course in business planning

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Business Strategy

• Leadership, Ethics, and Corporate Accountability
• Business Strategy →

Key Concepts

Who will benefit, mid-career professionals, general managers, consultants and investors.

What You Earn

Certificate of Completion

Boost your resume with a Certificate of Completion from HBS Online

Earn by: completing this course

Certificate of Specialization

Prove your mastery of strategy

Earn by: completing any three courses within this subject area to earn a Certificate of Specialization

Creating Value for Customers

• An Introduction to Value-Based Strategy
• Sales Success and Willingness to Pay
• Near-Customers

Featured Exercises

Adding value through complements.

• Understanding Complements
• Shifting Value
• Navigating the Frenemy Relationship
• Discerning Complements from Substitutes

Competing with Network Effects

• Understanding Network Effects
• Which Markets Will Tip
• Strategies for Underdogs
• Digital Platforms and Innovation

Creating Value for Talent

• Linking Productivity and Customer Delight
• Competing on Flexibility
• Compensation Policy

Mastering Productivity

• Measuring Productivity
• Economies of Scale
• Teaching and Learning
• Good Management

Implementing Strategy

• Evolving Your Value Proposition
• Connecting Strategy, Activities, and KPIs
• Execution Challenges

How to Formulate a Successful Business Strategy

Our difference, about the professor.

Felix Oberholzer-Gee Business Strategy

Dates & eligibility.

No current course offerings for this selection.

All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the course.

Learn about bringing this course to your organization .

Learner Stories

Business Strategy FAQs

What are the learning requirements in order to successfully complete the course, and how are grades assigned.

Participants in Business Strategy are eligible for a Certificate of Completion from Harvard Business School Online.

Participants are expected to fully complete all coursework in a thoughtful and timely manner. This will mean meeting each week’s course module deadlines and fully answering questions posed therein. This helps ensure your cohort proceeds through the course at a similar pace and can take full advantage of social learning opportunities. In addition to module and assignment completion, we expect participation in the social learning elements of the course by offering feedback on others’ reflections and contributing to conversations on the platform. Participants who fail to complete the course requirements will not receive a certificate and will not be eligible to retake the course.

More detailed information on course requirements will be communicated at the start of the course. No grades are assigned for Business Strategy. Participants will either be evaluated as complete or not complete.

What materials will I have access to after completing Business Strategy?

You will have access to the materials in every prior module as you progress through the program. Access to course materials and the course platform ends 60 days after the final deadline in the program.

How should I list my certificate on my resume?

Once you've earned your Certificate of Completion, list it on your resume along with the date of completion:

Harvard Business School Online Certificate in Business Strategy [Cohort Start Month and Year]

List your certificate on your LinkedIn profile under "Education" with the language from the Credential Verification page:

School: Harvard Business School Online Dates Attended: [The year you participated in the program] Degree: Other; Certificate in Business Strategy Field of Study: Leave blank Grade: "Complete" Activities and Societies: Leave blank

Description: Business Strategy is a 6-week, 30-35 hour online certificate program from Harvard Business School. Business Strategy equips professionals with a simplified framework they can immediately apply to create value for customers, employees, and suppliers while maximizing returns and an organization’s competitive edge. Participants learn to evaluate trade-offs and align, prioritize, and formulate strategic initiatives for the greatest business impact.

Related Program

CLIMB enables new and experienced leaders to ignite their careers with a combination of vital and forward-looking business skills, self-reflection, and an immersive cohort-based learning experience with a diverse global network.

Outside USA: +1‑607‑330‑3200

Strategic Business Planning and Forecasting Cornell Course

Course overview.

As the saying goes, "A goal without a plan is just a wish." It's not enough to simply have a product or service worth buying; there are many factors you need to consider, such as: How many choices do customers have for a similar product? How many competitors do you have, and what are their strategies for competing with you? If you suddenly need a new supplier, will it interrupt production or force you to raise prices? How likely is it that new competitors enter your market? Answering these questions requires careful planning as well as a thorough understanding of your competition, your suppliers, and your customers.

In this course, you will identify the three major strategies that your company can select as it competes in the marketplace, and you will examine the characteristics of companies that pursue each strategy. You will also identify the various activities involved in supporting your chosen strategy alongside the complexity of acquiring raw materials and converting them into products for the end customer. Additionally, you will conduct an analysis to help assess your company's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. Finally, you will balance your planning against the often conflicting needs of a company's stakeholders, its shareholders, and the society in which it operates.

You are required to have completed the following courses or have equivalent experience before taking this course:

• Finance and Accounting Principles
• Marketing Fundamentals

Key Course Takeaways

• Define generic business strategies and position firms in their competitive environments
• Identify and describe the activities of the value chain
• Create a SWOT diagram for a firm
• Prioritize stakeholder and shareholder expectations

Download a Brochure

How it works, course authors.

• Certificates Authored

Pedro Pérez is Senior Lecturer of Applied Economics and Management at Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business. He has taught large-format introductory courses to business management and entrepreneurship at Cornell since 2001. Dr. Pérez has degrees in chemical and industrial engineering, as well as an MBA and a Ph.D. in management.

• Investment Strategies
• Organizational Design
• Business Management Essentials

David Taylor, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Business Management/Marketing Communications at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. His research focuses on consumer behavior and the marketing-leadership interface across cultures and has appeared in the Journal of Consumer Marketing and the Cornell Quarterly. He is a graduate of the Cornell Hotel School.

As a visiting professor, Dr. Taylor taught business management at Cornell University’s School of Continuing Education/Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management from 2000 to 2019 during the summer session. From 2015 to 2019, he also held a dual appointment as Director of Graduate Programs for the Hotel School and then Director of External Relations for the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business based at Cornell Tech in New York City.

Prior to becoming a professor, Taylor spent 15 years in industry working in or on over 25 markets in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Caribbean. While working for Hyatt International in Japan as the Director of Business Development/International Marketing, he and his marketing team were recipients of the Gold Key award as well as recognized by the prestigious Nikkei Business Weekly and the City of Osaka for success and creativity in advertising. He has also provided advisory and management search services to multinational companies operating in Japan.

Who Should Enroll

• Individual contributors interested in transitioning to leadership
• New managers
• Professionals who need to fill gaps in business fundamentals
• Professionals with work experience but no formal business training
• Professionals transitioning into roles within a corporate environment
• Small business owners and entrepreneurs

Stack To A Certificate

Request information now by completing the form below..

