WALTHAM, Mass. — November 1, 2011 — Brainshark, Inc., the leader in online and mobile video presentations, today announced that Knowledge Institute, a leader in entrepreneurial education and development, has launched an eLearning program for aspiring entrepreneurs using Brainshark’s Web-based platform and services. Knowledge Institute’s “10-Steps to Venture Success Certificate Course” provides participants with an interactive, step-by-step framework for developing the business skills and support network necessary to launch a successful business venture.
Knowledge Institute is a leading academic institution and think tank specializing in self-employment and entrepreneurial education. Through multiple forms of public/private collaboration and direct services, Knowledge Institute has helped millions of individuals to start, grow and succeed in business. Known for its innovation in interactive learning, Knowledge Institute had been seeking a feature-rich, audio-visual platform to increase the impact of its learning programs. After careful research, Knowledge Institute chose to leverage the Brainshark Rapid Learning™ solution for its cost-effective, professional-grade eLearning content development and delivery features. The 10-Step Course is currently available for purchase through the Knowledge Institute website at http://www.bdki.com/elearning.html.
“Brainshark has helped us to take our interactive learning approach and content to a whole new level,” said Dr. William Osgood, co-founder of Knowledge Institute and author of the 10-Step Course. “The resulting benefits to learners are numerous and measurable – including being able to see, hear, interact with, score, save and track the impact of what they are learning every step of the way."
With tens of thousands of troops continuing to return from overseas deployments, Osgood describes the course as a timely resource for the increasing number of veterans turning to self-employment as a viable option in today's tough job market. Further, a study by the Kauffman Foundation indicates that self-employment ventures are at a 15-year high across the United States, making the eLearning program a timely option for non-veterans as well.
“The 10-Step Course is a prime example of a program that is in line with our core mission – to educate and support veterans looking to develop their own businesses,” said Richard Ramirez, founder and president of the United States Association of Veterans in Business (USAVETBIZ), a non-profit membership trade association dedicated to enhancing awareness opportunities for veterans in business. “We are pleased to see eLearning content like this become available and encourage veterans to take advantage of opportunities that help them to achieve their financial objectives.”
The 10-Step Course consists of 10 self-paced modules – covering entrepreneurial education topics including self-assessment of business aptitude, business concept validation, financing, marketing and venture launch preparation – and is applicable to anyone looking to improve their ability to start, grow and succeed in business. As an award-winning author, scholar and practitioner in the field of entrepreneurship, Osgood tailored the course toward helping individuals avoid the common pitfalls that lead to business failure. Participants have the option to work with a virtual business mentor throughout the course, and Brainshark’s online, on-demand format enables course participants to review and revisit information at any time.
“Brainshark is proud to partner with Knowledge Institute to deliver this eLearning course on venture development,” said Brainshark CEO Joe Gustafson. “As an entrepreneur myself, I appreciate the challenges in creating a successful business endeavor, especially in a difficult economic climate. I applaud Knowledge Institute’s efforts to innovate in delivering such important and timely educational programming.”
Interested participants and others looking to promote entrepreneurial learning may view an overview of the 10-Step Course at http://www.bdki.com/elearning.html.
About Knowledge Institute
Knowledge Institute is a leading academic institution and think tank specializing in self-employment and entrepreneurial education. Through multiple forms of public/private collaboration and direct services, the Knowledge Institute has helped millions of individuals globally to start, grow and succeed in business. Products and services include curriculum development, eLearning, individual and group facilitation, publishing, virtual business learning community design and content development, and consulting. For more information, visit www.bdki.com.
About Brainshark, Inc.
Brainshark provides the leading cloud-based software for creating, sharing and tracking online and mobile video presentations. With Brainshark, businesspeople can easily transform static content such as PowerPoint® documents into voice-enriched video presentations that can be accessed anytime, on-demand. Customers can also obtain extensive viewing details, enabling them to measure the effectiveness of their content and follow up accordingly. Thousands of companies – including a third of the Fortune 100 – rely on Brainshark to increase the impact and reduce the cost of their sales, marketing, training and HR communications. For more information, visit www.brainshark.com