Turn your passion into profit

12-weeks / 6 Credits

As entrepreneurs, we are always learning and at the Community Business Academy, you can expect to learn and share a lot. The success of our program relies on your talents and contributions. 

In this course, you will be building strong fundamentals business skills like budgeting, marketing, bookkeeping, and financing. 

Our experiential methodology embeds direct curriculum application so you are able to work on your business as you learn!

How It Works

Your learning experience.

  • 1. Learn

    Watch Video Lessons Before Your Live Zoom Sessions: These short video lessons are designed to introduce topics and get you thinking about your own business and questions you have. You can ask questions or share your thoughts in on-lesson discussions, take self-assessment quizzes and come back to these videos to review concepts whenever you'd like!

  • 2. Engage

    Participate in the Live Zoom Session: This is where the concepts you learned in the video lessons come alive. You'll discuss concepts, practice using these concepts through engaging exercises and connect what you learned to your own businesses. This is the community of the Community Business Academy!

  • 3. Apply

    Complete Homework: Each week for nine weeks you will have homework. This homework is designed to be your opportunity to apply what you learned to your own business. As entrepreneurs we spend a lot of time running our businesses. This is the time fo you to think and plan for your business. Take the time and stay on top of your homework! We are here to support you through it all!

Meet Our Instructors

Experts that care.

CBA Instructor Simeko Hartley

Simeko Hartley is an award-winning entrepreneur, a licensed cosmetologist in NJ & NY, a master trainer, and a business coach who has managed and owned several successful salon businesses over the course of her career. With over 25 years of passion, dedication, knowledge, and experience in the natural hair care industry, Simeko has come to be known and loved as one of the top experts in her field. Her work has been featured worldwide on various media platforms, including Essence Magazine, Sophistic Black Hair Care & Walmart ad campaigns.

Course curriculum

    1. Navigating our Learning System

    2. Welcome to Rising Tide Capital

    3. CBA Overview

    4. Welcome CBA Instructors

    5. CBA Instructor Manual

    6. Tips and Tricks for Online Engagement

    1. Meet Your Instructor

    2. Getting Help

    3. Preparing for Learning

    4. Using the Discussion

    5. Checking Your Understanding

    6. Communicating with Your Instructors

    7. Upload Practice

    8. Getting Ready to Zoom

    9. Zoom Invitations

    1. Welcome to the Community Business Academy!

    2. THINGS TO KNOW: The Design of the Class

    3. THINGS TO KNOW: Business is all about relationships!

    4. Your Commitment: Student Handbook (Download)

    5. Your Commitment: Student Handbook (Commitment)

    6. Pre-survey (Form)

    7. Getting To Know You

    8. Getting to Know Your Business

    9. NEW CONCEPT: You – The Entrepreneur

    10. ASSESSMENT: Self-Evaluation

    11. NEW CONCEPT: The Business Idea

    12. DISCUSSION: What Makes a Good Product or Service?

    13. Check Your Understanding

    14. DEFINITION: Business Plan Outline

    15. The Executive Summary Contest

    16. CHECK-IN: How are you doing?

    17. NEXT STEPS: Our LIVE class is coming up!

    18. Before we start: Get ready to Zoom

    19. Before we start: What to bring

    20. Welcome to our LIVE class (Zoom)

    21. HOMEWORK 1: Introduction

    22. CHECK-IN: How are you doing?

    23. UP NEXT: Looking Ahead to Week 2

    1. Welcome back!

    2. THE GAME: Purpose

    3. GAME CONTEXT: Location

    4. GAME CONTEXT: Target Customer

    5. GAME CONTEXT: Your Role

    6. TOOLS REVIEW: Business Cycle Calendar

    7. TOOLS REVIEW: Daily Record Keeping Journal

    8. TOOLS REVIEW: Weekly Sales Journal

    9. TOOLS REVIEW: Weekly Expense Journal

    10. NEXT STEPS: Our LIVE class is coming up!

    11. Before we start: Get ready to Zoom

    12. Before we start: What to bring

    13. Welcome to our LIVE class (Zoom)

    14. HOMEWORK 2: Business Simulation I

    15. CHECK-IN: How did it go?

    16. CHECK-IN: How is it going?

    17. UP NEXT: Looking Ahead to Week 3

    1. Welcome Back

    2. Managing Your Personal Expenses and Income

    3. Personal Budget

    4. NEW CONCEPT: Personal Expense Categories

    5. DEFINITION: Personal Income

    6. APPLYING YOUR LEARNING: Personal Income and Expenses

    7. THINGS TO KNOW: Savings

    8. THINGS TO KNOW: Understanding Your Credit

    9. DEFINITION: Interest

    10. Check Your Understanding

    11. THINGS TO KNOW: Why is Having Good Credit Important?

    12. THINGS TO KNOW: How to Correct Errors in a Credit Report

    13. THINGS TO KNOW: Negative Information in your Credit Report

    14. NEXT STEPS: Our LIVE class is coming up!

    15. Before we start: Get ready to Zoom

    16. Before we start: What to bring

    17. Welcome to our LIVE class (Zoom)

    18. HOMEWORK 3: Monthly Personal Income and Expense Budget

    19. CHECK-IN: How did it go?

    20. CHECK-IN: How is your learning?

    21. UP NEXT: Looking Ahead to Week 4

    1. Welcome to Week 4

    2. THINGS TO KNOW: Basic Business Structure

    3. DEFINITIONS: Business Expenses

    4. DISCUSSION: Variable Expenses

    5. NEW CONCEPT: Understanding Your Competitors

    6. DEFINITION: Your Competitors

    7. Things to Know: The Importance of Your Competition

    8. Check Your Understanding

    9. NEW CONCEPT: Your Target Market

    10. DEFINITIONS: Defining Your Target Market

    11. Things to Know: Mistakes to Avoid

    12. NEXT STEPS: Our LIVE class is coming up!

    13. Before we start: Get ready to Zoom

    14. Before we start: What to bring

    15. Welcome to our LIVE class (Zoom)

    16. Homework 4: Competition and Target Marketing

    17. CHECK-IN: How did it go?

    18. CHECK-IN: How are you doing?

    19. UP NEXT: Looking Ahead to Week 5

About this course

  • Free
  • 231 lessons
  • 2.5 hours of video content

FAQ

  • What's the cost?

    Tuition for The Community Business Academy is valued at $3,000 per student. Thanks to our generous supporters and donors, tuition is waived for every student accepted into the program. All participants, however, must pay a small materials and registration fee towards the course. Based on your household income, your fees are calculated on a sliding scale ranging from $150 to $375. Additional financial aid is available for those who qualify.

  • Who are the instructors?

    Our instructors all actively own or run small businesses, and have been through a one-year intensive training program geared towards maximizing their experience as entrepreneurs in teaching small business concepts.

  • How do I apply?

    Introduce yourself by filling out our program inquiry form here and we will walk you through next steps.