The same material, self-paced, to review or catch up.
Apply This Week
Put the lesson to work at your job or business the same week.
Deliverable
A real result added to your portfolio.
Every participant starts with a one-on-one technology assessment and a 30/60/90-day plan.
The 12 Weeks
Twelve weeks across four phases. Expand any week to see what you'll learn, what you'll apply, and what you'll finish with.
Phase 1 — Digital & AI Foundations
Phase 2 — Digital Presence & Marketing
Phase 3 — Commerce, Data & Security
Phase 4 — Systems, Growth & Demo Day
Business Leadership Track
Six business development and management modules taught by working retail owners, store managers, and operators — not technology instructors. Students bring real questions about pricing, staff, landlords, and growth, and get answers from people who run a store. These sessions run alongside the twelve weeks and are also offered as a standalone series.
Pairs with Weeks 1–2
Taught by a working retail owner
B1 — Running a Real Business: Owner's Reality Check
What an owner actually does in a week
Choosing a business structure and staying compliant
Licenses, insurance, and landlord or mall requirements
Setting goals you can measure
Apply this week
Write your one-page business snapshot: what you sell, to whom, and at what margin.
A one-page business profile you can hand to a bank or a partner.
Pairs with Week 8
Taught by an owner-operator
B2 — Money That Makes Sense: Pricing, Margin & Cash Flow
Cost, price, and margin in plain numbers
Break-even: how much you must sell to keep the doors open
Reading a simple profit-and-loss statement
Managing cash flow through slow months
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Price one real product or service using your true costs.
A pricing sheet and a break-even number you know by heart.
Pairs with Weeks 4–6
Taught by a retail floor leader
B3 — Customers & Selling: Service That Brings People Back
Knowing your customer and your neighborhood
Selling conversations that don't feel pushy
Handling complaints, refunds, and hard days
Turning one-time buyers into regulars
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Run your own service script with five real customers this week.
A service standard and a follow-up habit your customers notice.
Pairs with Week 10
Taught by a store manager or owner
B4 — Managing People & Operations
Hiring, scheduling, and training a small team
Delegating without losing quality
Inventory, shrink, and vendor relationships
Simple checklists that keep a store running without you
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Write and use one opening or closing checklist.
An operations checklist and a staffing plan.
Pairs with Week 11
Taught by an owner and a lending or grant partner
B5 — Growth, Funding & Partnerships
What lenders, grantors, and landlords look for
Preparing a funding-ready packet
Negotiating leases, vendors, and wholesale terms
Choosing a second location, a second channel, or a second product
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Assemble your funding packet or request one real quote or term sheet.
A 90-day growth plan with a funding or partnership next step.
Runs every phase
Open floor with business owners, no tech required
B6 — Owner Q&A Clinics & Mentor Hours
Bring any question — pricing, staff, landlords, taxes, burnout
Case studies from real Charlotte-area storefronts
Peer roundtables by business type
Apply this week
Bring one live problem and leave with a decision.
A named mentor and a standing monthly clinic invitation.
College & University Partner Pathway
Colleges and universities can place students directly into this academy rather than building a program of their own.
Built for college and university partners who want to place students into a live, employer-facing program instead of building their own.
Students earn the same ITDP Certificate of Completion and portfolio as community participants.
Business modules are led by working retail owners and operators, so students learn from practitioners, not only instructors.
Attendance, deliverables, and checkpoints are tracked and reportable for academic credit or internship hours.
Demo Day gives students a public presentation and direct employer contact.
Assessment & Credential
One-on-one intake technology assessment and a personalized 30/60/90-day plan
Phase checkpoints at Weeks 3, 6, 9, and 12
A portfolio of real work built week by week
Demo Day — present your before-and-after to peers, mentors, employers, and partners
ITDP Certificate of Completion (with Cisco Networking Academy credentials where applicable)
Outcomes tracked at 30/60/90 days after graduation
Tools you'll use
A Google or Microsoft account
A password manager + MFA
An AI assistant
Canva
Square / Stripe / PayPal or Shopify / Etsy
A smartphone
The Cisco-equipped training lab
Ready to earn your credential?
Seats are limited in each cohort so every participant gets hands-on attention. Apply today and start with your one-on-one assessment.