Fall 2025 Schedule: Business Basics for the Buckeye Entrepreneur

Day/Time: Thursdays | 12-1pm

Location: Student Entrepreneurs’ Center

September 4 – Week 1: Identifying Resources to Launch

• What do you really need to start?
• Mapping out time, money, connections, and capabilities
• Intro to lean startup thinking

September 11 – Week 2: Customer Interviews + Industry Analysis

• Interviewing potential customers
• Performing industry and competitor analysis
• Hands-on: Peer interview practice

September 18 – Week 3: Entrepreneurial Resource Fair

• Explore OSU and Columbus-area resources for student entrepreneurs
• Meet with support organizations, mentors, and funding opportunities
• Open networking + giveaways

September 25 – Week 4: Pricing and Promotions for Retail Ventures

• Understanding retail pricing strategies
• How to create promotional plans that attract customers
• Preparing for the BuckeyeMade Market

October 2 – Week 5: Who’s Your Customer + Marketing 101

• Segmentation, targeting, and positioning
• Marketing strategies for early-stage businesses
• Social media and content basics
• Outsourcing marketing services

October 9 – Week 6: Intellectual Property Protection

• Understanding IP for entrepreneurs
• Patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets
• How to protect your ideas and brand 

October 16 – No Session (Fall Break)

October 23 – Week 7: What to Expect While Building an Early-Stage Venture in Health Care

• Unique challenges of starting a healthcare business
• Regulatory considerations and compliance basics
• Building trust, navigating HIPAA, and working with healthcare stakeholders 

October 30 – Week 8: Business Setup Essentials

• Business insurance
• EINs and bank accounts
• Legal structures (LLC, S-corp, etc.)

November 6 – Week 9: Systems You Need to Launch

• Bookkeeping (QuickBooks, Wave)
• POS & payment systems (Square, PayPal, Stripe)
• Website and social media integration
• Outsourcing accounting services

November 13 – Week 10: Hiring & Compliance

• Employees vs. contractors
• Payroll basics
• Beneficial ownership reporting
• Non-US citizens as employees or owners
• Outsourcing HR services

November 20 – Week 11: SBIR/STTR for Defense-Related Ventures

• Introduction to SBIR/STTR programs
• How to apply for early-stage funding in defense innovation
• Tips for aligning with Department of Defense priorities and partners 

December 4 – Week 12: Finance Deep Dive

• Balance sheet, income statement, cash flow
• What investors look for
• Assessing financial patterns

December 11 – Week 13: Going Global (Office of Global Business)

• International sales, sourcing, and employees
• Exports
• Global Supply Chains