Small Business and Entrepreneurship Courses

small business owner and coffee shop employee

Upcoming Courses and Training

Professional Dog Grooming Certification Program

Madison College’s Professional Dog Grooming Certification Program provides the expert training, hands-on experience, and industry knowledge you need to succeed in this growing field.

Led by Marci Wanta, owner and professional groomer at Blossom Pet Salon, this program is designed to equip you with essential grooming skills, from breed-specific techniques to coat care and health maintenance. With a combination of online learning and hands-on training, you’ll gain real-world experience in a professional salon setting.

Learn About the Dog Grooming Program

Start-Up and Operations Courses

Entrepreneurship Foundations: Key Strategies for Business Idea Success | $149

Designed for entrepreneurs ready to turn their business ideas into reality, this course offers practical guidance on navigating the early stages of business development. You’ll cultivate a strong entrepreneurial mindset, learn essential branding strategies, and explore how AI can enhance your business approach. The course covers effective go-to-market tactics, financial management, and money operations to ensure your idea thrives. Additionally, you’ll learn how to craft a compelling pitch to attract investors. Gain the knowledge and confidence to transform your business idea into a successful venture.

#11970, Goodman South Campus, 6/18-7/16, Wednesday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Brian Lee

The Entrepreneur’s Mindset: Unlocking Success from the Inside Out | $49

Entrepreneurship isn’t just about strategy—it’s about mindset. In this dynamic two-hour course, you’ll discover how to cultivate the resilience, confidence, and clarity needed to thrive in business. Through interactive exercises and real-world insights, we’ll explore how to overcome self-doubt, reframe challenges as opportunities, and develop the habits of highly successful entrepreneurs or growth mindset thinkers. Your story and the stories of those you serve/impact will be your greatest tools to amplify and elevate your mindset and business. Whether you're launching a startup or scaling your business, this session will provide you with the mental tools to stay motivated, navigate uncertainty, and achieve lasting success. By the end of this course, participants will: Understand the key mindset shifts necessary for entrepreneurial success. Identify and reframe limiting beliefs that may be holding them back. Learn techniques to develop resilience, confidence, and motivation. Create a personal action plan to cultivate a growth-oriented mindset.

#36448, Online Live, 9/2-9/30, Tuesday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Jamie Perez

Start Your Own Small Business | $129

Learn how to transform your passion and talent into a viable small business. This course will teach you about financing, marketing techniques, employee management, policy writing, and time management - everything you need to know to start your very own small business.

Instructor-Moderated (Asynchronous)

Creating a Successful Business Plan | $135

Turn your business ideas into a solid plan for financing and long-term success. Committing your idea to paper in the form of a business plan not only increases your chances of obtaining financing, but also in keeping your business strategically focused. You will work through all the major components of writing a business plan and emerge with your first draft in hand. Most importantly, you will have completed the first—and most difficult—step on the path to small business success.

Instructor Moderated or Self-Guided

Life Cycle of Collaboration | $299

The Life Cycle of Collaboration our collaboration framework. The course is a space where we learn the framework and become better at designing and leading intentional collaborations. In this workshop, we dive into why transformational leadership, facilitation, and conflict resolution skills are so important to this collaboration model. We will examine and practice using these skills to design, manage, and participate in more impactful collaborations. The life cycle begins when everything is possible and we empower idea holders. It ends when deliverables are finished in a clean, pretty package. Participants will finish this series curious and comfortable about their intentional collaborations while containing new insight and tools for how they show up as leaders in those collaborations.

Future sessions posted here

Project Management Fundamentals | $199

This course is a unique blend of key project management concepts and applied training that you can immediately apply to your projects. Gain specific tools for all phases of the project life cycle to successfully manage and deliver results at home, at work or in any project situation. Learn how to develop project plans and requirements, identify scope, develop milestones and action plans, prepare estimates, and monitor and manage projects.

