The course that could change the course of your life
Business isn’t just for “businesspeople.” It’s the language of opportunity.
Once you learn to speak it, you'll start to think differently about the world, your place in it, and the possibilities that lie before you.
Business basics for everyone
Whether you’re launching your career, building a side hustle, running a nonprofit, or just want to understand how the world works—learning the basics of business will give you the tools to make smarter choices, become more confident, and spot opportunities others miss.
This free course gives you the essential framework to understand it all, without the jargon or the MBA price tag.
Clear and practical
This stuff isn’t rocket science. Get the essentials you need without the BS or fluff.
Ready for real life
The principles of business are useful. You'll be able to apply what you learn immediately in work, projects, and daily decisions.
For every background
No matter where you are on life's journey. We've designed this course for career starters, freelancers, creatives, nonprofit leaders, and curious minds.
What you'll learn
In 10 focused lessons, you’ll get a complete foundation in the key principles of business: a bird’s eye view of the economic landscape, an understanding of what businesses do and how they work, an introduction to finance, and much more.
See the big picture
Get a bird's eye view of the entire economic landscape and see how businesses of all types influence and shape every aspect of our lives.
Get a grip on the fundamentals
Gain fluency with key business concepts, including how businesses are structured and how they operate.
Apply the tools of the trade
Learn how to put business ideas and concepts into action in your work and everyday life—to solve problems and make better decisions.
Set your own course
Reconsider your relationship to business and your place in the world. Confidently set bolder goals. Chart your own path and work towards achieving your dreams.
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
"This course transformed my understanding of business and its impact on our daily lives. Since taking it I was promoted and started my own consultancy."
Pricing options
Flexible pricing to meet your budget
The basics in 10 classes
We've designed this course course as a gateway to understanding the fundamentals of business and applying them in life and work.
Each class will include a short video and an practical assignment in which you'll apply what you've learned.
Orientation
We start with an overview of the course and a personal reflection on your own relationship to business.
Introduction
What is business to you?
The Big Picture
Next we explore the world of business as if we were looking down from space. We understand how many businesses there are and different ways that they can be categorized.
Sizes and Shapes
Industries and Sectors
Legal Structures
How Businesses Work
In section three we dive deeper, learning about the fundamental components that all businesses need to operate and eventually profit. You'll learn about business models, marketing, value creation, and profitbility.
Business Model Basics
Creating a Customer
The Meaning of Value
The Measure of Profit
The purpose of business
As we conclude the course, we'll ask the bigger question: what is the purpose of business? How can a new understanding of the tools of business open our minds up to new, previously unseen, opportunities?
Why is Business?
Certificate of completion
Students who complete all of the lectures and submit passing assignments for each will receive an electronic certificate that they've completed the course.
You can include this on your CV, post it to your LinkedIn profile, or just bask in the satisfaction of a job well done.
FAQs
Answers to some common questions
This 10-class course provides an introduction to the fundamentals of business. It's designed to give student greater fluency and confidence when it comes to the business ideas that make the world work. We'll start with the big picture before covering key aspects of business operations, including business models, legal structures, marketing, and value creation. You'll gain insights that are essential for anyone whether or not they ever asprire to start their own business.
This course is for anyone looking to increase their understanding of how businesses work and how the world works. We focus on simplifying the ideas of business and making them accessible to anyone—regardless of their age, education, or previous business experience.
The price for the full course is $49. You can access 3 introductory classes by registering free of charge.
We are committed to making this knowledge available to anyone. We've priced the class to be accessible, but we understand that it still may be out of reach for some people.
If you're interested in the class but can't quite afford it, send us an email at hello@indie.biz with a little bit of information about who you are and why you want to take the class and we'll sign you up at no charge.
We believe that everyone deserves to have access to the knowledge of how businesses work—and that everyone can benefit from having this knowledge.
We are doing this as an experiment to see what kind of interest there is in the course materials and how actively people engage with the content, and what results they see in their lives and work.
If you have feedback for us, please send us a note at hello@indie.biz. We've love to hear about your experience!
Sure! If you're interested in making this course available for a group of students, send us an email at hello@indie.biz with some information about your group and we'll work with you to set up discounted group registration.