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Developing a Business Plan

The foundation of a successful business is a solid business plan. This comprehensive course dives into the details of developing a plan and students emerge with a first draft of a sound business plan.

What you can learn.

• Learn the key components for creating a business plan
• Identify existing customers and future customers
• Understand revenue forecasting methodologies, competitor analysis, small business finance, and how to transition from personal guarantees and credit lines to a self-financing business model
• Effectively plan, hire, and train staff with high potential
• Examine the legal aspects of organizing and managing a small business

About this course:

Spring 2024 schedule.

No meeting May 14, 2023. Enrollment limited; early enrollment advised. Internet access required. 

Enrollment limited; early enrollment advised. Internet access required. Materials required.

Summer 2024 Schedule

Enrollment limited; early enrollment advised. Internet access required.

This course applies towards the following certificates & specializations…

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Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional

• Certified Agile Strategy Execution
• Certified KPI Professional and Practitioner
• Certified Performance Management Professional
• Certified Employee Performance Management
• Certified Performance Management Systems Audit Professional
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Introduction

Key business benefits – Participants in this course will:

• • Understand the logic of strategy planning at every level of the organization;
• • Become familiar with an easy-to-use toolkit for every step of the strategy planning process;
• • Be ready to transfer the knowledge accumulated into their organization.

Key personal benefits – Participants in this course will:

• • Receive structured knowledge, that can be transferred into all areas of their professional life;
• • Get access to a network of specialists, sharing business opportunities and innovative solutions to strategy planning dilemmas;
• • Receive a premium recognition as a Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional.

Learning objectives

Key concepts.

• Strategy defined
• Pre-requisites of strategy planning
• Architecture of the strategy planning process

Corporate identity

Vision & objectives.

• Long-term objectives
• Strategic (medium-term) objectives
• Operational (short-term) objectives

Case study 1 & debriefing

Internal environment scanning.

• Functional, structural and strategic approaches
• An algorithm for the strategic internal environment scan

External environment scanning

• PESTEL analysis
• Porter’s 5 Forces Model
• SWOT analysis

Case study 2 & debriefing

Business planning.

• Cascading the strategy from the corporate level
• Business planning at department level
• Integrating departmental strategies and action plans within the corporate strategy

Strategy & KPIs

• Identifying KPIs for strategic objectives
• Setting targets for KPIs

Case study 3 & debriefing

C-sbp certification exam.

1. Course materials that consist in:

• Course slides
• Course notes

2. Performance Management Toolkit, containing the following templates:

• Desired State of Evolution;
• Strategy Map;
• Performance Scorecard;
• Performance Dashboard;
• Performance Healthogram;
• Performance Maturity Model;
• KPI Documentation;
• Initiatives Portfolio;
• Initiatives Documentation;
• Performance Management System Architecture;
• Monthly Performance Management Process;
• Employee Scorecard.

3. Premium Subscription on smartKPIs.com available for 6 months, providing access to 500 fully documented KPIs and over 20.000 KPIs enlisted;

4. one research report from the top 25 kpis series;, 5. free access to all webinars from the 2014 – 2016 performance management webinar series, participants.

Business owners and top management Business owners and top management professionals will acquire the knowledge and competences needed to design a strategy at the corporate level, thus increasing the performance of their organization in terms of relevant financial indicators, operational indicators, customer satisfaction indicators and employee satisfaction indicators.

Middle management professionals Professionals from different fields, such as finance, human resources, production, logistics, marketing & sales and others, will acquire the knowledge and competences to design and implement a strategy for their department, that supports and is aligned to the organizational strategy.

Consultants and academia These participants get a chance to validate and certify worldwide their knowledge and competences in assisting organizati ons with their strategy and business planning processes at all levels. By attending the course, they also join a network of professionals in the field and get into direct contact with companies potentially interested in their services.

Radu Cocean – Subject Matter Expert Profile – The KPI Institute

Radu Cocean is a trainer, consultant, facilitator and coach in the field of Strategy and Business Planning, with over 17 years of hands-on experience. As a trainer, he has delivered The KPI Institute’s Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional course, both as in-house (mainly for large companies) and as open training programs. Since 2010, he is an accredited Trainer (certified by the National Qualifications Authority in Romania) and has successfully completed the American Society for Training & Development Master Trainer Program (2014). As a consultant, Radu has worked as part of teams that drafted developement strategies and spatial plans for public bodies and local administration. He has done so since 2001, at both international, national, regional, county and local level. He is now the Head of the Consulting Division in the KPI Institute. As a facilitator, Radu has managed public consultation meetings – his approach is participatory planning, making sure that all stakeholders have their say and economic, social and environmental goals are balanced in an integrated, durable way. As a management consultant, he has worked with private companies (mainly SMEs), helping them shape business plans required to access European funds – which has offered him insight on how strategies get implemented through successful projects. He is an accredited Project Manager (certified by the National Qualifications Authority in Romania) since 2011. As a strategy coach, he has worked with start-ups, helping them put their priorities in order, develop strategies and operational plans and manage implementation smoothly.

Learning experience

This part of the learning experience is meant to ensure a smooth transition to the face to face training. For a successful learning experience, it is highly recommended to take the following steps:

• Introduction – share a message to introduce yourself to the other participants in an online group;
• Pre-course evaluation – complete a needs analysis by answering a short quiz to establish the current level of knowledge and a section to share expectations. As a part of this self-evaluation, participants can establish personal learning objectives for this training;
• Prerequisite reading – review several materials, including topics such as history, management theories. Also, KPI definitions should be reviewed before the core course, in order to gain a more holistic view upon the subject and to create a common knowledge base related to strategic planning;
• Guidance and schedule – read a document presenting guidelines on how to maximize your learning experience, by using all the resources offered, as well as a recommended learning schedule.

Core Course

During the five days of face-to-face training, the course is designed to facilitate experiential learning and ensure a high level of interactivity. Exercises used to enhance the development of the competency range from simple matching of concepts to extensive analyses of case studies. The learning experience consists of:

• Applying concepts in practical exercises;
• Analyzing case studies and identifying solutions;
• Using templates to develop performance measurement instruments;
• Sharing experiences and best practices;
• Constantly evaluating participants’ knowledge, through short quizzes to support the final test.