Future offerings posted here

Running a Crowd Funding Campaign | $179

Crowdfunding is an accessible fundraising strategy for start-ups, inventors, business ventures, non-profits, and individuals. Crowdfunding requests relatively small donations from a large group of donors/investors – your crowd. In this course you will learn about the types of crowdfunding and leading platforms, review other projects, learn how to plan for a campaign, strategize, and pitch and budget for a project. Crowdfunding has become a prominent mechanism of generating revenue, with billions of dollars raised each year in North America. Learn if crowdfunding is for you or your organization and what running a successful campaign involves.

Future offerings posted here

Accounting and Finance Courses

Accounting Fundamentals | $129

In this comprehensive course, you will learn the basics of double-entry bookkeeping, as well as how to analyze and record financial transactions. You will get hands-on experience with handling accounts receivable, accounts payable, payroll procedures, sales taxes, and various common banking activities.

Accounting Fundamentals covers all the bases, from writing checks to preparing an income statement and closing out accounts at the end of each fiscal period. Whether you're a sole proprietor looking to manage your business finances or you simply want to gain an understanding of accounting basics for career advancement or for personal use, this course will give you a solid foundation in financial matters. Course offered in partnership with Ed2Go.

Instructor-Moderated
Also available as an on-demand, self-paced tutorial.

Accounting with QuickBooks Online Suite | $480

This comprehensive course will teach you the basics of accounting with QuickBooks Online, the most widely used accounting software for small business owners. You'll master the basics double-entry bookkeeping and get hands-on experience handling accounts receivable, accounts payable, sales taxes and other common financial activities. Course offered in partnership with Ed2Go.

Instructor-Moderated

Introduction to QuickBooks Online | $139

This QuickBooks course will teach you how to manage your business finances with QuickBooks Online. This powerful accounting software has helped millions of small business owners oversee their finances. Now that the cloud-based version is outpacing the desktop version, there's no better time to refresh your QuickBooks knowledge.

You will learn to use key features of QuickBooks Online and gain hands-on experience creating invoices, receipts, and statements; track payables, inventory, and receivables; generating reports; and more. Whether you're new to QuickBooks or need a quick refresher, this course will empower you to take control of your business's financial accounting, all with the ease and convenience of an online platform. Course offered in partnership with Ed2Go.

Instructor-Moderated
Also available as an on-demand, self-paced tutorial.

Marketing Courses

Media Relations and Interviewing with the Media for Beginners | $149

In today's fast-paced media landscape, the ability to effectively communicate with journalists and media outlets is crucial for shaping public perception and advancing organizational goals. This course provides participants with the foundational skills needed to navigate media interviews confidently and strategically. From understanding the role of the media to mastering interview techniques, this course offers practical insights and hands-on experience designed to enhance your media relations capabilities.

#37017, Commercial Avenue Campus, 10/16, Thursday, 8 AM-12 PM Instructor: Brent Kyzer-McHenry

Kick-Start Biz with eCommerce | $49

How to get to market quickly with low cost, and start selling through your own online store? This fast-paced workshop provides information about how to start an eCommerce store and tactics to gain first and repeat customers. This class focuses on sales and distribution, not product development, supply chain or manufacturing.

#36308, Online Live, 10/23, Thursday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Kara Hanninen

Mastering Public Speaking for Professionals and Leaders | $149

This intensive course is designed for professionals, civic leaders, elected officials, and government administrators who seek to improve their public speaking abilities. The course provides practical strategies for delivering clear, confident, and persuasive messages in any setting. Participants will learn techniques to engage audiences, structure speeches, handle questions, and manage public speaking anxiety. By the end of the course, attendees will have the skills and confidence to deliver impactful presentations and messages, whether in a formal speech, press conference, or community meeting.

