Business Planning Course
A practical, confidence-building program that gives new and early-stage entrepreneurs the clarity, systems, and direction they need to build a sustainable business that truly supports them.
What This Course Helps You Build
This course is designed to take entrepreneurs from scattered and overwhelmed to clear, focused, and confident in the direction of their business. Each session builds on the last, giving you practical tools and a grounded understanding of what it takes to create a business that works in real life—not just on paper.
Across eight sessions, you’ll walk through the core foundations every small business needs to survive, grow, and support the person running it. Each topic builds on the last, giving you clarity, structure, and practical tools you can use right away.
What We Cover
• Clarify your purpose, values, and the impact you want your business to have
• Understand your Minimum Viable Income (MVI) and build a business that supports your needs
• Identify who your ideal clients actually are—and what they’re willing to pay for
• Test and validate demand before investing your time or money
• Build revenue streams that are sustainable, aligned, and realistic
• Create pricing that is rooted in real numbers, not guesswork
• Map your client journey so every interaction feels intentional and trustworthy
• Strengthen the systems that keep your business running smoothly
You’ll learn how to:
This isn’t theory. It’s the practical, day-to-day knowledge entrepreneurs wish they had when they were first starting out—taught in a way that supports different learning styles and real human capacity.
How the Course Is Offered
This course is currently offered once or twice a year through a partnership with the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership. This full eight-week course is available to eligible local entrepreneurs.
Eligibility is determined by SLEP and typically includes:
Being a resident of Sarnia-Lambton
Running (or planning to run) a small business in Ontario
Being in the early stages of business development
Being able to attend weekly sessions and complete the program requirements
Meeting the Starter Company Plus criteria, including age and business stage (as outlined on SLEP’s website)
Because the program only runs once per year and space is limited, spots fill quickly.
If you’re interested in taking the course in the future — either through SLEP or through a separate, publicly available cohort — you can join the waitlist by sending a quick email to Alison Minato at the Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership. You’ll be the first to know about upcoming dates, eligibility, and new ways to participate.