After-Course

After the course, participants are offered the resources and the platforms that will encourage both knowledge improvement and experience sharing. The after-course learning experience is comprised of:

• Action plan – submit a plan to state the changes you intend to make in your department or organization in terms of Strategy Planning, 3 days after the training course;
• In-house presentation – submit a PowerPoint presentation that you will deliver within your organization, on key topics covered during the training course;
• Additional reading – read a list of resources (books, articles and videos), meant at ensuring a continuous learning experience;
• Follow-up – fill in a survey, 3 months after the course, to determine what you have successfully applied within your organization, as a result of attending the training course.

At the end of the core-course, each participant will receive:

• Certificate of Attendance (hard copy) : after participating at the 3 days of on-site training course;
• Certificate of Completion (soft copy) : after passing the Certification Exam;
• Certified Strategy and Business Planning Professional diploma (hard copy) : after you have successfully completed all of the 3 stages of the learning experience.
• Catalogues : KPI Documentation Forms, Dashboards and Scorecards;
• The qualitative reports Performance Management in 2012 and Performance Management in 2013 ;
• Video doodles : “What is a KPI, a KRI and Metrics”, “What is a Dashboard”, “What is a Scorecard”, “Understanding the KPI Documentation Form”;
• Other resources : consisting in videos, whitepapers or case studies relevant for strategic planning.

You can check our course locations and dates here .

European Division

Sibiu Office

T: +40 3 6942 6935

M: +40 7 4706 0997

[email protected]

Middle East Division

Dubai Office

T: +971 4 311 6556

M: +971 55 787 6427

SE Asia Division

Kuala Lumpur Office

T: +60 3 2742 1357

M: +60 125 911366

Headquarters

Melbourne Office

T: +61 3 9028 2223

M: +61 4 2456 8088

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An intensive 5-day training course, strategic thinking, analysis & business planning, turning strategy into action and results, course introduction.

This Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course gives you a robust practical framework to formulate, develop, and implement plans to achieve strategic goals and realise your vision. It shows you how to break out of reacting to day-to-day problems, so you can build a team or organization that is more proactive and resilient to change.

A key feature of this training course is a comprehensive strategic management system that guides you through the steps needed to develop the right strategy then translate it into a business plan that provides the foundation for achieving strategic alignment of operational plans and individual objectives with your business model.

This Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course highlights:

• The difference between good and bad strategies
• Improving the performance of an existing company / division / department when faced with major change in business conditions
• Balancing financial and non-financial objectives and goals
• Developing an existing company / division / department
• Aligning all activity to focus on the strategic goals and not be distracted by less important issues

The central objectives of this Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course are as follows:

• Learn how to develop a plan to achieve the goals you want for you and your organization (company / division / business unit / team)
• Develop strategic thinking in your organization
• Develop a strategic plan for your organization
• Identify the principles and mechanisms that drive successful implementation
• Develop measurable action plans that result in success
• Understand your underlying business model and how it relates to your strategy

Training Methodology

This highly interactive Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course encourages delegate participation through a combination of short lectures, large and small group discussion, practical exercises, case studies, and breakout sessions to practice new skills. The comprehensive course manual has been designed to be practical, and easy to use. Delegates will gain the skills and motivation they need to design, develop and implement powerful but simple strategies.

Organisational Impact

Enhanced Strategic Thinking and Business Planning training course enables an organization to increase stakeholder satisfaction through:

• A greater strategic perspective at all levels of the organization
• Development of the next generation of strategic leaders
• Development of specialist managers who are able and empowered to think strategically
• Better appreciation by functional specialists / managers of the challenges faced by top management in steering an organization through change
• Better internal communication at a strategic level
• Creating tomorrow’s organization out of today’s 

Personal Impact

Delegates will develop their ability to use strategic thinking to become more proactive and build business plans to implement strategic initiatives through:

• Greater confidence in understanding the potential strategic impact of current managerial roles
• A better appreciation of the interconnected nature of major business decisions
• Understanding how to shift from reacting to problems to making things happen the way you want for you and your organization
• Knowing how to simplify—be able to deliver 3-5 critical things instead of struggling with 30-50 un-prioritised tasks
• Developing and delivering long, medium, and short-term plans

Who Should Attend?

This Strategic Thinking, Analysis & Business Planning training course provides a vital knowledge base to prepare for greater responsibility and moving into more senior roles. It will benefit managers who are about to take on strategic responsibility; those who have recently done so and more established senior managers who want to update their knowledge, including:

• Business Managers
• Team Leaders
• Process Leaders
• Functional Managers
• Project Managers
• Newly-appointed Senior Managers

Course Outline

Strategic thinking and planning.

• The Essence of Strategy – Core Concept and Definition of Terms
• The Difference between Good Strategy and Bad Strategy
• How to Think Strategically? – Practical Techniques
• Leadership and Management, Comparing Strategy and Operations
• Strategic and Operational Goals – The Significance and Difference
• Using the Strategic Management System

Developing Strategy – The Power of Business Analysis

• Understanding the Importance and Value of a “Business Model”
• Vision, Values, Mission and Goals – Strategy as Perspective
• Analysing your Business Environment
• How to Evaluate Your Organisation’s Competencies and Capabilities?
• Resource-based Approaches to Strategy

Strategy Development, Choice and Translation

• Levels of Strategy: Corporate, Business and Functional
• Competitive Strategy – Strategy as Position
• Emergent Strategies – Strategy as Patterns
• Uncertainty and Scenarios – Strategy as Plans
• Strategic Choice – How to Select the Best Strategy
• Translating Strategy with Strategy Maps and Balanced Scorecards

Embedding Strategy in the Organisation

Bringing it all together.

• Building a Strategy / Business Planning Team
• Analysing Business Models and Strategies in an Industry
• Understanding and Overcoming Psychological Bias
• Overview of the Whole Course
• Action Planning and Next Steps

Certificate

Oxford Management Centre Certificate will be provided to delegates who successfully completed the training course.

Accreditation

In association with

GLOMACS Training & Consultancy

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PetroKnowledge

The Energy Training Centre

This training course is also part of below 10-day title:.

The Oxford 10-Day MBA

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Tutor Support Included

Learning remotely doesn’t mean you’re on your own! You’ll be able to message your tutor through our industry-leading learning platform.

