Coursera

Plan a Successful Freelancing Business (Coursera)

Offered by California Institute of the Arts,
Plan a Successful Freelancing Business (Coursera)

The first course in the Building Your Freelancing Career specialization is focused on freelancers looking to define and solidify their philosophy, values and goals within their future business. Coursework will discuss the importance of understanding their competition and market position in a competitive business landscape, help them define what their unique value is, and how that relates to possible business approaches.

Class Deals by MOOC List - Click here and see Coursera's Active Discounts, Deals, and Promo Codes.

Course 1 of 5 in the Building Your Freelancing Career Specialization.

Syllabus

WEEK 1
Course & Specialization Overview
This Specialization helps you improve your professional skills as a freelancer, solopreneur, or new business owner. Each course focuses on a new set of skills that build upon previous courses' learnings to strengthen your understanding of the fundamentals of designing and running a freelancing business. Course 1 is all about planning - we will explore your interests, skills, and talents in the context of market conditions and customer needs to design a valuable service offering.
Getting Started with Freelancing
Let's dive into the fundamentals of freelancing as career option, meet some successful entrepreneurs who started freelancing businesses, and examine whether or not freelancing is a fit for your goals.

WEEK 2
Designing Your Dream Business
Multi-talented people often want to "boil the ocean" or take on too much when they start freelancing. In this module, you'll consider different freelancing directions and decide which is the best fit for your goals. Let's create a motivating vision of your dream business!

WEEK 3
Develop Your Service in Four Steps
Now that you have taken a personal assessment of your interests, and have a vision for your freelancing business, it is time to design the details that will make your service offerings attractive to customers.

WEEK 4
What Goes Into a Solid Business Plan
Many businesses fail, partially because they fail to plan. In this module, you'll tackle the challenge of describing your business in a business plan and deepen your learning by critiquing your peers' business plans.

Go to Class
MOOC List is learner-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Related Courses

Conflict Resolution Skills (Coursera) Coursera
University of California, Irvine

Conflict Resolution Skills (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

Resolving conflict in a positive manner is a skill that can be developed and practiced. Being heard can be one of the most important goals of someone engaged in conflict. Knowing how to listen and deploy appropriate communication tactics is determinative of whether a conflict will have a positive or negative resolution. Examine listening skills, appropriate and strategic verbal and non-verbal communication skills, and how to assemble a conflict management plan likely to yield positive resolutions.

Nov 23rd 2026
3 Weeks
Business Management Conflict
Details
Artificial Intelligence in Marketing (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

Artificial Intelligence in Marketing (Coursera)

Marketing & Communication Business

AI is everywhere! By harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence, businesses and marketers have amazing growth potential, and the opportunities to enhance marketing with AI are always expanding. But how can businesses use AI tools to drive their success and gain sustainable competitive advantages? What are the challenges faced by businesses as they implement AI into their marketing strategies? In this course, developed at the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, and delivered by Professor of Business Administration Raj Venkatesan, you will explore an important frontier of digital transformation in marketing.

Nov 23rd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Marketing Artificial Intelligence
Details
Business Model Canvas: A Tool for Entrepreneurs and Innovators (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera) Coursera
University System of Georgia

Business Model Canvas: A Tool for Entrepreneurs and Innovators (Project-Centered Course) (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

In this project-centered course*, you will use the Business Model Canvas innovation tool to approach either a personal or corporate challenge or opportunity. You’ll learn to identify and communicate the nine key elements of a business model: Customer Segments, Value Proposition, Channels, Customer Relationships, Key Resources, Key Activities, Key Partners, Revenue Streams, and Cost Structure. Your completed project will be a polished Business Model Canvas that outlines the business case for a new product or service to address your selected challenge or opportunity. You’ll present your case in both a one-page document and a 10-minute video presentation.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Innovation Entrepreneur Business Strategy
Details
Global Public Procurement (Coursera) Coursera
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology - KAIST

