Instructor: Bill Conley
Email: coachbillconley@gmail.com
Course Duration: 10 Classes (1 to 1.25 hours each)
Instructor Background:
Bill Conley was born in 1957 and raised in Minnesota. He graduated from the
University of Minnesota in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science in Business
Administration. He began his career in straight-commission sales with Century
Manufacturing, taking his territory from 50th to 2nd place in just one year. In
1981, he moved to Seattle and joined Benchmark Computer Systems, where he
developed his own company-wide training program by shadowing every department
to fully understand business operations. He outperformed eight other
salespeople combined in his first year.
Bill went on to become the top
salesperson at Datacore, another computer sales company, before taking a hiatus
to travel Europe. Upon returning, he founded Information Systems International,
a computer telemarketing company. He later co-founded Computex Systems
Corporation, a highly successful Hewlett-Packard resale firm that expanded
through multiple acquisitions and grew to include 15 salespeople, a 50,000 sq.
ft. warehouse, engineers, and administrative staff.
After selling his share of Computex
in 1995, he founded US Computer Corporation, achieving $9 million in sales and
nearly $3 million in profit in its first year. He sold the company in 1998,
then founded High Tech Service Solutions, which he ran until 2006 before
selling it to his employees. Following that, Bill opened and operated a
smoothie franchise, then began investing in real estate. His projects included
two memory care centers, three senior housing condominiums, an office building,
and two large apartment complexes. Over 30 years, he has flipped more than 20
homes and managed rental properties, including a small apartment complex.
Bill has never taken a salary and
has always worked on commission or profit-sharing from companies he owned.
Course Overview:
This 10-session course provides a complete roadmap for aspiring entrepreneurs
ready to start and grow a small business. Whether product-based or service-driven,
students will learn how to clarify their business vision, build an actionable
plan, understand legal and financial responsibilities, and create a compelling
brand.
What Students Will Learn:
- The difference between product and service businesses
- How to write a mission statement and define your target
market
- How to identify vendors, source labor, and manage
inventory
- Marketing strategies on any budget
- Business formation, taxes, licensing, and insurance
- Customer service, vendor communication, and employee
policies
- Brand identity and positioning
- Sales processes and pricing models
- Office setup, essential software, and database
management
- How to create and present a complete business plan
Course Format:
- Weekly 60–75 minute sessions
- Interactive lectures, group discussion, and real-world
examples
- In-class exercises and take-home assignments
- Final project: presentation of a full business startup
plan
Target Audience:
- First-time entrepreneurs and startup founders
- Career changers ready to work for themselves
- Side-hustlers and creatives wanting to formalize their
business
- Anyone with a product, service, or idea ready to bring
to life
Course Outcomes: By the end of the course, students will:
- Walk away with a personalized business plan
- Understand how to launch, manage, and grow their
company
- Be equipped with tools, templates, and next steps for
success
- Feel confident and ready to take the next
entrepreneurial leap
To Register or Learn More:
Email Bill Conley directly at coachbillconley@gmail.com
Class
Schedule and Topics
Class 1: Purpose, Motivation, and
Mission
Goals:
- Understand personal motivation
- Define a mission statement
- Clarify the business idea and customer base Topics:
- Introductions and abstract: Why do you want to start a
business?
- Difference between Product-based and Service-based
businesses
- Definitions of Motive and Purpose
- Mission Statement: Components and Importance
- Defining target product or service
- Identifying your target market (Who, Where, How) Activities:
- Write personal motivation abstract
- Draft mission statement
- Class discussion and whiteboard categorization
Class 2: Sourcing and Funding
Goals:
- Identify suppliers or labor sources
- Understand funding options
- Begin thinking about cash flow Topics:
- Supplier identification for products (internet,
referrals, etc.)
- Labor sourcing for services (ads, job fairs, referrals)
- 11 sources of startup funding
- Determining startup costs
- Cash Flow: cash in, cash out, timeline to profitability
- Example: Starting a small computer company
Class 3: Setup and Financial
Planning
Goals:
- Complete funding review
- Understand startup costs and projections
- Prepare for formal business setup Topics:
- Finalize funding strategies
- Cash flow management
- Decision checklist for launching
- Incorporation, tax ID, city/state paperwork
Class 4: Marketing Basics
Goals:
- Understand basic marketing materials and strategies
Topics:
- Marketing collateral: letters, one-sheets, brochures
- Methods: telemarketing, mail, door-to-door, ads,
internet, email, flyers, referrals, trade shows
- Pros and cons of each method
Class 5: Making the Sale and
Managing Transactions
Goals:
- Learn pricing strategies
- Understand the sales process Topics:
- Pricing formulas (products/services)
- Sale closure: contracts, invoices, terms
- Accounting entries, purchase agreements
Class 6: Inventory and Order
Management
Goals:
- Understand inventory purchasing and tracking Topics:
- Purchase orders, receiving, warehousing
- Inventory logs, vendor coordination
Class 7: Office Setup and Tools
Goals:
- Learn essential tech tools for startup success Topics:
- Accounting software, CRMs, communication systems
- Fax usage, email, data capture methods
Class 8: Telemarketing and
Communication
Goals:
- Master phone-based outreach and follow-up Topics:
- Effective openings, voice tone, messaging
- Listening cues, politeness, closing skills
Class 9: Management 101 – Customers,
Vendors, Employees
Goals:
- Learn business relationship management Topics:
- Customer support, returns, vendor issues, freight
- Employee onboarding, contracts, benefits, payroll,
reviews
Class 10: Final Review and Test
Goals:
- Review core material
- Present business plans
- Evaluate knowledge retention Activities:
- Recap and open Q&A
- Final quiz (15–20 questions)
- Group feedback and next steps
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