Course Description
About This Course
Note: this course was originally developed as one of three Innovation courses which were required at PRS. With the founding of the Innovation & Synagogue Engagement Program, it is now one of several options, but is no longer a required course on its own.
This havrutah is an alternative to the Innovation & Synagogue Engagement Program’s asynchronous Clergypreneur course. In this havrutah, you will learn directly, one-on-one with Rabbi Patrick, who will teach you everything from this course in only eight, one-hour sessions.
While free mentoring is included in the Innovation Program, students may choose this premium, one-on-one alternative for many reasons:
- It allows you to move through the BMC course faster
- It prevents you from being stuck at the last minute trying to “get through it”
- Some students prefer a live format to an asynchronous learning format
- Provides much needed structure to a student’s learning
You may take a combination of havrutah and traditional courses in the Innovation & Synagogue Engagement Program, so long as they are not the same course itself (for example, taking both Business Model Canvas AND Business Model Canvas Havrutah).
Course Objectives
The purpose of this course is to introduce you to the tools you need to be clergy-entrepreneurs (aka ‘clergypreneur’). This course is both big picture and laser focused, meaning you will learn the meta ideas that drive WHY you use these tools, as well as WHAT the tools are and HOW to use them.
You will not be required to read Exploring Business or read and purchase the Purpose Driven Church and The Rebbe’s Army (but I highly recommend you purchase those books as they will help you with our learning).
By the end of this unit, you should have some grasp of:
- A day in the life of clergypreneurs, as well as various models for being a clergy entrepreneur and model building
- Converting the meta (purpose, models, etc.) into something tangible
- Understanding how to build a simple, effective website, focused on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and conversion funnels
- Automating social media
- Using survey and marketing tools and technology
- Creating a budget, using spreadsheets and formulas
- “Business Homiletics” and the power of communication
- A basic overview of legal, human resources, management and fundraising
Learning Verification Method
By the end of this course, you will have completed the following for you organization:
- Made a YouTube channel as well as two other social media accounts, ran through your choice of social media manager
- Created a text study to highlight your organization’s values and mission
- Filled out (and filed if you want!) the legal paperwork to start your organization
- Developed a system using online forms and Mailchimp for surveying potential customers/users/congregants
- Created a budget and budget narrative for your organization
- Built a simple, one page website (Mailchimp, Wix, etc.) with master-level SEO skills
Once a student has completed all of this, their work is considered complete and Rabbi Patrick will sign off that the course is done and the student may receive credit.
Need a checklist? Download it below.
Typical Meeting Times, Availability & Course Price
Typical Meeting Times & Availability
Monday-Thursday 8AM-Noon Eastern
Course Price (USD)
$1,200 for eight sessions
Payment Methods Accepted
Students will be billed through the PRS Paypal invoicing system. 100% of fees go to support Pluralistic Rabbinical Seminary, not Rabbi Patrick.
Getting Started
Reach out to the educator via email at: pbeaulier@jewishpluralism.org
