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Free course template · US federal

Going out on your own: Fit, planning, structure and exit for a small business

A ready-made course, live deck and two surveys for would-be and new small business owners. AhaSlides tracks progress, completion and scores for you. 40 minutes, 6 lessons, 10-question final check. Last reviewed 4 November 2026; not legal advice.

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Course outline at a glance

  • Meet Marlena and ask why
  • Your four roots of power
  • Accordion
  • Sorting activity
  • Tabs
  • Scenario

  • The four-step planning model
  • Step 1
  • Step 2
  • Process
  • Quiz
  • Flashcards
  • Sorting activity

  • Step 3
  • Where the money can come from
  • Step 4
  • Flashcards
  • Quiz
  • Accordion
  • Sorting activity
  • Scenario

  • Five factors for choosing a structure
  • Comparing common structures
  • Which structure fits?
  • Tabs
  • Accordion
  • Matching quiz
  • Sorting activity
  • Scenario

  • Should you sell or close?
  • Selling a business
  • Closing and handing on
  • Tabs
  • Sorting activity
  • Quiz
  • Accordion
  • Process
  • Scenario

  • Final assessment
  • Course complete
  • Quiz
  • Multi-select quiz
  • Flashcards

Three pieces that work together

Learners prepare on their own, you answer questions live, and the surveys tell you what stuck. 2 fields to fill in with your own policy, contacts and locations; each one is highlighted inside the course.

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Completion is tracked for you

Learners sign in to take the course, so every start, finish and score is recorded in AhaSlides. No spreadsheet to keep.

  • Who has finished

    See who has not started, who is in progress and who has completed the course.

  • Every score

    Each learner's result on the 10-question final check, against the 80% pass mark.

  • What landed

    Survey results show what people took away and what to change next time.

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6 lessons, about 40 minutes

What learners can do at the end of each lesson. Minutes are an estimate.

  • Lesson 1: Is business ownership a good fit for you? · 7 min

    Before you begin · Meet Marlena and ask why · Your four roots of power

  • Lesson 2: Planning to plan: the napkin plan and the resource plan · 7 min

    The four-step planning model · Step 1 · Step 2

  • Lesson 3: From business plan to action plan · 7 min

    Step 3 · Where the money can come from · Step 4

  • Lesson 4: Choosing a legal structure · 7 min

    Five factors for choosing a structure · Comparing common structures · Which structure fits?

  • Lesson 5: Selling, closing and handing on a business · 7 min

    Should you sell or close? · Selling a business · Closing and handing on

  • Lesson 6: Final assessment · 5 min

    Final assessment · Course complete

Source and credit: Adapted from Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Money Smart material; the FDIC does not endorse AhaSlides. AhaSlides condensed and rewrote this material for workplace learners and added quizzes and activities. Source: Is Owning a Business a Good Fit for You? (Participant Guide) (opens in a new tab) · Source: Planning for a Healthy Business (Participant Guide) (opens in a new tab) · Source: Organizational Types (Participant Guide) (opens in a new tab) · Source: Selling Your Business and Succession Planning (Participant Guide) (opens in a new tab) · Source: Money Smart for Small Business, curriculum page (opens in a new tab)

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Often taught together

Courses teams often run alongside this one.

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Common questions

Yes. The course, the live deck and both surveys are free. Claiming the template into your AhaSlides account is free too.

Yes. The course is self-paced and online, and the live deck lets you add a live session in the room or online.

At onboarding or as continuing professional development, with a yearly refresher (best practice).

Would-be and new small business owners.

Record completion in your own LMS or record system, so you can show who finished the course and when.

Yes, everything. Change the wording, swap scenarios for ones from your workplace, add your logo, or remove parts that don't apply.

Your own details, each highlighted inside the course:
  • Link to your live session deck
  • Link to the self-paced course
Then edit anything else you like: wording, scenarios, your logo.
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Ready to run it?

Free. Copy the course, live deck and both surveys into your AhaSlides account in one click.

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