#37014, Commercial Avenue Campus, 11/6, Thursday, 8 AM-12 PM Instructor: Brent Kyzer-McHenry

Small Business Social Media Marketing | $149

Learn how a marketing plan is constructed. Students will begin or refine your business or organization’s target audiences, develop strategies, and identify tactics in your organic and paid social media marketing efforts on various social media platforms. Students will also learn how to launch and sustain a content strategy and measure efforts.

#36328, Commercial Avenue Campus, 11/18, Thursday, 8 AM-12 PM Instructor: Brent Kyzer-McHenry

Small Business Branding | $69

In business, commodities are bought for the lowest price possible, but brands are purchased at a premium. So how can you create a brand that allows you to master your market and command top dollar? This class will show you by providing all the concepts, tools, and techniques needed to enable you to begin discovering, crafting and communicating your true brand.

Future offerings will be posted here

Video Storytelling for Creative Content Marketing | $89

Elevate your video storytelling skills with former TV news reporter Jamie Perez, owner of Beyond Words Productions. This course offers powerful techniques to enhance presentations, social media, and more. With Jamie’s expertise in marketing, you’ll learn proven practices and receive personalized feedback. Perfect for businesses and nonprofits looking to create emotive, impactful stories. Enroll now!

#36448, Online Live, 9/2-9/30, Tuesday, 6-8 PM Instructor: Jamie Perez

iPhone Photography: From Basics to Pro-Level Shots | $67

Whether you’re a business owner, marketer, content creator, or simply want to maximize your iPhone's potential for professional, high-quality images and videos, this class is for you! Discover underutilized settings and advanced file types that elevate your photos for any use. We’ll cover photography fundamentals, shooting techniques, accessories, apps, and in-phone editing. Plus, you'll engage in exercises to practice portraits, product shots, lighting, and more!

Future offerings posted here

Intro to Social Media | $69

Learn the fundamental differences between the top social media platforms, and how to identify the best ones for your business. Learn how to create an effective social media strategy and content, including running social media ads. Students will go through the process to create their own impactful social media plan.

Future offerings posted here

Becoming a Foodpreneur

Let Madison College help you create a plan to operate and manage an independent foodservice business! This program addresses mobile and stationary service models for entrepreneurs planning a food truck, cafe, catering service, coffee shop, popup restaurant, on-site culinary services, or festival vending. Foodpreneurs get in the kitchen to develop products and work through kitchen logistics. Receive hands-on training to practice appropriate kitchen conduct that optimizes efficiency and food safety. Students will conduct a market analysis, identify equipment and logistics needs, develop products and services, and create financial projections; all in the process of creating a business plan for a small business.

person inside a food truck giving food to customer

Becoming a Foodpreneur - Part 1 | $349

This 2 part course focuses on the application of business ideas including the practical realities of catering, festival vending, and operating a food truck or cart. Through our hands-on commissary you will learn methods in menu planning and production proven to maximize efficiency, food safety and profit, while developing and fine-tuning your dream.

Class #36312
Night 1 & 2: Commercial Ave Campus - startup content; 9/22 & 9/24
Night 3: In kitchen; 9/29
Night 4: Commercial Ave Campus - startup content; 10/1
Night 5: In kitchen; 10/6
Night 6: Commercial Ave Campus - startup content; 10/8
Night 7: In kitchen; 10/13

Becoming a Foodpreneur - Part 2 | $349

Class # 36304
Night 8: Commercial Ave Campus - management content; 10/15
Night 9: In kitchen; 10/20
Night 10: Commercial Ave Campus - management content; 10/22
Night 11: In kitchen; 10/27
Night 12: Commercial Ave Campus - management content; 10/29
Night 13: In kitchen; 11/3
Night 14: Commercial Ave Campus - management content; 11/5

Three Ways to Register for Noncredit Courses

1. Register by Phone

Call us at 608.258.2301, Option 2

2. Express Registration

Complete our online registration form

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Center for Entrepreneurship

See how the Madison College Center for Entrepreneurship strengthens communities through education, innovation and collaboration.

Learn More About the Center for Entrepreneurship