Guide to Getting Your Online Associate Degree in Entrepreneurship
If you dream of owning your own business, setting your schedule, and working as your own boss, pursuing an online associate degree in entrepreneurship could benefit you. Entrepreneurs must:
- Possess strong organizational skills
- Be adaptable
- Make quick decisions
- Be comfortable with failure
- Have a tolerance for risk
They must also know how to balance a budget, create a strategic plan, market their business, and deal with human resource issues — skills you can acquire through online classes and apply to any job.
Keep reading to learn more about entrepreneurship associate programs and career opportunities.
What Will You Learn in an Online Entrepreneurship Associate Degree Program?
Entrepreneurs must know how to serve many roles as small business owners. Once your business grows, you can outsource tasks, but in the startup phase, you will need to learn about managerial accounting, the legal aspects of business, and marketing.
To better understand what you can learn while earning an online associate degree in entrepreneurship, we outlined five common courses. Although every program requires its own unique set of classes, you can expect to take classes similar to those listed below.
Common Courses
Every successful business needs to attract the right customers. In marketing and public relations courses, students learn how to identify and communicate with target audiences, create brand recognition, and build customer loyalty. By the end of the course, students should understand the basics of using paid and unpaid media placements to build their businesses.
As a small business owner, it's more important than ever to familiarize yourself with the current laws that can impact a business. It only takes one lawsuit to bankrupt a business, but knowing how to avoid mishaps and acquire the right insurance coverage can protect you.
Although small business owners typically work with certified public accountants, they must understand accounting basics. This course covers helpful tax write-offs and balancing a budget. Students learn to use financial data to make important managerial decisions.
This class teaches students how to use analytical tools to oversee projects in a business. Learners discover creative ways to improve business efficiency and meet business goals. An operations management course typically covers basic human resource principles since employees must feel valued for a business to function.
As your business grows, you'll likely need more employees to complete tasks to keep the business functioning and profitable. As an entrepreneur, you could find yourself in a leadership position overseeing dozens of employees within just a few years. In organizational behavior and leadership courses, you can learn tips for managing and motivating teams while improving your company's bottom line.
Core Skills
Through an online associate degree in entrepreneurship, you can expect to gain two skill sets: Hard skills and soft skills.
You can qualify and test hard skills. Most of the hard skills this degree covers are math-related. Entrepreneurship programs typically teach math, finance, and accounting basics.
Another hard skill you can expect to learn in entrepreneurship classes is marketing, including:
- Web design
- Social media management
- Press release writing
- Graphic design
You can't quantify soft skills. Some soft skills come more naturally to some individuals than others, but you can almost always acquire any soft skill with practice. Soft skills that entrepreneur courses cover include:
- Teamwork
- Adaptability
- Problem-solving
- Time management
Communication skills stand out as one important soft skill entrepreneurs must acquire. After all, small business owners must know how to speak effectively to their employees, investors, clients, customers, and other stakeholders.
What Can You Do With an Associate Degree in Entrepreneurship?
With an entrepreneurship degree, you can work in various fields. For example, if you love good food and enjoy cooking, you can open a restaurant. If you are constantly planning your next overseas adventure, you can open a travel planning business. Or, instead of opening a business, you can choose to improve a current business as a strategist or marketing director.
Small business owners typically oversee all aspects of their business during the startup phase. Their day-to-day responsibilities vary greatly depending on what type of business they own or operate.
Average Annual Salary: $64,825
Advertising professionals use communication channels to get the word out about the business and build customer loyalty. To succeed, they must understand what motivates their target audience to buy goods or services.
Average Annual Salary: $147,560
Personal financial advisors typically own their own consulting business and meet with clients to help them save money for retirement, college, or taxes. These professionals must know how to analyze financial situations and offer advice that will benefit their clients. Personal financial advisors typically need a bachelor's degree.
Average Annual Salary: $122,490
Individuals who love deadlines, organizing, and coordinating might enjoy a career as an event planner. These professionals must pay attention to detail and creatively solve problems when things don't go as planned. They perform and delegate all the tasks necessary to ensure an event's success.
Average Annual Salary: $55,890
Transferring to a Higher Degree Program After an Online Associate Degree in Entrepreneurship
Once you complete an online associate entrepreneurship degree, you can begin your career right away or transfer to a four-year degree program. If the latter option feels right for you, keep reading below to discover tips for transferring.
Bachelor's in International Business
The bachelor's in international business degree targets those who love business and enjoy communicating with people from other cultures. With this degree, you can take part in trading goods and services between countries.
Bachelor's in Human Resources Management
Students who enjoy learning the basics of human resources might enjoy pursuing a bachelor's degree in this subject. This degree teaches students how to attract and maintain talent for an organization.
Master's in Business
After earning an associate and bachelor's degree, you can advance your education even further with an MBA. This degree can position you to work in an advanced business position, such as the CEO of a successful business.
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