Explored through the lens of what Harvard Business School Professor Emeritus William Poorvu calls "the purest and most enjoyable form of entrepreneurship you can find on the planet," this course takes students through a series of in-depth, practical decision-making situations for starting, growing, and managing a successful enterprise. Students step into the shoes of a first-time investor and learn the nuts and bolts of getting a project off the ground. Students examine operational issues such as setting benchmarks, aligning incentives, and dealing with delays and cost-overruns. Students grapple with developing a business plan, bringing key partners into their business, and working with a board of directors. Students practice key negotiation skills essential for any business. Students train for managing a crisis using disciplined communication, initiative, strategic thinking, and diplomacy in situations where every second counts. Finally, students examine a business leader's most difficult challenge: managing the transition between what their company is today and what it needs to be in the future.