Local Business Institute

Q: Can I take the classes offered here using my cell phone?

A: Yes, but it’s not ideal. The platform is mobile responsive, but we have added some interactive features to our curriculum that might be easier to view and use from a desktop or laptop computer, or on a tablet like an iPad. You can use your cell phone, and it will work. But for the best experience, we encourage you to use a larger device - at least for now.

Q: Does it cost money to register on this site?

A: No, there is no purchase required to register on the LBI Virtual Campus. In fact, we invite you to create an account in order to gain access to some of the free tools and resources we have made available to anyone interested in learning more about local business management, operations, and for local economic development organizations as well.

Q: What is this site? Who is running it?

A: The LBI Virtual Campus is an online education portal hosted by the Local Business Institute, a 501c3 nonprofit organization that is focused on supporting local business communities through education, policy & research, and economic development programs. Learn more at localbusinessinstitute.org

Q: How long are the classes?

A: Most of our classes will take a few hours to complete. We have designed the curriculum to be flexible for your schedule. You can log in and complete an entire course in one sitting, or you can work for short periods of time and come back periodically to do more. Most lessons inside a class are expected to take 15-20 minutes to complete. 

Q: Are the classes ever offered live, using an online meeting tool like Zoom? Or are they all on-demand and self-directed?

A: Currently, all of our classes are designed to be self-directed. You can log in at 3am in your pajamas if you want to. They’re available 24/7. In the near future, we expect to add some live interactive sessions to our calendar. Register and you will be notified if/when those become available.

Q: Do I have to be a small business owner to take the classes?

A: No, anyone can take our classes. In fact, some of our classes are for people who work with small business owners, but do not actually own a business themselves. We will be adding some classes that are specifically for people who are just considering starting a business in the future. If you have a request for a specific type of class, please send us an email with your suggestion.

Q: I signed up for a class but have not been able to login yet to take it. Will my access to the class expire?

A: In most cases, you will have 180 days from the time you register to complete your course. All of our classes include tools and course materials that you are able to download and save, outside of the system. 

Q: I would like to tell my organization about your classes. Do you offer any kind of bundle or special pricing for organizations?

A: Please contact us via email for additional information. 

Q: I thought there was a certificate at the end, but now I cannot find it - or have never been able to see it.

A: All of our courses include a Certificate of Completion. We design our curriculum with busy small business owners and nonprofit professionals in mind. To that end, we try to make it easy to jump around from lesson to lesson so that you can quickly access the tools and information that are most important to you. To get the certificate, you will need to view 100% of all of the lessons, including video lessons. We make it optional - unless you want that certificate. Once you have viewed all lessons, you will automatically presented with a Certificate of Completion. It will be available for download in your account as well, in case you want to come back later for access.