(11 contact hours) Gain the knowledge and skills you need to start your own health and healing business, including developing a business plan, finding the right target market, getting financing, and creating marketing strategies to ensure success.
Starting your own business in health and healing provides many exciting options to create a way to live and work that allows you to express your deepest core values and explore your own health and well-being more fully. In an era of ongoing economic and job uncertainties, starting your own business in a growing field, such as health care, can provide you with independence, flexibility, personal fulfillment, control over your own life, and incredible financial rewards. This innovative program teaches aspiring entrepreneurs how to take their dreams and create their new reality. Knowing the proper steps to take, learning how to develop a successful business plan, understanding how to create, finance, and market your business, and examining the secrets of successful entrepreneurs will all be explored in this program. Students receive sample documents and worksheets in many topics to help complete this program with virtually everything they'll need to begin!
The outcome of this certificate program is for the learner to describe effective strategies regarding ways to start their own business in health, healing, or wellness.
(11.0 contact hours)
Expiration Date (Next date of course revision): 10/01/2026
Conflicts of Interest and Relevant Financial Relationships: The authors/planning committee members have no conflicts of interest or relevant financial relationships to declare relevant to this activity.
Non-endorsement of Products: Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA approval or endorsement of any commercial product.
Accreditation:
American Nurses Credentialing CenterALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited with distinction as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation.
Accreditation refers to recognition of continuing nursing education only and does not imply ALLEGRA Learning Solutions or Commission on Accreditation approval or endorsement of any commercial product(s).
ALLEGRA Learning Solutions courses are acceptable for continuing education in all states.
American Board of Managed Care Nursing
The American Board of Managed Care Nursing recognizes all of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions' ANCC accredited courses for continuing education credit for Certified Managed Care Nurses (CMCNs).
National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
ALLEGRA Learning Solutions is an approved provider with the National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) (Provider #107194).
National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators
ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is accredited as a provider of continuing nursing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. To satisfy the requirement for renewal of certification by continuing education for the National Certification Board for Diabetes Educators (NCBDE), continuing education activities must be applicable to diabetes and approved by a provider on the NCBDE List of Recognized Providers (www.ncbde.org). NCBDE does not approve continuing education.
National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork
ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC is approved by the National Certification Board for Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (NCBTMB) as a continuing education Approved Provider (Provider Number 451562-11).
Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
- This course can be taken on either a PC, Mac, or Chromebook.
Software Requirements:
- PC: Windows 10 or later.
- Mac: macOS 10.6 or later.
- Browser: The latest version of Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox are preferred. Microsoft Edge and Safari are also compatible.
- Adobe Acrobat Reader.
- Software must be installed and fully operational before the course begins.
Other:
- Email capabilities and access to a personal email account.
Instructional Material Requirements:
The instructional materials required for this course are included in enrollment and will be available online.
Completion Requirements:
You must complete all lessons to receive your certificate. You must pass the final exam in all lessons with a score of 80% or higher AND complete the Evaluation Form in order to receive your Certificate of Completion. Finals are graded as Pass or No Pass. Receipt of your certificate indicates successful completion of the course and that you have passed all final exams with a score of 80% or greater. You may retake final exams as many times as necessary within the duration of the course at no additional charge.
Gain the knowledge and skills you need to start your own health and healing business. This course will guide you through every step of building your business, including developing a business plan, finding the right target market, getting financing, and creating marketing strategies to ensure success.
Starting Your Own Business in Holistic and Integrative Health: Preparing for the Change
Starting your own business in health and healing provides many exciting options for creating a way to live and work that allows you to express your deepest core values and explore your own health and well-being more fully. Determining how to start your own business requires insight, and specific steps help ensure the process is successful.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe key elements necessary to start a business in holistic and integrative health. The health effects of job stress, possible career options in holistic and integrative health and wellness, advantages and disadvantages of being your own boss, steps to take in preparation for a career shift, and key educational issues to consider related to careers in the areas of holistic and integrative health and wellness are examined.
Choosing the Business Structure for Your Health and Wellness Business
Innovations in health care directed toward improved health outcomes, the utilization of more varied diagnostic and holistic treatment options, and the increasing diversity of patient populations supports healthcare providers and other interested individuals who are seeking unique career alternatives, including starting their own business. Once individuals decide to create their own business, one of the important first steps is to decide how that business will be structured. This decision can impact the longevity and success of the business and has important legal and tax implications.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the six basic types of business structures (sole proprietorship, limited liability company (LLC), cooperative, corporation, partnership, and S Corporation). The characteristics, advantages, disadvantages, and tax considerations for each type are discussed.
