CS 405 Creating and Managing a Software Business
(Introduction to High-Tech Venture Startups)
Josh Coates, Syllabus Fall 2011

<H1>CS 405 Creating and Managing a Software Business
<br>
(Introduction to High-Tech Venture Startups)
<br>
Josh Coates, Syllabus Fall 2011
</H1>

 
<p>
<h2> COURSE DESCRIPTION</h2>
<p>
This course will teach students what is required to be successful if they start a technology company or how to evaluate a startup if they want to work for one. Note that this course will be biased toward the "Silicon Valley style" of venture startups rather than traditional small business courses.
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<h2>NOTICE</h2>
Although this is only a 3 unit non-software project course, it will require a fair amount of work. Most students get B's and C's in the class, although not for any good reason.  Please do not underestimate the effort required to be successful in this course. Carefully consider your work load and how serious your interest is in the subject matter before enrolling. Remember, nothing in life is worth doing half-baked. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to email the instructor at jcoates@gmail.com
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<h2>NON-COMPUTER SCIENCE MAJORS</h2>    
I'm more than happy to help clueless businees majors that want to take a real venture startup course and actually learn something useful from BYU in the context of entrepreneurship - however, it's not up to me.  Go talk to your counselor or whichever bureaucrat is in charge of adding to the role and I'm happy to have you in class.  


<h2>REQUIRED READING LIST</h2>
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    Note: most of these books are pretty bad, except the first one, and the last one listed.
    <p>
    Founders at Work: Stories of Startups' Early Days
<br>
    Jessica Livingston

<br>
    ISBN-10: 1590597141

<br>
    ISBN-13: 978-1590597149

<br>
     
<p>       

     The Ten-Day MBA, 3rd Edition
<br>

     Steven Alan Silbiger
<br>

     ISBN-10: 0060799072
<br>

     ISBN-13: 978-0060799076
<br>

      
<p>       

      Financial Statements: A Step-by-Step Guide to Understanding and Creating Financial Reports
<br>

      Thomas R. Ittelson
<br>

      ISBN-10: 1564143414
<br>

      ISBN-13: 978-1564143419
<br>

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       Deal Terms - The Finer Points of Venture Capital Deal Structures, Valuations, Term Sheets, Stock Options and Getting VC Deals Done
<br>

       Alex Wilmerding
<br>

       ISBN-10: 1587622084
<br>

       ISBN-13: 978-1587622083
<br>
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<h2>	OPTIONAL READING LIST</h2>
<p>
	The Mythical Man-Month: Essays on Software Engineering, Brooks
	<br>

	The Essential Drucker, Drucker
	<br>

	Term Sheets & Valuations, Wilmerding
	<br>

	Made to Stick, Heath & Heath
	<br>

	The Fall of Advertising & The Rise of PR, Ries & Ries
	<br>

	The Elements of Style, Strunk & White
	<br>

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<h2>	 EVALUATION AND GRADING </h2>
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	 40% Tests and Assignments
		<br>
	 40% Group Project
		<br>
	 20% Attendance and Class Participation
		<br>
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<h2>	 TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE</h2>
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		Introduction to Technology Startups 
		<br>
		Technology and Business Concepts 
		<br>
		Financial Modeling 
		<br>
		Product Development 
		<br>
		Raising Capital 
		<br>
		Intellectual Property 
		<br>
		Human Resources 
		<br>
		Marketing 
		<br>
		Sales and Business Development 
		<br>
		Corporate Governance 
		<br>
		Financial Exits V
		<br>
		Venture Startup: 100 Day Plan 
		<br>
		Student Group Presentations
		<br>