Flexible Payment Options

Enrol today from £9.99 deposit & spread the cost over 24 months

Learn At Your Own Pace

Study wherever and whenever you want. You’ll have access to your course for two years so you can fit your learning around your other commitments.

Study wherever and whenever you want. You’ll have access to your course for one year so you can fit your learning around your other commitments.

Business Planning

Register Your Interest

To find out more, simply submit your details below.

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• SALE Savings End Midnight Tuesday 23rd April

This course is designed for people starting-up in a wide variety of business sectors and sizes, together with voluntary sector organisations. People not currently in work but seeking to start a business will find the programme of particular value. The course is most suitable for people wishing to enhance their business skills and develop a business start up plan, prior to implementation.

At the end of the course you will be able to:

• Describe and evaluate your business idea
• Carry out market research for your idea
• Market your product or service
• Compile the financial information required to run a business
• Produce a business plan
• Identify sources of funding
• Instigate relevant business controls

Module A: Planning to succeed

• Personal profiling & self-assessment
• Evaluating your business idea
• Writing a business plan
• Business structures
• Basic accounting requirements

Module B: Market Research

• Types of Research
• Survey methods
• Questionnaires
• Secondary research
• Market research analysis

Module C: Effective Marketing

• The marketing cycle
• Marketing plans
• The cost per sale formula
• Target customers
• Business generation
• The Marketing mix
• Product life cycles

Module D: Finance

• Financial planning & control
• A personal survival budget
• Start up budget
• The meaning of profit
• Direct an fixed costs
• Break even analysis
• Costing & pricing
• Sales forecasting and adjustments
• Cash flow forecasting
• Profit & loss forecasting
• Capital requirements

Assessment Method

After each lesson there will be a question paper, which needs to be completed and submitted to your personal tutor for marking. This method of continual assessment ensures that your personal tutor can consistently monitor your progress and provide you with assistance throughout the duration of the course.

• Requirements

Entry Requirements

There is no experience or previous qualifications required for enrolment on this course. It is available to all students, of all academic backgrounds.

All course fees, inclusive of all payment plans including our Premium Credit Limited option, must be settled before certification can be ordered.

*You will have access to the course for 24 months.

Qualifications

On successful completion of your course you will receive the learndirect Certificate of Completion of Training in Business Planning.

Your course certificate will also state the number of CPD points/hours the course is eligible for.

View a sample of the certificate (opens in new window)

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Business Plan and Feasibility Study

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Business Planning – Development and Analysis Programme

• From 7,650 GBP
• Multiple (8)

Business Plan and Feasibility Study - In Company

Business strategy and planning tool kit.

• From 995 GBP

Strategy & Business Planning - CPD Certified (In-house)

Certified strategy and business planning professional.

• From 1,175 GBP
• Multiple (11)
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Budgeting, Forecasting, Business Planning and Economic Modelling

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Developing a Successful Business Plan Training Course

Integrating budgeting, forecasting and business planning training, certified strategy and business planning professional - tailored course.

• In Company, Virtual Classroom

Strategic Business Planning and Goal Setting Training Course

Developing a successful business plan training course - tailored course, advanced techniques strategic thinking and business planning.

• From 3,951 GBP
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Successful Strategic Planning and Implementation

• From 2,750 GBP

What is a business planning course?

Business planning courses can cover several different aspects of business planning - anything from setting up a new business venture to preparing your current business for long-term success in the face of challenge. Most business planning courses will be focused around the following topics:

• Creating Business Plans: Learn to craft comprehensive business plans that lay a strong foundation for entrepreneurial ventures or strategic initiatives. You'll learn market research, defining business objectives, conducting competitor analysis, formulating marketing strategies, financial forecasting, and risk assessment. By mastering business plan creation, you'll be prepared to present convincing proposals to investors, secure funding, and confidently steer your organization towards growth.
• Succession Planning: Succession planning is vital for ensuring the seamless transition of leadership within an organization. Business planning courses delve into succession strategies, talent identification, leadership development, and mentorship programs. You'll grasp the significance of grooming future leaders and fostering a robust talent pipeline, thus safeguarding business continuity and long-term stability.
• Business Continuity Planning: Business continuity planning courses give you the skills to prepare an organisation for unforeseen crises, such as natural disasters, economic downturns, or cyber-attacks. These courses often include material on risk assessment, contingency planning, disaster recovery, and communication strategies during emergencies. You'll develop resilience and the ability to maintain essential operations even amidst disruptions, safeguarding your business and maintaining stakeholder trust.

What careers can business planning courses help prepare me for?

A business planning course is a great step in your professional development if you work in or adjacent to the business world. Here are some careers that will especially benefit from business planning training:

Entrepreneur/Small Business Owner: Business planning courses are ideal for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. With the skills acquired, you'll be ready to confidently start and manage your own ventures, creating well-structured business plans, identifying growth opportunities, and implementing effective strategies for success.

Business Analyst: Business planning courses teach you to analyze market trends, conduct research, and develop comprehensive business plans. Business analysts assist organizations in making informed decisions, identifying areas for improvement, and devising strategies to achieve organizational objectives.

Strategic Planner: Strategic planners develop long-term plans for organisations, aligning business goals with market dynamics and competition. The insights gained from business planning courses help strategic planners create well-informed and data-driven strategies to drive sustainable growth.

Management Consultant: Management consultants use their expertise in business planning to assist clients in improving operations, optimizing efficiency, and implementing growth initiatives. Business planning courses teach consultants to gather valuable insights and guide organisations seeking to enhance their performance.

Business Development Manager: Business planning courses teach participants to assess market opportunities, conduct feasibility studies, and plan for business expansion. Business development managers lead initiatives to identify new markets, develop partnerships, and drive revenue growth.

Corporate Strategist: Corporate strategists develop and implement plans to achieve long-term objectives for large organizations. With knowledge of business planning, they can contribute to shaping the company's direction and driving sustainable success.

Project Manager: Business planning courses equip project managers with skills to develop detailed project plans, define objectives, and manage resources effectively. These courses enhance their ability to lead projects and deliver successful outcomes.

Financial Analyst: Financial analysts with a background in business planning can provide valuable insights into investment decisions, analyze potential growth opportunities, and assess the financial viability of business initiatives.

