If you are thinking of starting your own business, then you may have considered completing online courses. In recent years, there has been an unprecedented surge in the provision of online courses, especially around starting your own business. However, are they useful? Or simply useless?

The answer to the above is: it depends. Online courses can be useful for people who want to start their own business. However, you must use them in the right way and with the right intention. 

Let me answer this question differently. Generally, with business, you are preoccupied with three key questions:

• Why
• What
• How

The question is whether an online course would be appropriate for and beneficial in answering those three questions. 

Online courses are useless for the “Why” 

There are a myriad of courses on “business mindset”, “growth hacks”, “growth mindset”, “billionaire mindset” and so on. 

These promise to give you the right mindset to make your billions (and yes, it is most definitely utter BS). 

I believe that any entrepreneur should start a business out of their instinct. They should not need any person or entity telling them why they should start a business or get into the right mindset of setting one. 

Entrepreneurship is a journey of evolution 

Understanding the context of this article demands an understanding of the philosophy of entrepreneurship. 

Entrepreneurship is inherently defined by risk and uncertainty. It is unconventional. There is a reason why the majority do not pursue this path, despite not necessarily loving their daily jobs. It is about understanding and accepting that you are taking a massive risk. You can do everything right, and it can still fail. 

Therefore, beginning this journey under a guided course is the wrong way to approach this path. 

Online courses are good for the “What” and the “How”

Now that we have clarified where online courses for starting a business are not helpful, let’s consider the other side. 

I elaborated on a few points concerning entrepreneurship. Here are an additional 2 that are relevant: skills and knowledge. 

Implementing, managing and executing a business venture demands certain skills, and it may be specific to each founder and business. 

This is where online courses “may” be helpful for people starting their businesses. So long as you identify the following:

• Skills and knowledge required to launch and grow your venture 

• Your personal skills gaps 

Let’s look at an example below (me):

Sohrab wants to start an online consultancy business. His main way of getting clients is online through his website and Google search. Therefore, Sohrab needs to understand Google Analytics to analyse his website’s performance. In this case, an online course on Google Analytics could be helpful for Sohrab. 

Starting your own business can be daunting. Need help?

About My name is Sohrab Vazir. I’m a UK-based entrepreneur and business consultant. At the age of 22, and while I was an international student (graduate), I started my own Property Technology (PropTech) business, StudyFlats. I grew my business to over 30 UK cities, and a team of four prior to 2020. Currently, I help other entrepreneurs start their businesses.