See your business idea come to life, with a clear roadmap from inspiration to execution. Our online course, “How to Start a Small Business,” written and taught by Coach Holly Benner, cofounder of Metta Endurance, guides you through every step of launching your own venture — from defining your idea to writing a business plan that works. You’ll get hands-on tools, real-world examples, and the confidence to move from “someday” to “open for business.”
You’ll learn how to:
- Discover what kind of entrepreneur you are, from the “Innovator” to the “Jack-of-All-Trades,” and identify your strengths, weaknesses, and risk tolerance before you launch.
- Create products and services that customers actually want, using case studies like Sara Sport Coaching, a cycling coach who built her business by identifying local market gaps and solving real athlete needs.
- Choose the right business structure by comparing sole proprietorships, LLCs, and corporations, and see exactly how each affects taxes, liability, and control.
- Register your business step-by-step, from selecting a name and securing an EIN to understanding when you need licenses, permits, or a fictitious name.
- Build your support team—including an attorney, accountant, insurance agent, and banker—and see how each one protects your business and keeps it running smoothly.
- Get financially fit by learning how to create a personal budget, assess startup costs, improve your credit, and understand the Five Cs of Credit that every lender uses to evaluate loans.
- Compare real funding options, equity vs. debt, micro-loans, SBA programs, and crowdfunding, and see which one best fits your goals.
- Write a business plan that drives results, with a clear company description, marketing plan, operations overview, management structure, and financial forecasts you can actually use.
See how simple it can be to build something real. With expert guidance, practical tools, and examples that show exactly what success looks like, you’ll complete this course ready to launch your own business.
How to Enroll
All USA Cycling courses are offered exclusively through USA Cycling’s online learning management system at learn.usacycling.org.
Questions? Contact Suzy Sanchez, Director of DEI and Membership Programs, at ssanchez@usacycling.org.