Operations Manager: Business planning courses help operations managers to optimize processes, streamline workflows, and align operations with overall business objectives.

Business planning skills are valuable across various industries and roles. Whether in entrepreneurship, consulting, management, or analysis, the expertise gained from business planning courses can open doors to diverse and rewarding career opportunities.

Choose  2 or more courses and compare price, duration and more by clicking the  icon!

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Business Succession Planning Certificate

Professionals seeking succession planning expertise to serve their clients.

< 9 Months

Your tuition includes all required self-study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your examination.

100% Virtual

Starting at    $1,995/course 

Have Questions? We Can Help!

Provide us with a few details and an Admissions Advisor will get back to you as soon as possible.

Certificate Program at a Glance

Admissions Requirements

There are no prerequisite courses required to begin the Business Succession Planning Certificate. To earn the Business Succession Planning Certificate, you must: 

1. Successfully complete three courses and receive a minimum of 80% on course final exams

2. Agree to comply with The American College Code of Ethics and Procedures

Tuition & Scholarships

Program tuition is paid on a per-course basis. Tuition covers your course fees, all required study materials, access to convenient online learning tools, and your final examination.

Individual course : $1,995

What You'll Learn

Selling a business can be an emotionally and physically demanding experience. A business owner may choose to sell their business beyond retirement for many reasons. Gain the specialized knowledge needed to help business owners make important decisions relating to the sale or transfer of their business.

Your learning outcomes include the following: 

• The "language of business" accounting and how to analyze financial statements 
• Ownership and taxation of transfers of property during lifetime and at death 
• Family business entity planning and buy-sell agreements 
• How to facilitate business succession planning objectives through charitable transfers

Course Delivery

Complete the three-course curriculum at your own pace with state-of-the art online learning experience. 

Our program features: 

• Elite faculty of nationally-recognized academics, researchers, and practitioners 
• Up-to-date curriculum covering current regulations, trends, and realities 
• Modern e-learning with easy anytime, anywhere access to your courses

This Certificate Program is Right For You If:

You Want to Serve Business Owners

Attract a Niche Market

72% of business owners do not have a completed, written succession plan. 1 Differentiate your practice with advanced knowledge in business succession planning strategies to attract successful business owners.

You Want to Elevate Your Firm’s Services

Gain a Mastery of Critical Succession Planning Strategies

In a world full of generalists, ensure your team has the advanced know-how to respond to the complex and specialized needs of business owners.

You Want to Ensure You’re Prepared

Financial Advisors are also Business Owners

Learn proven tax-efficient strategies to assist business owners, like yourself, with selling or transferring their leading nonfinancial asset — their business.

Inside the Business Succession Planning Certificate

Courses to Complete

Typical Completion Time

MSFP 589 Fin Statement Analysis and Small Business Valuation

Examines a broad set of business finance skills and concepts to help serve small and family business clients.

Upon completion of this course, you'll be able to:

• Understand the basics fundamentals of corporate finance
• Cover the numbers language that is required for a business
• Understand the connection of a firm owner’s personal assets and their business assets
• Use financial measures to understand a company’s strengths and areas for future focus and development
• Guide clients in navigating how a major concentration of their personal wealth contained in the value of their business impacts their financial future
• Help firm owners achieve their personal financial goals along with their business goals

MSFP 615 Advanced Estate Mgmt. and Planned Giving

This course is an advanced gift and estate planning course which presents an overview of the basics.

Upon completion of this course, you’ll be able to:

• Understand gift, estate and generation-skipping transfer tax law and tax computation processes
• Identify key considerations related to the ownership and taxation of transfers of property during lifetime and at death.
• Provide charitable giving planning advice
• Evaluate the role of life insurance planning in estate planning

MSFP 543 Business Succession Strategies

This course covers advanced topics in business succession planning and includes a comprehensive case study.

• Understand gift and trust taxation
• Maximize charitable transfers to facilitate business succession planning objectives
• Understand family limited partnerships and limited-liability companies
• Apply discounting techniques to the sales and gifts of business interests
• Utilize retirement planning strategies to facilitate succession planning

Earn Credit Toward the MSFP

Start Here Toward Obtaining an Advanced Degree

Completion of the Business Succession Planning Certificate Program may qualify you for up to nine credits toward the Master of Science in Financial Planning (MSFP) degree if you are subsequently admitted to the degree program.

Learn from the Leaders in Business Succession Planning

Jeffrey Hatchman

PhD, JD, MSM, MSFS, MBA, CFP®, ChFC®, CLU®, CASL®, RICP®, AEP®

Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning

Timothy Belber

Adjunct Professor of Estate Planning Charles E. Drimal Estate Planning Professorship

Chia-Li Chien

PhD, CFP®, PMP®, CPBC

Associate Provost, Undergraduate & Graduate Programs Associate Professor, Succession Planning

Take the Next Step

Earn your Business Succession Planning Certificate and advance your expertise to serve the complex needs of business owners.

1 MassMutual. The right business successor: Key to retirement. 2022.

More From Forbes

5 free online data analysis courses in 2024.

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Data analysis is one of the most in-demand skills of 2024, and this trend is predicted to remain ... [+] until at least 2032

For the next four years, big data analytics is expected to be one of the core drivers of economic growth, according to projections by the World Economic Forum's Future Of Jobs report 2023. Analytical thinking leads the way in being the number one skill on the rise, increasing in demand this year, as per the findings of the same report, while data analysis appears sixth in LinkedIn top 10 Most In-Demand Skills of 2024 report .

Organizations have many priorities which make data analytics a worthwhile skill to learn, with AI (artificial intelligence), big data, and a strong focus on data-driven decision-making and business strategy being a few of them.

This is further evidenced by the fact that the job demand for data scientists is predicted to continue soaring until 2032 at least, to as much as 35%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics—that's much faster than the average job growth rate in North America.

Thanks to the demand, data analysis careers pay exceptionally well, leading to six figure incomes, with data scientists making as much as over $119,000 per year on average , as evidenced by current average salary figures on Salary.com

Best High-Yield Savings Accounts Of 2024

Best 5% interest savings accounts of 2024, why work in data analysis.

