Taking a small business course is a good starting point before building a business in Canada.
They help you determine whether entrepreneurship is for you and teach you the fundamentals of being a business owner by covering concepts such as developing ideas, tracking your finances, and marketing to target customers.
This article covers the small business courses in Canada, including the comprehensive Avalon course and other free options.
Key Takeaways
- The 7-Day Business Starter Course by Avalon is one of the best one-stop business courses. It teaches you the primary strategies for becoming a successful entrepreneur.
- Canada’s free online business courses include Business Basics by Small Business Centres Ontario and Entrepreneurship 101 by MIT OpenCourseWare.
The 7 Day Business Starter Course by Avalon
The 7-Day Business Starter Course by Avalon teaches everything you need to start a small business in Canada.
Designed for Canadian entrepreneurs, this course offers a step-by-step guide outlining what you need to start your business. From creating your business plan to mastering your finances and marketing your goods, any aspiring entrepreneur who starts this course will wrap up the lessons fully ready to make their first sale.
Over 7 days, this program covers different topics each day, in the order the table below shows:
| Day | Topic covered |
| 1 | Create Your Business Plan |
| 2 | Register Your Business |
| 3 | Document Your Process |
| 4 | Master Your Finances |
| 5 | Propel Your Marketing Success |
| 6 | Make Your First Sale |
| 7 | Build an Operating System |
For just $497, you’ll get lifetime access to a course that helps you navigate the ins and outs of starting a business, establish your financial foundations, and scale your business.
On top of that, you’ll be able to access an exclusive online community of entrepreneurs who actively share their experiences, tips and rookie mistakes, allowing you to further strengthen your skills, knowledge and, of course, connections.
Avalon offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for this course, so trying it out is 100% risk-free. You can also use the promo code savvy25 to get a 25% discount off the regular price.
The Best Free Online Small Business Courses in Canada
These free business courses are good starting points for building your entrepreneurial knowledge.
Business Basics by Small Business Centres Ontario
Offered by Small Business Centres Ontario, Business Basics is one of Ontario’s best online business courses. It consists of 11 online learning sessions that aim to help individuals determine whether starting a business is the right path for them.
Every lesson in this course is 30 minutes or less and explores different aspects of starting and running a business.
The first lesson helps participants assess if they are suited for self-employment, and the following lessons guide them through researching their ideas, creating a business plan, and registering their business.
Intro to Business by Robertson
Robertson College, a private vocational institution in Canada, offers this free online micro-course for anyone interested in entrepreneurship.
Intro to Business explains how the business workforce has changed in the country, how social trends affect businesses and the roles of economics, organization styles and human resources in Canadian companies.
The total length of this course is 40 hours. You may complete it at your own pace.
Entrepreneurship 101 by MIT OpenCourseWare
MIT OpenCourseWare, the web-based publication that provides most Massachusetts Institute of Technology courses, offers free business courses online with certificates, including Entrepreneurship 101: Who is Your Customer?
It teaches entrepreneurs the first important skill: to identify and understand customers. Topics covered include market analysis, market segmentation, profiling customer personas, and estimation of total addressable market size.
If you dedicate 2 to 4 hours per week studying this course, you’ll finish it in about four weeks. Enrollment is free, but you must pay $49 USD to earn a certificate.
UBCx: Business Foundations
Created by the University of British Columbia and hosted by the educational platform edX, this course teaches business fundamentals by unpacking the terminologies, concepts, and frameworks necessary to understand businesses.
It’s composed of 3 skill-building courses that explain topics such as what a company’s main components and activities are, how different business functions operate, and basic financial statement literacy.
Business Foundations can be completed at your speed, and it will take about 5 months if you study for 3 to 5 hours per week. It’s one of the best free small business courses online, but you can earn a certificate if you pay $150.
Other Top Online Small Business Courses
These are more small business courses to help you start or grow your business.
Bookkeeping and Taxes for Freelancers by Avalon
Avalon Account, an online accounting firm for small businesses in Canada, created the “Bookkeeping and Taxes” course to help freelancers and sole proprietors simplify their books and do their taxes.
Taught by Joe Collins, this course covers basics, such as tracking income flow and filing taxes, as well as strategies for tax optimization, such as tips to maximize your tax deductions.
It costs CAD 199 with a money-back guarantee that will refund your payment if you’re unsatisfied with the results.
Use the promo code savvy25 to get a 25% discount off the regular price.
Small Business Management Basics for Entrepreneurs by UCalgary
University of Calgary offers the Small Business Management Basics Program for anyone who’s interested in creating or growing their business.
Composed of three mini-courses totalling 60 hours, this program tackles how to start, manage, and market a business. You’ll also learn how to develop business proposals and how to prepare for the challenges of starting a small business.
This course costs approximately $1,485. You don’t need a degree to enroll, but it’s recommended that you have at least a Grade 12 diploma.
Managing Your Own Business Program by ICS Canada
ICS Canada, a nationally accredited institution by the DEAC, offers the Online Managing Your Own Business Program, which teaches the fundamentals of managing a small business.
This program helps you create sound business plans, organize business structures, and compose effective communications through spreadsheets and accurate financial records, which are necessary to succeed in business.
This program costs $1,199 upfront. If you pay $59 per month, the price accumulates to $1,499. You can finish it in as little as two months, depending on your pace.
Tips on How to Start a Small Business in Canada
These are some of the best tips on starting a small business in Canada:
- Learn the basics of starting a business before investing money.
- Don’t forget about the legalities that entrepreneurs must take care of.
- Make sure to level out the pros and cons of starting a business to see if it’s for you.
- Keep up with your target market’s trends and preferences to stay relevant.
FAQs
Which website is best for free online certification courses?
Various websites, including edX, Coursera, and MIT OpenCourseWare, offer free online certification courses. Each has pros and cons, so the best one will depend on your specific needs and preferences.
Which business course is the best in Canada?
The 7-Day Business Starter Course by Avalon is one of the best business courses in Canada. It touches all the essential aspects of starting a business and helps you make your first sale in as little as 7 days.
