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Old October 3, 2019, 08:29 AM
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GordonJ GordonJ is offline
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Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Palm Beach, FL
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Default Thanks Millard, all a test, test and a test.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Millard Grubb View Post
Gordon,

I like your concept.

How are you planning to get your first students?

Have you considered the fee you will charge?

I have a press release ready to go out to local papers, my hometown likes to feature any Falls Graduate who starts a new business, so, hopefully my persuasion skills will make that work. At the same time, I'll have some free craigslist ads under classes, groups, and lessons. Small classified ads in U of Akron and Kent State newspapers and small display ads in the four high schools in town, each publishes a weekly newspaper.

Most of the ads in the schools will be HELP WANTED ads, seeking tutors, instructors, educators, teachers, etc. Then I hope to have two weekend open houses, and the FREE workshops...sort of test which one generates interest.

The PROBLEM, or one of the bog down points is getting too deep into the people, so I'm looking at automated solutions. I may have to spend a little bit for some tweaks, but it appears that Google Calendar has some advanced features which could make things run smoothly. I, however, will commit the quarter to fully test, so if I have to meet a lot of people, so be it. But a fully articulated Brainery, will allow the INSTRUCTOR to schedule their own workshops, and also, offer it ON DEMAND.

Now I have some old buds from my days at NEW HORIZONS computer training center who are fully qualified, to teach most all MS Office and Many Adobe software products. These seem to be evergreen and a constant need to get employees trained on things like EXCEL. It currently costs almost 400 dollars for an ON DEMAND training of Excel if a company wants it NOW. Or they can wait weeks and pay only 295 to 350 per person. We can offer it for 150, with the instructor getting 120 (80%).

My "PLAN" calls for at least an 80% pay to instructor, and in some cases 90. Since the overhead is a fixed small monthly, and maybe can be off site, once vetted, I will basically operate a CLEARINGHOUSE of courses, much like the BrooklynBrainery does now. I'm not trying to reinvent a successful wheel.

If one has a skill, experience or whatever they want to share and there are a pool of buyers, we'll create a class for it. I have several class/workshop templates I've accumulated over the years, from New Horizons, the Community Training Centers (where I worked for 2 years), and 15 years of Inservices and trainings from the social work field, those people love to put on workshops.

So, you, people who already have courses ready to go, I would probably encourage to start with either a free or low cost introductory 90 minute workshop to get those interested, then you would offer whatever follow up classes the demand wanted.

One reason why TODAY, I can think of the ON DEMAND feature is, there are so many EXPERIENCED people either out of work, or under worked, or seeking part time income...that I have a pool to draw from. In the Excel example, anyone of a dozen instructors would be able to fulfill almost any request. And most of them would be tickled to get the 120 bux. However, I may also offer some of those at 99, a very low cost price for a training like that and give 100 % to the instructor. Just to get the ball rolling. And again, there are enough qualified people who would like to put 100 bux in their pockets for a few hours of work, doing something they like to do and are good at.

I just need to keep tight reins on this, and not let the horses run wild and get overwhelmed. I don't know. BUT, my educated guess, and seeing the success of other such places, is encouraging, and the kicker is, Millard, even though we have a brick and mortar center...

Nothing says we can't do a lot of it online too. I do think there is a demand for INSTRUCTOR courses, workshops, and all evidence I've seen points to a more productive educational experience. I may also CERTIFY the people for employers, sort have a test of their resume skills. Seems a lot of current employees are telling a few stories about their use of software on their resumes, we can check them out for a small fee.

Thank you for posting. If you see any bog down points or have any insight from a person with classes to offer, any input would be appreciated.

Gordon

PS Another potential bog down is the use of and description of FREELANCERS and/or contract workers and all that. 1099ers are changing, and rules and IRS regs are making the whole gig economy a bit murky right now. But being aware of that quick sand pit, I will have some CPA/Attorney (actually have a couple who are both, right up the street) to confer with on all legal matters, and of course INSURANCE too. So it does have some start up costs, IFfin AND WHENIN I pull the trigger, but for the small tests, more of a worry about an apology vs getting permission sort of a thing. Small little classes I can do, with a full money back guarantee should be in my FL CtD category for now.

AND, if it does get beyond me, I pull the plug on the big idea, and just do the classes myself, and get back to Flying Low and Collecting the Dough. We'll see.

Last edited by GordonJ : October 3, 2019 at 08:52 AM.
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