Participants assess their readiness to start or grow a business by reviewing personal budget, financial position, liabilities, and credit awareness. The workshop introduces the foundational elements required to operate a business, including business structures, licenses, permits, regulatory agencies, and key identifiers such as UBI, EIN, TIN, UEI, and BOI.

Then Participants learn how businesses make financial decisions by identifying costs, setting prices, and calculating break even points. Using a food based business example, students work through cost structure, contribution margin, and pricing strategy to understand how financial assumptions impact sustainability and decision making.

Participants use the Business Model Canvas to break a business idea into core components and analyze how a business model may function. The focus is on identifying assumptions, understanding how different parts of a business connect, and using the canvas as a first iteration tool for structured thinking rather than validation.

Participants learn how to use AI tools to support business research, test assumptions, and improve decision making. The workshop introduces a structured workflow for turning ideas into research questions, using AI responsibly, and integrating insights into business model and financial thinking without replacing human judgment.