As if all of the above are not enough, here are two more excellent reasons to pursue data analytics as a career:

First, data analysis is a highly transferable skill, and is a function that is needed in every industry globally, similar to careers such as project management, which also shares the same characteristic of global demand and transferability across industries. You could work in a wide range of sectors, from healthcare, to finance, to e-commerce, to marketing, and of course, technology.

Second, now is a great time to learn data analysis, because of the acceleration and advancement of AI (artificial intelligence), which provides a helpful boost in augmenting your work and ensuring accuracy. Your work within data can come at a critical time when an organization is seeking to prepare its data for use in its internal AI tools and processes.

Free Online Courses On Data Analytics

Whether you're seeking to reskill or upskill, you may not have much spare cash to invest in a course or to pursue a degree within this field. However, there may be some free courses that can help:

1. MIT's How To Process, Analyze And Visualize Data

OpenCourseWare is a an online platform that hosts courses from many of the world's leading universities, including Ivy League schools, for free, using a Creative Commons Licence. One such course, from the world-renowned MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) has lectures and course materials on How To Process, Analyze, And Visualize Data.

Honing in on an in-demand skill leads to a lucrative salary and diverse career opportunities

2. Google Advanced Data Analytics Professional Certificate

This free online course, provided through Coursera, comes with an extra advantage—a professional certificate. Google career certificates are widely recognized by employers around the world, and undertaking one is an excellent way to fast-track your career development and be invited to job interviews. The advanced version teaches Python, machine learning, Jupyter Notebook, and Tableau software, amongst other skills, all of which you can add to your resume's skills section, thus improving your chances of being hired.

3. Google Data Analytics Professional Certificate

This course is aimed at guiding you through data analysis at the beginner level, and is a great introduction and starting point for further studies, such as the advanced course mentioned above. As with all Google Career certificates offered via Coursera, you have the option to apply for financial aid to cover the cost of your course, subject to eligibility.

4. HarvardX's Data Science Professional Certificate

Harvard University has partnered with edX to provide free courses to learners on the edX platform. Although you need to pay for the entire training with the certificate, if you click into each module (course) within the certificate program on edX, it does provide you with the option to learn the course materials for free. To get the certificate, you would need to upgrade.

5. AWS Data Analytics

Amazon Web Services (AWS) provides a range of online certifications and ongoing professional development training, tailored to specific technical career paths. Once of these learning paths is their data analytics training . They provide this through free virtual training webinars, and individual courses that you can study on their own or as part of their data analytics learning plan, such as Data Analytics Fundamentals, or Best Practices for Data Warehousing.

You can learn from the best Ivy League schools—without ever attending Ivy League in person or paying ... [+] enormous student fees

Overall, choosing to pursue a career in data analysis is a decision you will not regret. If you commit to ongoing professional development and exploring new training opportunities, you too, can experience the lucrative salaries, remote work opportunities, flexibility, and diverse opportunities that others within this profession are already enjoying.

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Generation Next: Our Turn to Ranch - Fall 2024

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Course details, credit details, instructor-led course details.

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What You'll Learn

Generation Next: Our Turn to Ranch is offered as a 12-week online class and will require approximately 2 hours of your time per week. The course is for new landowners, those who are inheriting land, or those looking to start a new agricultural business on an existing ranch.

Generation Next is taught as an online school where participants will work towards developing a business plan with plenty of support from professionals who specialize in different fields.

Topics covered in the school include:

• How to start an agricultural business 
• Understanding business taxes and ag exemptions 
• Ranch insurance 
• Tracking your finances 
• Evaluating your land's resources 
• How to set up livestock grazing and wildlife management leases 
• Basic ranching laws – fencing, water rights, etc. 
• Land management techniques 
• Alternative operations to add to the business 
• Setting goals with measurable objectives for success 

In addition to business plan development, you will receive a Generation Next certificate and t-shirt upon completion of this course.

Read what Generation Next graduates are saying about the course!

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• You are here: Skills

New skills partnerships unveiled in CITB business plan

22 Apr 2024 By Colin Marrs

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) is to launch four more sector-specific skills partnerships, including one for repairs and maintenance.

The new sector plans, announced today (22 April) in its 2024/25 business plan, are designed to support employers’ training needs and will cover repairs and maintenance and the commercial, public and industrial sectors, joining existing plans for homebuilding and infrastructure.

Overall, the business plan covers £267m of investment over the coming year, focusing on three key areas — getting more trained people into industry, training provision, and skills development of the existing workforce.

CITB chief executive Tim Balcon said:  “We will work in partnership with employers, from the smallest to the largest, so that the training demands of the construction industry can be met with high-quality training provision.

“Changing the skills landscape is not an easy task and not one that can be achieved overnight, but this year’s plan is a significant step forward.”

Among other new measures, the CITB will design, develop and test a new Training Needs Analysis (TNA) service for small businesses.

The New Entrant Support Team (NEST) launched in 2023/24 will be further expanded, along with the board’s Industry Impact Fund, which funds employers to design and test new solutions for talent recruitment and retention challenges.

CITB’s Go Construct platform will continue to provide free-to-access, self-service digital careers information, with the aim of inspiring new entrants to consider a career in construction and the built environment.

By 2025, CITB aims to increase the number of employers it supports to train and upskill their workforce by 14 per cent and boost the number of individuals supported by 13 per cent.

The business plan also sets out how CITB will invest £30m in buildings, infrastructure, and a plan at the National Construction College’s three sites.

More analysis to come…

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What to Do When Your 401(k) Leaves Something to Be Desired

Over the course of a career, the high fees and a lower-quality menu of investment options found in some plans can shrink your balance significantly.

By Mark Miller

Chris Gentry is meticulous about his craft — he’s a professional woodworker at a small company in Brooklyn, N.Y., that makes custom dining and coffee tables, cabinets and interiors.

He creates pieces on his own from start to finish and enjoys that freedom. “It’s nice to have control over the way something should be done,” he said.

Mr. Gentry, 36, is equally conscientious about saving for retirement. He has contributed the maximum allowable amounts to his employer’s 401(k) plan over the past two years and also topped out a Roth individual retirement account. He hopes to buy an apartment and start a family soon with his partner. “It seems like all that will be expensive, so I’m trying to get an early start on retirement savings while I can,” he said. Between the two accounts, he has managed to save $80,000.

