Business Fundamentals

How Businesses Make Money - Revenue models, profit margins, business models in energy sector
Financial Statements Basics - P&L, balance sheet, cash flow - what they mean and why they matter
How Companies Are Organized - Organizational structures, reporting lines, decision-making hierarchies
Business Strategy and Planning - How companies set direction, allocate resources, prioritize initiatives
Marketing and Sales Fundamentals - How companies find customers, what sales processes look like
The Role of Different Departments - What HR, Finance, Legal, Operations actually do and why it matters to you

Business of Engineering Services

How Consulting Firms Make Money - Billable hours, utilization rates, multipliers, project profitability
How ESCOs Make Money - Performance contracting, shared savings, guaranteed savings models
How Utilities Make Money - Rate structures, regulatory frameworks, why they fund efficiency programs
How Manufacturers Make Money - Product margins, distribution channels, why they need engineers
Understanding Your Employer’s Business Model - Applying the concepts to wherever you work
Competitive Positioning

The Sales Process - How opportunities are identified, qualified, pursued, and closed
Writing Proposals - RFP response, scope development, pricing, win themes
Client Relationship Management - Building trust, managing expectations, handling difficult conversations
Networking Effectively - Professional organizations (like AEE!), conferences, LinkedIn, relationship building
Personal Brand and Reputation - How your professional reputation is built and maintained

Contract Fundamentals - What contracts are, key terms, how they protect (or expose) you
Types of Engineering Contracts - Fixed-fee, time-and-materials, performance-based, design-build
Scope Management - What’s in scope vs. out of scope, change orders, scope creep
Professional Liability - Errors and omissions, what you’re responsible for, insurance
Intellectual Property Basics - Who owns the work you create, proprietary information, NDAs

Life Cycle Cost Analysis - NPV, IRR, payback period, how to evaluate investments
Understanding Utility Rate Structures - Demand charges, time-of-use rates, how bills actually work
Energy Project Financing - Loans, leases, ESPCs, on-bill financing, power purchase agreements
Incentive Programs and Their Economics - How rebates work, tax credits, grant programs
Making the Business Case - How to justify projects to decision-makers in financial terms

Understanding Stakeholders - Who has interests in your work and how to navigate them
Speaking the Language of Business - Translating technical work into business impact
Navigating Office Politics - Informal power structures, building alliances, managing conflicts
Meeting Management - Running effective meetings, participating productively, following up
Email and Professional Communication - Writing clearly, managing expectations, documentation