Global Public Procurement (Coursera)

Business

Students will learn the key principles of public procurement with public entities, including national international organizations. This course also illustrates practical examples and models on understanding the processes and procedurals of public procurement. Through the course, students will learn practical information such as registering as vendors and finding and bidding for opportunities.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business Strategy Business Strategy
Details
Giving Helpful Feedback (Coursera) Coursera
University of Colorado Boulder

Giving Helpful Feedback (Coursera)

Business

This course teaches you the simple principles expert managers use to improve and motivate employee performance. You’ll never have to avoid telling an employee “the truth” again, because the seven techniques we teach will not make employees defensive or afraid. As a manager, or someone who would like to be a manager, you’ll also learn specifically what feedback is, how negative feedback is weighed more heavily than positive, and how positive feedback can super-charge behaviors such as creativity and teamwork.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business Management Coaching
Details
The Power of Markets I: The Basics of Supply and Demand and Consumer Behavior (Coursera) Coursera
University of Rochester

The Power of Markets I: The Basics of Supply and Demand and Consumer Behavior (Coursera)

Business

This opening module of the Power of Markets course covers the basic assumptions about market participants made by economists, the concept of opportunity cost, and the key determinants of supply and demand. We will then learn how to use the supply-demand framework to explain and predict market outcomes and to show how government policies affect those market outcomes. We will look at how quantity demanded and supplied respond to their key determinants in quantitative (elasticity) as well as qualitative terms. The last two weeks of the first module will investigate consumer behavior more closely and show how consumer choices are driven by the interplay of preferences and budget constraints.

Nov 23rd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Markets Supply
Details
Removing Barriers to Change (Coursera) Coursera
University of Pennsylvania

Removing Barriers to Change (Coursera)

Business

What does it mean to truly change something? How does one persuade others to change? How do we reduce roadblocks to change? In this course, you’ll learn about the barriers to change and how to become more effective in inspiring change within others and your organization.

Nov 23rd 2026
4 Weeks
Business Change Influence
Details
General AI Mastery Toolbox: Master AI and Drive Success (Coursera) Coursera
Coursera Instructor Network

General AI Mastery Toolbox: Master AI and Drive Success (Coursera)

Management & Leadership Business

General Artificial Intelligence (AI) has proven its value in the business world with its multiple uses. The various applications of AI have proved to be of increasing value to businesses in their ability to meet customer demand with efficiency and creativity. To remain in sync with the direction of business entities, individuals need a tool kit to assist them as they master this technology.

Nov 23rd 2026
1 Week
Business Artificial Intelligence AI
Details
Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies (Coursera) Coursera
Case Western Reserve University

Beyond Silicon Valley: Growing Entrepreneurship in Transitioning Economies (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

The path for entrepreneurs to grow their companies outside of well-developed entrepreneurial ecosystems like Silicon Valley is challenging. Most markets around the world do not look like Silicon Valley, and they never will. But there are other models to support new businesses. In transitioning markets (where entrepreneurs do not have much access to private sector financing), government officials, donors, and business leaders are experimenting with creative approaches to support the growth of entrepreneurs. Northeast Ohio, whose largest city is Cleveland, is one such community. During our time together in this course, we will be exploring some of these innovative approaches.

Nov 23rd 2026
5-12 Weeks
Business Management Entrepreneur
Details
Innovating with the Business Model Canvas (Coursera) Coursera
University of Virginia

Innovating with the Business Model Canvas (Coursera)

Management & Leadership

Have you ever gotten really excited about reading or writing a business plan? You might have started out excited, but I’m going to bet you didn’t stay that way. Let’s be honest- business plans are boring and mostly ignored. In this course, you’ll learn key tools from the worlds of design thinking and Lean Startup to approach the Canvas with thoughtfulness, focus, and above all a test-driven approach to business model innovation.

Nov 23rd 2026
2 Weeks
Innovation Design Thinking Business Management
Details