His employer kicks in a generous 5 percent of his salary to the 401(k) no matter how much Mr. Gentry contributes. But he worries about the plan’s high-cost mutual funds. “They’re expensive compared with what I can get in the I.R.A.,” he said. He even wonders if he should contribute to the plan at all. “I’m not sure how to determine at what point the fees become so expensive that the benefits of the 401(k) are outweighed by the fees.”

Fees are one of the most important factors of successful retirement investing. They determine how much ends up in your pocket after mutual funds and 401(k) plan providers take their cut. The bite especially hurts younger workers, who face the risk that high fees will compound over time.

“Fees compound in the same way that returns compound,” said Scott Puritz, managing director at Rebalance , a firm that often works with clients on 401(k) rollovers and advises companies on ways to improve their plans. “People are numb to the differences, but it’s a major determinant of long-term returns.”

Costs are usually much higher in plans sponsored by small businesses, like the 10-person firm where Mr. Gentry works. His plan doesn’t offer low-cost passive index fund choices. He is invested solely in a target date fund made up of actively managed mutual funds that have lagged the overall market’s returns during the past decade. The fund charges an annual expense fee of just over 1 percent.

That amount is typical for small plans, according to data compiled for the 401(k) Averages Book, which surveys companies that provide plans to employers. For example, the survey shows that among plans with 10 participants and $1 million in assets, average investment costs are 1.10 percent. At larger firms, those fees are far lower: At companies with 1,000 to 5,000 plan participants, target date fund fees average just 0.33 percent, according to data compiled by the Investment Company Institute and BrightScope. (Target date funds shift gradually toward bonds from stocks as a worker approaches an expected date for retirement.)

It’s not unusual for small plans to carry total expenses far higher. “We often see plans that charge 2 or 3 percent all in — sometimes more,” Mr. Puritz said.

A key reason for the varying amount of fees is the fixed costs of administering a plan and how those costs are spread across companies of different sizes. “If I have a small coffee shop plan with $100,000 in assets, the costs are spread across fewer people compared with a very large company,” said Joe Valletta, principal with Pension Data Source, which publishes the 401(k) Averages Book. “The big plan has higher fixed costs, but it’s spread over a lot more employees and a larger asset base.”

Mr. Gentry is fortunate to work for an employer that offers any kind of plan. Only about half of private-sector U.S. workers are covered by an employer retirement plan at any given time, and the gap is driven by lower participation in the system by small employers, according to the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College . Workers often gain and lose coverage as they change jobs.

The coverage gap helps explain why many workers reach retirement with savings unlikely to last the rest of their lives. According to the Federal Reserve, the median retirement account holdings for workers aged 55 to 64 years old was $185,000 in 2022.

But fees also play a leading role, especially for young workers who face the compound effects over many years of saving. The difference in account balances when they retire can be staggering.

The New York Times worked with Rebalance to create a hypothetical example, illustrating the career-long effect of plans with a variety of fee levels. We considered a 28-year-old worker with a starting salary of $75,000 who saves diligently in her 401(k) account throughout her career. She contributes 6 percent of her salary annually and receives a 3 percent matching contribution from her employer. The scenario shows the effect of what she will have at three possible retirement ages. At 65, her portfolio is nearly 66 percent smaller in a high-cost plan compared with the lowest.

High Fees Can Take a Huge Bite Out of Your 401(k)

We used the example of a hypothetical 28-year-old worker who saves diligently in her 401(k) account throughout her career. At the time of her retirement, her 401(k) balance varies greatly depending on how high the plan’s fees are and when she retires.

Hypothetical balances at retirement

Plan balances in millions of dollars

Percentage difference from the low-fee plan.

Low fees (1.25%)

High fees (3%)

Medium fees (2%)

Plan balances in

millions of dollars

Percentage difference from low-fee plans.

Determining the fees that you pay is not simple. Fees can be charged for plan administration, investments and sometimes for individual services provided to participants; all 401(k) plans are required to send an annual notice that explains the fees that can be deducted from your account, but understanding them is another matter.

“It’s very difficult for people to understand their fees unless they’re investment professionals, which most retirees are not,” said Lisa M. Gomez, assistant secretary for employee benefits security at the U.S. Department of Labor.

The Secure 2.0 legislation of 2022 directed the department to examine ways to improve plan information, including how to understand fees. It expects to report to Congress with recommendations by the end of 2025, Ms. Gomez said. The department publishes a guide to 401(k) fees and has a toll-free line with advisers who can help participants understand their fees (866-444-3272).

But asking your employer about fees is a good starting point. “You have the right to know what you’re paying, so go to your human resources department, and ask them to tell you about your options and what they cost,” Mr. Puritz, the managing director at Rebalance, said. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority offers an online tool that analyzes how fees and other expenses affect the value of mutual funds and exchange-traded funds over time.

Your plan is mediocre. What now?

If your employer’s plan offers an annual matching contribution, save enough to capture it — doing otherwise leaves money on the table. “If they are matching dollar for dollar or 50 cents on the dollar, that’s a 100 percent or 50 percent return with almost zero risk,” said Heath Biller, a financial planner with Fiduciary Financial Advisors in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Pay careful attention to your investment choices, and look for the least expensive options. If possible, find a low-cost index fund that tracks the entire stock market. “Even if the investment menu is larded with high-expense funds, you may be able to find an index fund or a decent quality target date fund series,” said Christine Benz, director of personal finance and retirement planning at Morningstar.

You can also push for change. Mediocre 401(k) plans can get better. Employers are usually the fiduciary with a legal responsibility to consider only the interest of participants, and it’s in their own best interest to take your misgivings under consideration. “You can raise your concerns about high fees or poor investment options with your employer and ask if the company is able to consider adjustments,” Mr. Biller said.

After you’ve captured the employer match, consider low-cost options outside your 401(k) for additional saving. This year, you can contribute up to $23,000 to a 401(k) and $7,000 to an I.R.A.; savers 50 and older can contribute more via catch-up contributions. Eligibility to deduct the I.R.A. contributions phases out at certain income levels . Establishing one low-cost I.R.A. also lets you roll balances over to a single account as you change jobs through the course of your career, which is a great way to stay organized.

If you have self-employment income in addition to wages, a Simplified Employee Pension I.R.A . or Solo 401(k) offer routes around the I.R.A. contribution limits. Solo 401(k) accounts have higher contribution limits and are not available if you operate a company with employees; the government reporting requirements vary between these two options.

