Course description

This course is designed for entrepreneurs who have either launched or about to launch their small and medium business and plan to grow their company.

This course covers different funding structures that can be applied at any business stage and any business type - whether you run a small and medium business, a start-up, or a social enterprise, this course is for you. Whether you have already financed your business with personal savings, generated enough cash for survival, or spotted an opportunity for expansion – you will find helpful knowledge and resources in this course. 

This course includes everything from videos to practice activities, downloadable templates, and links to additional resources that will help you navigate the sources of funding available to finance your growth.

What's included

  • How long it takes to complete

    This course will take approximately 5 hours to complete.

  • Flexible deadline

    You can take the course at your time and pace with unlimited access to the content.

  • Developed by YES

    YES is a non-profit that has been helping English speakers in Quebec start and grow businesses for 25 years.

What you will learn

This course lists the most common sources of funding used by entrepreneurs, business mentors, and YES business coaches both in Quebec and across the globe.

  • Set long-term and short-term goals for your business and reflect on why you want to grow

  • Consider the feasibility of your growth goals and reflect on how growth might affect your business capacity

  • Discover factors that might affect the choice of funding and what sources of funding exist

  • Compare internal and external sources of funding and the pros and cons associated with each type of financing

  • Explore if debt or equity financing is a good fit for your business and prepare to be evaluated by a debt lender

  • Explore what is required for VC financing and prepare to be evaluated by an investor

Course curriculum

  • 1

    Welcome to the course!

    • Women entrepreneurs in Quebec

    • Pre-Course Survey

    • The importance of business growth

    • Course description
  • 2

    Setting goals for your growth

    • What is business growth?

    • Assess your growth potential

    • Key takeaways
  • 3

    Sources of funding

    • Knowing existing sources of funding

    • Factors affecting the choice of funding

    • Founder's dilemma

    • Key takeaways
  • 4

    Internal and external funding explained

    • Internal funding explained

    • External funding explained

    • Key takeaways

    • Mid-course quiz
  • 5

    When to consider debt financing

    • Debt financing explained

    • Evaluate a potential debt lender

    • The importance of financial literacy

    • Financial knowledge required to secure a loan

    • Prepare for a conversation with a debt lender

    • Key takeaways
  • 6

    When to consider equity financing

    • Equity financing explained

    • Sources of equity financing

    • Rounds of equity financing

    • Key takeaways
  • 7

    When to consider VC financing

    • Venture capital explained

    • A path to VC

    • Pitching to VC investors

    • Prepare to pitch to investors

    • Key takeaways
  • 8

    Conclusion

    • Final quiz

    • Post-Course Survey

    • Resources

    • Goodbye message