This article explores the upcoming learning solution Savvy Entrepreneurship: Launch, Manage, and Grow a Successful Business, available for Fall 2025 courses.
By Dr. Diane Litynski, PhD, MBA (Author of Savvy Entrepreneurship)
Introduction
Over three decades ago I decided to investigate best practices in management and business and use those findings to educate future business leaders. Somehow it made sense to pursue doctoral studies and enter the college sector as a professor. But one aspect of that pursuit constantly pestered me: professors should be doing new, cutting-edge research. What sort of new research is there to be done in business? Haven’t all the best practices been revealed, and if not, did I have even an ounce of the brainpower to provide anything new? And furthermore, isn’t business constantly changing, such that new discoveries are passé by the time the academic world gets those ideas mainstreamed?
Fast forward three decades. I have discovered that yes, new discoveries in business are constantly happening. In fact, since I’ve been teaching business management and entrepreneurship, that’s all the classroom materials used for business classes showcase: new discoveries, new inventions, and new trends. The textbooks were filled with the larger-than-life stories of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Tyler Perry, and Oprah Winfrey. While these entrepreneurs and their work are important and unquestionably motivating, I found little mention of the many small business owners that make up the majority of companies locally, nationally, and internationally. Further, the basic mechanics and principles needed—operations, distribution channels, customer acquisition, and financial interpretation of business health—were too often glossed over. I found myself creating classroom materials from a patchwork of different sources.
And so Labyrinth Learning and I began discussing the creation of a new learning solution that addresses what I have been crafting over the years, with the integrity, creativity, and completeness of quality classroom materials. This one-stop resource addresses the many facets that are important to any business student, to any business owner, and certainly to the savvy entrepreneur.
So why should educators choose Savvy Entrepreneurship?
Savvy Entrepreneurship is crafted for users to learn and do. For business students, content is reinforced with in-text activities and resources, including slideshows, podcasts, videos, self-quizzes, and case studies. The entrepreneur who wishes to develop a business plan will find prompts and links to help them do just that. This learning solution is also a sound guide for established business owners who wish to grow through a larger workforce, distribution channels, and new clientele markets.
Here are some of the themes I incorporated into Savvy Entrepreneurship:
1. Streamline the content presentation to get students into the action quickly
Savvy Entrepreneurship introduces the business model and monetization strategies in Chapter 1, allowing students to hit the ground running with actionable insights, making it ideal for entrepreneurs who already have a concept and are eager to start building or scaling their venture. Indeed, topics are presented to assist students (and business owners) in a manner similar to how a business would address them, though certainly many dimensions of business happen simultaneously, such as sorting out permits (Chapter 11) and acquiring insurance (Chapter 12). Critical business considerations such as business name and acquiring customers are introduced early, and more in-depth topics such as hiring employees and discovering new distribution channels are introduced as the course unfolds.
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: The Lifestyle Entrepreneur
Chapter 2: What’s In a (Business) Name
Chapter 3: Acquiring Customers – Marketing Basics
Chapter 4: Company Growth and Business Structures
Chapter 5: Financial Capital and the New Enterprise
Chapter 6: Financial Health
Chapter 7: Employees
Chapter 8: Small Business Taxes
Chapter 9 Supply Chains and Distribution Channels
Chapter 10: Inventory
Chapter 11: Licenses and Permits
Chapter 12: Risk Management for Small Businesses
Chapter 13: Time to Move On
Appendix A: Business Plan Resources
Appendix B: Lifestyle Entrepreneurship Resources
Appendix C: The Entrepreneurship and Small Business Certification
Notably, the text can be used in the order that best fits the instructor’s purpose and classroom focus. Further, learning objectives identified by key certifications and business curricula for entrepreneurship, such as those associated with Certiport and the AACSB (Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business), are well discussed.
2. Focus on practical approaches to business creation
Savvy Entrepreneurship is meant to serve the business student in the classroom space and remain relevant as that student becomes the business owner entrepreneur. The content introduces, illustrates, and reinforces best business practices, providing a solid foundation complete with opportunities to apply new skills and concepts. When the entrepreneur is ready to build a real business model, the course content becomes their manual and a reference point for important initiatives they will undertake, including creating a risk management plan, inventory valuation, marketing strategies, and employee hiring.
Differentiators:
- Addresses commercialization and post-launch operations early and thoroughly with specific examples on where to find the needed documents, licenses, and procedure information
- Dedicates significant content to real-world applications like monetization strategies, business model development, and long-term planning that are essential to sustain and grow a venture
3. Provide comprehensive guidance for today’s digital climate
Savvy Entrepreneurship provides detailed, actionable advice tailored to the modern digital economy. It does so with a level of specificity that equips entrepreneurs with the tools needed to navigate the complexities of running a business in today’s technology-driven environment.
Highlights:
- Guidance on using platforms like Amazon, Etsy, eBay, etc. for distribution
- Instructions for leveraging Yelp reviews and other online tools to build a brand and attract customers
- Practical resources for obtaining licenses and permits at the state and local level
4. Address acquisitions, transition planning, and exit strategies
Savvy Entrepreneurship addresses two aspects that small business owners (and business students) should be made aware of but are rarely included in classroom materials: buying and selling businesses. After all, most entrepreneurs engage in multiple ventures over their lifetimes, so they should be well-versed in this critical component of the entrepreneurial process. Details featured in the solution include how to value goodwill, how to create the necessary documentation, and how to negotiate sales and acquisitions.
5. Include realistic and relatable case studies and content
Savvy Entrepreneurship “keeps it real” by highlighting entrepreneurs who are small-business owners versus high-profile entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg (though their stories are amazing, success like theirs is wildly out of reach for most of us!) Instead, we focus on lifestyle entrepreneurs: those who create a business that allows them to live the life they want rather than focusing solely on maximizing profit. The course follows the fictitious business owner, Willa, and the evolution of her soft ice cream shop. It also showcases several real-world case studies, offering a dynamic and engaging learning experience that connects theory to practice. Links to these businesses are included when possible.
Learn more about Savvy Entrepreneurship: Launch, Manage, and Grow a Successful Business