Yulia Petrovsky, a financial planner in San Francisco, has many clients working for large technology companies who also have side businesses. “Some of them are doing start-up work,” she said. “Some have marketing or other consulting gigs, especially when in between jobs, so these accounts can be a real slam dunk.”

Taxable investment accounts offer another route around I.R.A. contribution limits, especially for older retirement savers. Unlike 401(k) and I.R.A. accounts, they don’t come with an upfront tax benefit. Investment gains are subject to capital gains rates, although these are more favorable than ordinary income tax rates imposed on withdrawal from tax-deferred accounts.

Tax deferral is less important for older investors, who have less time to benefit from the tax-deferred compounding available in such accounts than younger investors.

It’s also possible to use tax-efficient investments in taxable accounts, such as broad-market equity exchange-traded funds, which have become very tax efficient, and municipal bonds — which generally are not subject to federal income taxes — for fixed income, Ms. Benz added.

“It’s not that difficult to simulate some of the tax-sheltering characteristics of a tax-deferred account in a taxable account,” she said.

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China picks its lowest-scoring officers to command nuclear submarines

• Chinese submarine officers — except for engineers — tend to have the lowest entry-exam scores.
• Submarines are likely to be critical in a conflict, so the lack of selectivity is notable.  
• The Chinese navy seems to have doubts about its ship and submarine commanders.

The job of commanding a nuclear submarine should go to smart and well-qualified officers. Or at least that's the case in Western navies.

Not so in the Chinese navy. Except for engineers, Chinese submarine officers tend to come from military academies with the lowest college-entrance-exam scores, a US military analyst said. This suggests that People's Liberation Army Navy sub commanders are not the "best and the brightest" officers who may be most equipped to cope with the stresses and challenges endemic to submarine warfare.

Based on China's college-entrance exam — called the gaokoa — the People's Liberation Army Navy engineering university ranks No. 2 in test scores among the military academies, while the submarine academy consistently ranks in the bottom three, according to a paper written by Roderick Lee, an expert on the Chinese military at the US Naval War College.

"Assuming a student's Gaokao score is generally indicative of overall performance potential, this suggests that PLAN submarine officer cadets tracking towards non-engineering department positions are inferior to their engineering brethren," Lee said.

Rivalry between the engineers on the lower decks who keep the ship's engines running and the bridge officers such as captains, navigators, and weapons officers isn't unusual in any navy. In the US, all submarine officers and commanders are trained in nuclear engineering. By the time a Chinese officer reaches submarine command, they've had more than a decade of training and fleet experience since taking their college-entry tests.

Still, the disparity inside the Chinese navy is remarkable, given that submarines would be one of China's most important weapons in a conflict with the US, Japan, or Taiwan. The PLAN operates around 60 submarines, including six armed with nuclear-tipped ballistic missiles, plus six nuclear and 46 diesel-powered attack subs armed with a variety of anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.

Whether academic prowess equates to military competence has always been up for debate. History is full of commanders — such as George McClellan in the American Civil War — who proved more impressive in the classroom than on the battlefield. On the other hand, the legendary George Patton nearly flunked out of West Point.

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Regardless, the Chinese navy seems to have had doubts about those commanding its surface ships and submarines: Higher-level officers would often sail with them to supervise. "Historically, a PLAN submarine captain's authority could be eroded by the presence of more senior officers onboard," Lee noted. "The issue of flotilla-level leadership deploying to single-ship formations and 'babysitting' ship captains was such an issue for the PLAN surface fleet that the PLAN explicitly prohibited the practice in 2019."

It's not clear to what degree senior officers continue to "babysit" submarine skippers, who already have to share authority with a political commissar aboard each vessel. There is evidence that having a senior officer effectively take command of a submarine breeds resentment among a sub's crew. Perhaps not coincidentally, Lee notes that flotilla commanders and staff were aboard when the Ming-class diesel sub SS-361 sank in 2003 and during the near loss of the Kilo-class SS-372 in 2014.

Submarine duty is already arduous and isolating, and command conflicts only exacerbate what appears to be a mental-health crisis among Chinese commanders and crews. When researchers from China's Second Military Medical University conducted a survey in 2021 of submarine crews in the PLAN's South China Sea fleet crews, 21 percent reported experiencing mental-health issues. Sailors and officers "in the submarine force in the South China Sea are facing mental health risks and suffering from serious psychological problems," concluded the study, which listed education — along with age and experience — as the best predictors of mental health for sub crews.

"Life in the PLAN submarine service is difficult," Christopher Sharman, the director of the China Maritime Studies Institute, told Business Insider. "Conditions are challenging, and China has suffered submarine accidents in the past.  These variables contribute to making a life in the submarine force less attractive."

The thought of a submarine — especially one powered by a nuclear reactor or even armed with nuclear missiles — being commanded by an officer with a low SAT score is less than reassuring. Nonetheless, Lee believes that China's submarine fleet is still a capable force. There are "no clear and glaring flaws in how the PLAN leads its submarine force. Although its educational system underwent some turmoil in the beginning of the 21st century and continues to encounter challenges today, these challenges do not appear to be substantial enough to dramatically affect operational performance."

Yet the poor educational qualifications of Chinese sub skippers may be a vulnerability that US anti-submarines can exploit, Lee suggested. China's submarine force is more likely to make mistakes since it "draws its leaders from some of the worst-performing officer cadets," Lee said. "Even if the Gaokao score is not indicative of overall human performance, it does reflect some level of intelligence and individual dedication. The PLAN submarine force must therefore rely on its least talented officers to lead forces that may be cut off for days if not weeks at a time."

When Chinese submarine commanders are under stress, such as having to deal several tasks at once or face unexpected challenges, they could be goaded into making a mistake. "This may make PLAN submarine officers more likely to suffer from the error precursors of poor proficiency, poor problem-solving skills, inappropriate attitudes towards tasks, imprecise communication habits, and inability to handle stress," Lee said.

On the other hand, a Chinese submarine captain will have had years of experience and additional training before assuming command. It remains to be seen if college test scores would affect a commander's combat performance.

Michael Peck is a defense writer whose work has appeared in Forbes, Defense News, Foreign Policy magazine, and other publications. He holds an MA in political science from Rutgers University. Follow him on Twitter and LinkedIn .

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