The obvious courses leading to a degree or certificate in business holds potential promise. But….consider doing some homework with at least 2 organizations:

1) SBA (Small Business Administration): http://www.sba.gov/

they have many resources for small businesses that can give you a lot of insight and training….some free, some for a fee…and contacts with retired business professionals to discuss starting a small business. This is a US government agency…so you’ve paid the “tuition” with your tax dollars already, so make good use of it.

2) Local Chamber of Commerce: http://www.uschamber.com/default

Think of the kind of business you want to start/run…and then make some contacts…network with other business folks in that field. Competition is one thing, but you’d be surprised how much pride business owners can have, and once successful, many are willing to share that with a newbie. Just remember, it is better to network than to not work.

So, whether you go through a formal school or learn by doing in the business world, find out from the SBA what the profile of a successful business owner looks like based on their studies of successes and failures of others. The SBA has a vested interest in helping small businesses succeed. You would be wise to invest some time to visit and talk with them BEFORE going to college to study business.

Hope this helps…best wishes.

So, I say none are necessary, but there are some that might be helpful.