I am considering doing a 6 week full time training course in small business management. It looks like a good course, aiming towards developing a comprehensive business plan, with long term mentorship as well.

Do people think this is worthwhile? I'm mainly concerned with the time commitment. It's a lot of code I could be writing, and it seems that I learn most from surfing the net, and just plain doing things.

It's about "traditional" business, more or less, and I wonder what that has got to do with the kind of guerilla marketing we need to succeed in the indie game biz.

Simon.

Heh - part of my motivation in starting a small part-time side business was to gain some small business training from actually getting in and DOING it.

After I get going, I may see about some more formal training. Maybe I'll know what questions to ask then.

I think it really depends on you and the course. 6 weeks doesn't seem like a very long time to bootstrap your business knowledge to me, IF you really learn something. I don't think that running an indie shop is really all that unconventional business wise either. I'm sure that most of it is applicable.

I suppose it should be very useful for you or anybody else Simon.
Being work in entertainment business last 17 (Oh, my God!) years we started as independent by last summer.

Thanks to God we have very close friend who exactly studies and doing business management. I couldn't count how many useful recommendations we received from him. And we continue to discuss all necessary issues with him on every important step.
I can state that I didn't know 99% of very important things in the business which I know and use now. I can state that now I know only 1% of things I'd like to know in business by anyway. But this is another story.

Simon. Code development is nothing in comparison of knowledge who to do business by right way.

Just go for that course...

Ok, i signed up. Starting teusday. Given how serious I am about this business, I just couldn't talk myself out of it!

Thanks guys for some perspective.

Simon.