Creating a Business Plan for Your Health and Wellness Business
Just like a builder needs a blueprint to ensure a house will be structurally sound and resemble the vision laid out on the blueprint, a successful healthcare entrepreneur needs to create a business plan for their vision. Creating a business plan provides a blueprint for your business and is the first important step in achieving your entrepreneurial goals. Your business plan will provide you with a description of your business, help you understand start-up and ongoing costs, persuade others to invest in what you are creating, help you successfully compete in your target market, and support you as you assess the opportunities and challenges you may face with your new enterprise. By creating a business plan and doing your homework, you hold yourself accountable to goals and objectives and greatly improve your chance of success.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the purpose of a business plan and the elements and functions of each aspect of that plan. Possible business exit strategies will also be reviewed.
Financing Your Business in Health and Wellness
Creating a successful business means understanding the world of finance. Although this world is often intimidating, financial literacy is a critical skill for entrepreneurs. Many businesses fail because of a lack of adequate funding, so this remains one of the biggest challenges faced by entrepreneurs when starting, operating, and expanding their business. Understanding your business' financing needs and knowing the range of financing options available to you will improve your odds of success.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to describe the financial issues facing new or growing businesses, including types of startup expenses, crucial financial statements for business success, common types of financing available for businesses, and key investment ratios used in business.
Marketing Your Health and Wellness Business
An effective, well-developed marketing strategy is one of the most important documents you will create in your business. This document communicates what customers receive from your company and helps secure customers for the future. Marketing strategies take time, resources, and money to implement. Since all three are often in limited supply (especially for new companies), an effective marketing strategy must be carefully and thoughtfully designed and measured.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to explain how to effectively develop a marketing strategy for a health and wellness business. The purpose of marketing for business success, the difference between marketing and sales, effective ways to conduct marketing research, the four Ps and five Fs of marketing, ways to define a target market, product profiles and life cycles, marketing vehicles and tactics, and issues to consider when marketing on the Internet are discussed.
Secrets of Successful Healthcare Entrepreneurs
Starting a new business takes a lot of work. Despite the intense effort required to launch a new venture, successful entrepreneurs have many diverse characteristics that provide the stamina to support their achievements and enhance their ability to create a successful business. By cultivating these characteristics, continually learning, being open to new and creative ideas and possibilities, and committing to their vision, entrepreneurs can help ensure the success of their business.
The outcome of this course is for the learner to provide an overview of the characteristics of successful entrepreneurs. The stages of entrepreneurship, the various types of mentors that may be helpful to entrepreneurs, and a more detailed examination of specific characteristics are discussed.
What you will learn
- Describe the necessary factors to consider when preparing to start your own business
- Compare and contrast the six basic types of business structures
- Discuss how to create an effective business plan
- Explain how to effectively finance your health and wellness business
- Explain how to create an effective marketing strategy for your business
- Describe the secrets of a successful healthcare entrepreneur
How you will benefit
- Learn the necessary steps to building your own business in health and wellness
- Learn how to develop a successful business plan that reflects your vision, outlines your financial strategy, and contains an effective marketing strategy for your business
- Gain knowledge about the skills needed to become a successful entrepreneur
- Increase the possibility of developing your independence, personal and professional flexibility and fulfillment, and control over your life
- Discover ways to improve your total health and well-being and positively impact your life and the life of your family
- Learn new information that can help you prepare for a career in many areas of health (including health education, public health, nursing, medicine, social work, environmental health, or health coaching) as well as other fields (such as law, political science, advocacy, etc.)
- Build knowledge and competencies needed to advance your career and/or improve your personal health and well-being
- Fulfill continuing education and/or national certification requirements
Cyndie Koopsen
Cyndie Koopsen, RN, BSN, MBA, HNB-BC, RN-BC, HWNC-BC is a nurse who has cared for patients in acute care settings, community clinics, and the home. Her professional nursing career has involved nursing executive leadership and administration, accreditation consultation, staff development and education, community education and wellness, and holistic care. She has designed, developed, and presented numerous educational programs for audiences covering integrative health, promotion and wellness, and chronic disease management and prevention. She is the co-author (with Caroline Young) of two health care textbooks. She is the co-CEO and co-founder of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC and has designed and developed over 300 online professional continuing education courses.
Caroline Young
Caroline Young, M.P.H., has an extensive public health background that includes experience in research, workshop presentations in various areas of health care, and online and onsite teaching. She has expertise in holistic community health and wellness program design, development, marketing, implementation, and evaluation. She has also designed, developed, and presented integrative health programs for culturally diverse populations, senior populations, and faith communities. She is the co-author (with Cyndie Koopsen) of two health care textbooks. She is the co-CEO and co-founder of ALLEGRA Learning Solutions, LLC and has designed and developed over 300 online professional continuing education courses.
