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Foundations of Retail Program

NHPA offers the Foundations of Retail Program courses to help managers and key employees understand the key concepts of leadership, personal development, merchandising and more. These online courses are built with flexibility for busy schedules and feature industry-specific training created with the help of industry-leading retailers.

Enroll Now

Online Course Options

NHPA offers five online courses for new and seasoned leaders and managers. Courses start every month and offer flexibility for busy schedules.

Your Leadership Style

In this introductory course, students will learn about their unique leadership style and strengths that will provide a framework for their ongoing leadership growth and career development needs.

  • Cohort or Self-Paced

    Students can choose between enrolling in a scheduled cohort or a self-paced option.

  • Target Duration

    9 Weeks
    Join the next cohort session by June 7, 2024!

  • Curriculum Snapshot

    Understanding Your Strengths, Leadership and You, Entrepreneurial Leadership, Constructive Conflict Resolution, Effective Communication Skills, Talent Development Strategies, Leading High-Performance Teams

  • Price

    $999 (Includes course materials and full access for student and mentor.)

Leading Your Team

This advanced leadership course picks up where Your Leadership Style leaves off, teaching managers the critical components of building and leading a successful team.

  • Cohort or Self-Paced

    Students can choose between enrolling in a scheduled cohort or a self-paced option.

  • Target Duration

    9 Weeks
    Join the next cohort session by June 7, 2024!

  • Curriculum Snapshot

    Advanced Conflict Management & Resolution Techniques, Communication Strategies, Talent Development Methods and Strategies for Building and Sustaining High-Performance Teams

  • Price

    $999 (Includes course materials and full access for student and mentor.)

Financial Management

This course focuses on the key financial management skills that developing leaders need to learn to manage the financial side of business, including understanding the financial framework of a retail operation, key sales drivers and the most important ratios that measure retail productivity.

  • Self-Paced

  • Target Duration

    9 Weeks

  • Curriculum Snapshot

    Understanding the Financial Framework of a Retail Operation, Key Drivers for Top Line Sales Growth—Understanding the Basic Sales/Revenue Equation, The Keys to Retail Productivity—Leveraging Key Assets Through Financial Ratios

  • Price

    $999 (Includes course materials and full access for student and mentor.)

Merchandising Management

This course provides students with the strategies and skills to manage merchandising and assortment planning at their stores, including visual merchandising, vendor relations, category management and more.

  • Cohort

  • Duration

    12 Weeks
    Join the next cohort session by April 26, 2024!

  • Curriculum Snapshot

    Philosophy of Merchandising, Visual Merchandising Standards and Techniques, Promotional Space Management, Resets and Remodels, Merchandising Maintenance, Assortment Planning and Category Management, Vendor Relations, Merchandising and Marketing, Pricing Strategies and Management, In-Store Design Elements, and additional Foundations of Mentoring course curriculum

  • Price

    $1,698 (Includes Foundations of Mentoring course ($499 value), as well as course materials and full access for student and mentor.)
    -
    BOGO 50% Off
    Enroll one student and get 50% off the price of enrollment for a second student with our special enrollment offer!

Mentoring

Mentoring is a key component to developing great leaders at any company. This course trains current and future mentors on all aspects of the mentor/mentee relationship and how to serve as a mentor.

  • Self-Paced

  • Target Duration

    4 Weeks

  • Curriculum Snapshot

    Introduction to Mentoring Best Practices, Who Should I Mentor? How to Select the Right Mentee, Before the Process Begins: Preparing to Mentor, Setting Expectations, Asking Probing Questions, Common Mentoring Challenges, Do’s and Don’ts of Mentoring, Concluding the Mentorship

  • Price

    Add-on for other Foundations courses - $249
    -
    À La Carte - $499
    -
    (Includes course materials and full access for student and mentor.)

Learn More About Each Course

This Learning Guide provides an in-depth overview of each course, including full course descriptions, modules covered and key takeaways associated with each class.

    Developed With Retailers in Mind

    Flexible Learning Schedule

    Each module is structured to provide students with flexibility while maintaining a positive work/life balance.

    Online Community

    Courses were designed to help students experience a sense of community by connecting with students and instructors.

    Top Instructors

    Core instructional videos within the curriculum are presented by top Ball State University instructors specializing in leadership development and entrepreneurship as well as industry experts in financial and merchandising management. NHPA Instructors will also engage students throughout the course and make sure they understand and stay up with the curriculum.

    Focused Curriculum

    This program was developed with input and guidance from leading independent home improvement retailers, including Aubuchon Hardware, Buchheit, Friedman’s Home Improvement, Foxworth-Galbraith, Jerry’s Home Improvement, Sunshine Ace and Wilco Stores. It is designed to meet the specific needs of leadership development within the industry.

    Applied-Learning Focus

    Each student will be assigned a mentor within their company to guide them through the learning process. Mentors are provided with discussion points, learning objectives and full access to the curriculum to help engage students in how to apply what they have learned.

    Business-Focused Final Project

    At the conclusion of each course, students will be ready to perform a subjective assessment of their business unit and apply their new skills to address some of the core issues in the business and recommendations for improvement in key areas.

    Click here to watch a final project video from a recent graduate.

    Tuition Reimbursement Program

    When students complete Foundations courses they are eligible to receive a scholarship for the amount of tuition paid (minus course fees) to attend a future class of the NHPA Retail Management Certification Program. Contact Scott Wright at NHPA for more details at swright@yournhpa.org.

    ``Every week, I enjoyed putting what I learned into practice. Foundations of Merchandising Management made me think about our current store layout, the products we carry and how we could make it easier for customers to shop.``

    - Sara Brewer

    S.W. Collins Co.

    ``Foundations of Leadership is more about understanding yourself in order to become a better leader than it is about getting a list of action items to check off in order to call yourself a leader.”

    - Jimmie Olsen

    Foxworth Galbraith Lumber

    ``Foundations of Merchandising Management was an eye-opener that helped me understand what it takes to create a strong merchandising environment at our company. I would not hesitate to recommend this course to other retailers.``

    - Matthew McGrath

    White's Lumber

    ``I will use everything I've learned to communicate with employees and be a leader they can trust. I learned so much about myself and how I interact with others.``

    - Madison Franklin

    Gold Country Ace Hardware

    ``I've learned more about entrepreneurial leadership from Foundations of Leadership, which to me means treating the business like it's mine—thinking outside the box and looking at the store through the eyes of the customer and my staff.``

    - Laurel Cooper

    Tashman Home Center

    Contact Us

    Scott Wright, Executive Director – Advanced Retail Education Programs

    317-441-4136, or swright@YourNHPA.org

    Enroll Online

    Review admission requirements or enroll for an upcoming session.

    Enroll Now

    About the Program

    The NHPA Foundations Program was developed in conjunction with a consortium of leading home improvement retailers and Ball State University’s Institute for Entrepreneurship and Free Enterprise.