West Des Moines Community Schools Community Education

With the demands of daily operations, non-financial managers may put financial reports on the shelf. But take a look at some of the most admired companies like Apple, Google, and Berkshire Hathaway. Sure, they are evaluated by their products, innovation, and culture but they wouldn’t be in the limelight without profits. Money matters! This course will help you build on your understanding of financial concepts and help you establish your role in the financial success of your organization. Designed for non-financial managers, business owners, entrepreneurs, and other decision-makers, this advanced course will take the mystery out of money matters. Throughout this course, financial information that drives your organization, as seen on the business’s reports, will be assessed and analyzed to understand it. An understanding of this information will help you make smart decisions when it comes to budgeting, setting goals, and assessing performance within your own area of influence. If you register for all three classes at once, they will be discounted $30 each at checkout. These classes can otherwise be taken individually. To progress through this course you will: Read the print readings. Have the option of accessing the online readings. Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides. Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned. Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants. The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience. Discussion: The discussion for each unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night. Your instructor will log into the discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants. We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each day to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.

To succeed in today's marketplace, entrepreneurs must know how to effectively market their product or service. This course offers you a step by step approach to attract and keep customers, all within a realistic budget. With an emphasis on customer-driven marketing decisions, you will learn how to build a strong brand, analyze which tactics to use, and implement your marketing plan. Whether you are starting a business or growing an existing one, you will take away practical marketing tips and tools that you can use to improve your marketing efforts. If you register for all three classes at once, they will be discounted $30 each at checkout. These classes can otherwise be taken individually. To progress through this course you will: Read the print readings. Have the option of accessing the online readings. Listen to the audio presentation for the Unit and view the slides. Have the option of taking a self-quiz to see how much you have learned. Engage in written online discussion with your instructor and other participants. The content (readings, audio lectures, slides) and self quizzes are accessible for the entire course, so you can work ahead, or go back and review again, at your convenience. Discussion: The discussion for each unit lasts one week. All comments are made in writing and can be made at any time of the day or night. Your instructor will log into the discussion area at least once a day and answer questions, make comments, and respond to comments by you and the other participants. We encourage you to make 2-3 comments each day to maximize your learning and enjoyment of the course.