Business Essentials

Running a company - or starting one from scratch - requires a knowledge of business fundamentals, as well as proficiency in a number of essential business skills in your toolbox. Many of these business foundations are analytical skills, such as financial modeling and financial management, data analysis and statistics, project management, and decision-making.

But many of the most important skills you'll need for a successful career in business are all about people. Great interpersonal skills in areas like communication, leadership, and negotiation are often what separate the most successful business leaders from the rest of the pack.

In short, you need a combination of analytical skills to develop a profitable business plan, as well as the people skills needed to lead your team towards successful execution.‎

One of the most amazing things about online education today is the way it can leverage video to help students build essential interpersonal business skills, through real-time practicing and mentoring on a flexible schedule from anywhere in the world.

Between virtual live class sessions, one-on-one office hours with experienced and successful faculty, and collaboration with fellow classmates from around the world, a high quality online business education doesn't mean missing out on developing the people skills that are fundamental to your career. A wide range of courses and short Guided Projects can help you hone your skills in presentation, negotiation, and collaboration, along with the leadership ability to influence people and inspire your team. Along the way, you'll get feedback from your classmates and instructors, helping you to keep improving.

Of course, there are plenty of less-interpersonal essential business skills you can develop online too! Courses in business basics like financial management, project management, data analytics, and decision-making, as well as more advanced courses in topics like critical thinking and strategic planning, ensure that you can build a well-rounded business education with online courses. You can also pursue a full-fledged MBA or other business masters degree online!‎

The skills or experience you might need to already have, before starting to learn business essentials, would be an understanding of the industry you eventually want to work in for the majority of your career. There are common essentials of business that can apply to almost every industry, like accounting principles, marketing tactics, and operational processes. These are standard as they have shown to work successfully in many businesses across industries. But particular industries have certain needs that separate the business essentials from another industry. For example, a software services company might have business essentials that do not apply to a chain restaurant company, for example. Learning the business essentials that are most important to your field, like creativity, management, financial principles, or career stability, can help you in the long run.‎