Financial Management and Driving Growth in Entrepreneurial Venture | 2020-2021
This final Course in the Leading and Managing the Startup Certificate addresses growth as seen through a financial lens. Professor Geis’s topics include analyzing a business opportunity via a pro forma, including Internal Rate of Return and Net Present Value. Next are investigations of cash-flow management, accounts receivable, and using trade credit, followed by examples showing various approaches to expansion, both organic and inorganic.
Faculty
Prof. George Geis
Professor
George T. Geis, Ph.D., is an adjunct professor of Information Systems at the UCLA Anderson School of Management. Geis teaches at UCLA Anderson in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, financial modeling, entrepreneurship, and accounting. He has been voted Outstanding Teacher of the Year at UCLA Anderson four times and has received a number of other teaching awards. Geis has also served as Associate Dean and Faculty Director of UCLA Anderson’s Executive MBA program. He is currently Faculty Director of Anderson’s Mergers and Acquisitions Executive program. Geis has also taught mergers and acquisitions at the Haas School, UC Berkeley and has been a visiting professor at Bocconi University (Milan) and at Darden School of Business (University of Virginia).
Dr. Geis is an expert on M&A activity in technology, communications and media markets. His most recent book, Digital Deals, provides a blueprint for planning and executing sound corporate business development strategies. Geis’ research interests include market modeling for M&A-related strategies as well as venture initiation and growth processes.
A National Science Foundation and Woodrow Wilson Honorary Fellow, Dr. Geis has extensive consulting experience and has published dozens of professional articles and six books. He is the recipient of the Financial Executives Institute Award for outstanding achievement in finance.
Dr. Geis taught in the LEAD Summer Institute for minority youth for more than 10 years. He has provided management education for directors of Head Start programs nationwide as well as for Iraq veterans in UCLA’s Entrepreneurs’ Bootcamp for Veterans with Disabilities. His 16- tape lecture series on “Statistical Analysis in Business” appeared as part of the Teaching Company’s Super Star Teacher series.
Geis is editor of a web site that provides a visual analysis of M&A deals in technology, media and communications markets at http://www.trivergence.com . Geis also writes an M&A blog at http://maprofessor.blogspot.com .
Geis received a B.S. “summa cum laude” and with “honors in mathematics” from Purdue University , an M.B.A. from University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. from University of Southern California.
Course Learning Objectives:
- Evaluate the financial returns of potential business investments and strategic initiatives, using structured business analysis processes.
- Manage the key areas of accounts receivable, collections, and credit, maintaining clear internal policies and procedures.
- Consider a range of business-development options to work with other firms for mutual benefit, including partnerships and alliances, acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing agreements, and other types of business growth.
- Analyze the financial projections in the cash flow, income statement, and balance statement portions of a pro forma for a proposed new product line.
- Analyze Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return projections for a proposed new product line.
- Make a recommendation about proceeding with a proposed investment based on financial analysis.
- Analyze cash flow to determine which potential acquisition would be better financial investment.
- Make key decisions about policies for accounts receivable and collections to support the growth of an entrepreneurial venture.
- Explain the importance to an entrepreneurial venture of using trade credit intelligently to support the growth of an entrepreneurial venture.
- Generate a list of options for business growth – both organic and inorganic – to determine which is best for a given set of circumstances.
- Create a presentation explaining the strategic reasons supporting a growth decision, addressed to business neophytes
- Analyze your areas of strength and weakness relative to the core issues of entrepreneurship.
- Use the definitions of entrepreneurship – “The relentless pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources you currently control” – and opportunity – “A desired future state that is different from the present and the belief that achievement of that state is possible” – to identify at least five entrepreneurial ideas you could explore as potential ventures in your own future.
Syllabus
- Driving Growth via Capital Investments
- Managing Capital and Cash Flows
- Leading Corporate Business Development
- Entrepreneurship and Venture Initiation
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze the financial projections in the cash flow, income statement, and balance statement portions of a pro forma for a proposed new product line.
- Analyze Net Present Value and Internal Rate of Return projections for a proposed new product line.
- Make a recommendation about proceeding with a proposed investment based on financial analysis.
Module Components:
Video Lectures:
- Using a Pro Forma to Evaluate Opportunities
- Calculating Net Present Value & Internal Rate of Return
- Subtleties in Evaluating a Potential Investment
Readings:
- Pro Forma Income Statement
- Pro Forma Balance Sheet
- Financial Modeling and Pro Forma Analysis
- How to Calculate a Five-Year Pro Forma
- Internal Rate of Return
- Present Value (PV)
Case-Study:
- ARTificial Plants
Quiz:
- Driving Growth Via Capital Investments
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze cash flow to determine which potential acquisition would be better financial investment.
- Make key decisions about policies for accounts receivable and collections to support the growth of an entrepreneurial venture.
- Explain the importance to an entrepreneurial venture of using trade credit intelligently to support the growth of an entrepreneurial venture.
Module Components:
Video Lectures:
- The Importance of Cash Flow
- Managing Accounts Receivable and Collections
- Credit Policy Implementation and Using Trade Credit
Readings:
- How to Better Manage Your Cash Flow
- Manage Your Cash Flow
- A Guide To Business – Cash Flow Management
- The Advantages and Disadvantages of Trade Credit
Case-Study:
- ARTificial Plants (Continued-Part 1)
Quiz:
- Managing Capital and Cash Flows
Learning Objectives:
- Generate a list of options for business growth – both organic and inorganic – to determine which is best for a given set of circumstances.
- Create a presentation explaining the strategic reasons supporting a growth decision, addressed to business neophytes.
Module Components:
Video Lectures:
- Corporate Business Development in Entrepreneurial Ventures
- The Case of Apple iTunes/iPod
- Google: What’s Distinctive about Semi-Organic Growth?
Readings:
- Driving Organic Growth
- Effective Mergers and Acquisitions
- How Apple Reached $2 Trillion in Market Value
- Google’s Acquisition Strategy
Case-Study:
- ARTificial Plants (Continued-Part 2)
Quiz:
- Leading Corporate Business Development
Learning Objectives:
- Analyze your areas of strength and weakness relative to the core issues of entrepreneurship.
- Use the definitions of entrepreneurship – “The relentless pursuit of opportunity beyond the resources you currently control” – and opportunity – “A desired future state that is different from the present and the belief that achievement of that state is possible” – to identify at least five entrepreneurial ideas you could explore as potential ventures in your own future.
Module Components:
Video Lectures
- Entrepreneurship – Bringing It All Together
- Entrepreneurship – Breaking the Myths
Readings:
- What is Self Awareness and How to Cultivate It
- Why and How Entrepreneurs Build Self-Awareness
- Vision, Focus and Motivations of Successful Entrepreneurs
- Generating Initial Ideas for New Venture Opportunities
Case-Study:
- Final Thoughts
Quiz:
- Entrepreneurship and Venture Initiation
Support
Please email [email protected] for any support required with respect to the program, course or platform.