Running a Small Business
Learn the decisions small business owners face. Find runway, fix food costs, find good leads and ask the bank for a loan.
Each module has short lessons with a check question, then a graded simulation. About 4 hours in total, at your own pace.
- Module 1: The real runway and the way through
The board pack says the company spends 70,000 dollars a month; the January ledger says more, and the board meets on Friday. Build the runway statement from the ledger, cost the ways through the next ninety days and recommend one, and settle with your co-founder what happens to the integration he wants to finish.
- Module 2: The food cost that jumped
The weekly food cost has jumped from 31 to 40.5 percent and head office sees it on Wednesday. Find what is wrong in the records, query the supplier, and explain what is really driving the cost.
- Module 3: Qualify the leads before Friday's pipeline call
Eight inbound leads, three meeting slots and a pipeline call on Friday. Decide who fits by the rules and the registry, write one honest first email, and leave the records in a state the team can run from.
- Module 4: The bakery loan request
A well run bakery wants a loan for a second oven and a bigger overdraft. The reported figures pass the bank's tests easily. Normalise them, test the request against the credit policy, find a structure that works and hold the line when a contract arrives that does not count.
Skills you will practice
- Assessing a loan application
- Board financial reporting
- Briefing colleagues
- Cash and runway planning
- Delivering unwelcome news
- Escalating with the facts
- Financial analysis
- Handling a supplier dispute
- Knowing your authority limits
- Managing a pipeline
- Planning a restructure
- Preparing management accounts
- Qualifying leads
- Recognising your own bias
- Spotting errors in figures
- Treasury and cash management
- Variance analysis
- Weighing trade-offs
- Writing a board paper
- Writing follow-up emails
Frequently asked questions
What is a Skill Path?
A Skill Path is a short course built around real work. Each module has two or three short lessons, then a simulation where you do the job in a fictional company. Your work in each simulation is graded against a rubric.
How long does a Skill Path take?
Most Skill Paths take three to five hours in total. You can stop at any point and pick up where you left off. There are no deadlines.
What do I get when I finish?
When every simulation in the path is complete and graded, you earn a FinderK credential. It lists the work you did and the skills it shows. You can keep it private or share a link to it, for example on LinkedIn.
How much does a Skill Path cost?
Some Skill Paths are included with FinderK Plus, which has a free trial. Others are sold once at a fixed price and stay yours. You can read the first module's lessons for free before you decide.
Do I need experience?
No. Each path states its level. Beginner paths assume no previous experience in the role, and the lessons explain the ideas you need before each simulation.