Starting Your Side Gig: E-Commerce Entrepreneurship

2 credits · College of Engineering catalogue

Advisory and Enforced Prerequisite: None. (2 credits) Focus on the skills necessary to launch a successful e-commerce venture. Students work in teams to explore fundamentals for selling consumer products online, resulting in the creation of their own e-commerce site. Topics include basic business setup, market segmentation/forecasting, customer/competitor analysis, search engine optimization strategy, sourcing/fulfillment planning, and social media strategy. Through case studies, speakers, individual, and group exercises, students are introduced to the online world (and pitfalls) of business, retail, and e-commerce. ENTR 405. Digital Product Design Advisory and Enforced Prerequisite: None. (3 credits) Students are immersed in the complete digital product development process, from identifying product needs to prototyping and refining designs using industry-standard software. Simulating a tech company environment, students gain user experience/user interface design skills to make iterative feedback-driven improvements. Through lectures, case studies/guest speakers, and guided workshopping on individual prototypes, students learn to discover and meet digital product needs, create with design software, and apply feedback to continuously improve their products, culminating in a final project portfolio. ENTR 407. Entrepreneurship Hour Advisory and Enforced Prerequisite: None. (1 credit) This weekly seminar series invites disruptive, influential, and respected entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and business leaders to speak to students about their personal experiences founding, financing, and managing a startup venture. Following the lecture, students will be able to meet the guest speaker and network with members of the entrepreneurial community.