreciated.

TIA!

[royalfan5]

Take both. Also, take any entrepreneurship classes you can.

[C&CDean]

Go get a government job.

Seriously, owning your own business is a fine goal, but it isn't all the grooviness it's made out to be. I own my own business, but I have a real job too so that when the business is a little cold, I can still eat. If you have to actually rely on your own small business for beans, it's way too stressful.

[Melo]

They dont have any entrepreneurship classes. But it will be something I will look into when I transfer to another college.

Taking both classes would be preferable, I suppose, but which one, in your opinion, would be more beneficial if I can only take one this semester?

[royalfan5]

They dont have any entrepreneurship classes. But it will be something I will look into when I transfer to another college.

Taking both classes would be preferable, I suppose, but which one, in your opinion, would be more beneficial if I can only take one this semester?

How comfortable do you feel with your existing business knowledge? If you feel you have a solid base, take the management one, if not take the introduction one.

[Melo]

I know NOTHING about business. But I guess what I am wanting to know - will the small business class be more useful to me over the general business class?

[Vaevictis]

Are you planning on transferring to a university and pursuing a bachelors in business of some kind? (by which I mean any discipline that falls under a business college's purview) Or are you just taking a few one off classes?

Also, are you dead set on being a small business owner, or do you see yourself possibly going corporate at some point? (... and if your small business ever grows, you might end up going corporate anyway...)

[royalfan5]

I know NOTHING about business. But I guess what I am wanting to know - will the small business class be more useful to me over the general business class?

I'm the wrong person to ask that question to. I jumped into business classes at the graduate level, and figured it out as I went. It sucked for awhile. Without knowing much about the school, I would bet that the intro class wouldn't teach you that much, and you would be much better off taking the management class if learning as much as you can is your main goal. If you are looking to ease back into things, and aren't entirely sure about business, take the intro class.

[jk the sooner fan]

focus on business classes, and take a marketing class or two for electives

[achiro]

What kind of business?

[GottaHavePride]

Also, finance classes. And Business law.

[Melo]

No, Im not planning on going corporate.

I havent decided yet whether or not I want to even get a degree. Everyone keeps telling me to get a degree, no matter what it is in.

And as much as most of you will probably look down on me and lose respect for me for this, I really would like to open up my own tattoo shop. I already know your opinion on this matter, Dean, so you can save the post. So there might not be much money in it... (The girl that owns the tat shop in Brenham makes only $300,000 a year...) I understand there is a wide spectrum of income in the business, with one being not much and the other being, well...enough.

Im not interested in that aspect. At one point, I was studying to become a teacher. Obviously, Im not looking to make a ton of money, that is not my goal. I just want to be happy in my chosen career. The more I think about this, the better the idea sounds to me.

So, with that being said, I'm really looking to gain the skills I do not have in order to reach my goal. I need to know how to run my business. Accounting classes, etc seem like they would be helpful.

[soonerboomer93]

oh, then I would go with the intro class

and yes, there's money in tattoo's but the big shops make good money because of who their artists are, and many of them, the owner is also an artist...

[Vaevictis]

Okay, so the reason I asked about the degree is because *if* you're planning on getting a business degree, just take whatever is going to transfer and apply. If you do a proper business degree, it's going to go over everything in those two classes at some point or another (based on the class descriptions, anyway). In such a case, there's no point in taking either of those if they don't transfer and apply.

If you had to take ONE of those two classes in your lifetime, I'd be inclined to go with the Small Business one, because based on the course description in the catalog the Intro class appears to be a more theoretical treatment, and the Small Business one appears to emphasize applied skills (such as legal issues, marketing, business plans, etc).

[Melo]

oh, then I would go with the intro class

and yes, there's money in tattoo's but the big shops make good money because of who their artists are, and many of them, the owner is also an artist...

Oh, I got the art part down. And Im all ready for my apprenticeship. I just think it would be stupid for me to start on THAT aspect of the goal when I would just have to go back later and get the same skills that I am in a perfect position to take care of now.

Vaevictus - Thank you for that. I did read the descriptions, but I get all kinds of confused when it comes to the numbers, and pre-requisites, and all of that. I need to figure out which ones i can just jump into.

[Vaevictis]

No problem.

FWIW, it appears neither class has a pre-requisite.

And just a piece of advice: Worry less about what you can just jump into, or what classes you will do well in, and worry more about what classes will address what it is you want or need to know. Don't be afraid to fail. Just make sure that when you're done with the class, you've taken what you need from it. You'll be better off for it.

(And yeah, I do take my own advice on this, and while it's hurt my GPA, it's helped my education.)

[critical_phil]

it's not too late in the year to go buy a lawnmower and get about 500 credit hours in small business ownership before the end of the summer.