Venture Success: Business Models, Finance, and Culture

Format: Babson On-Demand™

Self-Paced/Remote

The Venture Success: Business Models, Finance, and Culture certificate provides the essential tools to build, sustain, and scale a viable business. This program, which includes three distinct badge courses, is designed for entrepreneurs and business leaders seeking a strong foundation in venture planning, financial strategy, and organizational culture, all key pillars for long-term growth.

You will learn how to craft and evaluate business models that deliver real customer value, interpret financial statements to make sound strategic decisions, and foster a company culture that supports innovation and adaptability. With a focus on real-world application, this certificate program draws from Babson’s Entrepreneurial Thought & Action® (ET&A™) methodology to help you navigate risk, identify opportunities, and build ventures with purpose.

By the end of the program, you will be equipped to design sustainable business models, manage venture economics with confidence, and lead teams that embrace an entrepreneurial mindset—driving success from the inside out.

What you will learn Who should attend What is included Credential Earned

Define and analyze your business model using a proven framework to clarify your strategy and customer value proposition
Identify your target market, articulate your point of differentiation, and develop a practical execution plan for launching and growing your venture
Build foundational accounting skills by interpreting core financial statements to assess your business’s financial health
Use key metrics and ratios to evaluate profitability, understand cost dynamics, and plan for cash flow needs
Measure and improve customer economics through tools such as Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) and Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC)
Translate financial insights into strategic decisions that support long-term growth
Learn how to shape, scale, and sustain an entrepreneurial culture that fosters innovation, adaptability, and engagement
Apply best practices for maintaining culture through change, including rituals, rewards, and effective onboarding

Aspiring entrepreneurs with a new venture or entrepreneurial idea
Entrepreneurs who want to take their business to the next level
Professionals looking to expand their skill set across industries and functionalities
Executives looking to grow their entrepreneurial mindset to innovate in their current role
Managers eager to foster an entrepreneurial and impactful environment within an organization

Recognition and Credentialing: A digital certificate that serves as verifiable proof of learning and achievement, which can be displayed on platforms such as LinkedIn and included on your resume and portfolio
Course Content and Learning Outcomes: You gain industry-relevant knowledge, practical skills, and frameworks designed for professionals seeking career advancement or specialization
Flexibility: Our self-paced digital courses allow flexibility for busy executives and professionals
Expert Instruction: Experienced faculty, industry leaders, and professionals with real-world expertise teach our courses
Networking Opportunities: You gain access to a network of peers, alumni, and industry professionals.
Assessments and Engagement: To earn a credential for completing this course, you must complete assignments, quizzes, case studies, and/or interactive projects

Upon completion of this series of courses you will earn a digital certificate.

What you need to know

Course Structure

Costs & Program Discounts

Course Leaders

Jeffrey Shay

Professor of Entrepreneurship

Professor Jeffrey (Jeff) Shay serves as the chair of the board for the Global Entrepreneurship Research Organization (governance board for the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM)) and co-leader of the GEM USA team. Prior to coming to Babson, he served as the Rupert Johnson Professor of Entrepreneurship and Leadership at Washington and Lee University, where he designed and launched a comprehensive entrepreneurship program. Prior to that, he was the Jack Poe Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Montana. He has also taught courses at London School of Economics, Peking University, Cornell University, and University of Brescia.

Peter Wilson

Professor of Accounting & Law

Professor Peter Wilson teaches financial reporting and financial statement analysis at Babson College. He previously served as executive director of Babson’s Graduate Blended Learning Programs, overseeing the Blended Learning MBA. With over 25 years of experience in business education, Wilson spent 19 years as a faculty member at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business. He has designed and delivered corporate education programs worldwide, focusing on financial analysis, cost management, and corporate strategy.

Andrew Zacharakis

John H. Muller, Jr. Professor of Entrepreneurial Studies

Professor Andrew (Zach) Zacharakis is the director of the Babson College Entrepreneurship Research Conference and the former president of the Entrepreneurship Division of the Academy of Management. He is the author of five books, and his work has been published in numerous academic journals. Prior to his work at Babson, he held investment banking/venture capital positions with The Cambridge Companies, a Los Angeles firm that invested in retail concepts and movie partnerships. Today, Zacharakis is an active angel investor in seed stage deals.

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Professional & Executive Education

Professional & Executive Education