INTRO.
SHORT STORY ( true life )
I met Francis ( not real name ) in my son’s primary school. he was my son's karate teacher. he had about 120 students who are members of his karate club in my son's school. Each child pays N5000 per term. ( I actually met him because I had not paid for the term and I wanted him to allow my son to train for that week )
I met Francis ( not real name ) in my son’s primary school. he was my son's karate teacher. he had about 120 students who are members of his karate club in my son's school. Each child pays N5000 per term. ( I actually met him because I had not paid for the term and I wanted him to allow my son to train for that week )
As a typical nija guy, I was already calculating how much he was making ... lol.. and guess what ???.. I found out that Francis had 3 other schools he was serving. He fixed different days for training and club meeting in each school to avoid a clash. I was really impressed with him and we became friends. trust your boy na! entrepreneurship freak... lol. here was a guy who was not complaining about the government or the system .. he was running a very viable business using his passion and that is something I sincerely believed in.. I just had to make him my friend.
I advised him to duplicate himself so that he could expand his business efficiently and he listened. He trained guys who are on his payroll and he is now more or less just a ”quality control manager ”. He does not do much of actual training anymore. He just goes around to make sure the standard is consistently very good.
I also advised him to develop a marketing department and he did. Now he has two ladies who market his services to other schools and also collect feedback for him and handle admin stuff.
Today ( 2014 August ) Francis has 90 schools he is serving and he has an average of 50 students in each school. The average fee is N5000. per term. That comes to around N22 million per term. That is around N70 million a year and guess what ?? Francis is not a graduate and his business is still growing. He is working on a website and also planning a nationwide expansion ... wow !
Extra curricula initiatives are very good for the development of children in today`s school system. Students need more than good grades to do well in today`s complex world. More than ever , it is competencies which become evident while participating in hobbies or extracurricular activities which may become crucial to future success. Children`s clubs can help show up a child`s potential and innate abilities and set that child on the path to a successful and outstanding life. I have always said that the days of academic qualification have been taken over by the age of natural ability. Prosperity from now on will no longer be a function of school qualifications, but of the unique natural value that you can deliver and the best way to create value is to do so with what you are good at. You shine almost effortlessly.
WHAT YOU DO.
Set up a club or group activity which caters for a particular extracurricular competency. Then begin to visit schools with your membership proposals to solicit membership from among the students in each school. All members pay a membership fee per term. Students can pay anything from N5000 to N100,000. per term depending on where you live and what you offer. If you charge a membership of N10,000 per term and you are able to get 20 schools to enrol 50 students each as members, then you have 1000 members. This will translate to N10,000,000 per term. looks good, doesn’t it? needs work too!
Set up a club or group activity which caters for a particular extracurricular competency. Then begin to visit schools with your membership proposals to solicit membership from among the students in each school. All members pay a membership fee per term. Students can pay anything from N5000 to N100,000. per term depending on where you live and what you offer. If you charge a membership of N10,000 per term and you are able to get 20 schools to enrol 50 students each as members, then you have 1000 members. This will translate to N10,000,000 per term. looks good, doesn’t it? needs work too!
WHAT YOU NEED.
A clear long-term vision of how your club can help these kids discover innate potential and talent or develop it. A well-articulated vision statement clearly stating the aims of the club. This is what will convince parents to allow their kids to join or otherwise. Passion, Drive, Energy, Confidence and keen organisational skills. Keep your eye on value and not on the money.
A clear long-term vision of how your club can help these kids discover innate potential and talent or develop it. A well-articulated vision statement clearly stating the aims of the club. This is what will convince parents to allow their kids to join or otherwise. Passion, Drive, Energy, Confidence and keen organisational skills. Keep your eye on value and not on the money.
WHY IT CAN WORK.
The need is real and urgent. schools are flat these days. Most schools are growing drones who are good at reciting of memorised material. If you look at all the outstanding young people today, you will discover that they are successful not for academic prowess but because of what I call talent deployment. I believe that more people will make it through talent that through academics in the years to come. although I agree that the academic foundations are very important, I am convinced that these natural abilities which usually show up during recreation will be key to individual discovery and success in the coming days....
The need is real and urgent. schools are flat these days. Most schools are growing drones who are good at reciting of memorised material. If you look at all the outstanding young people today, you will discover that they are successful not for academic prowess but because of what I call talent deployment. I believe that more people will make it through talent that through academics in the years to come. although I agree that the academic foundations are very important, I am convinced that these natural abilities which usually show up during recreation will be key to individual discovery and success in the coming days....
One of the reasons for the amazing progress in the USA is their very robust sports culture. Every child is involved in one sport or the other. Those who are not into sports are even encouraged to train to cheer the athletes as cheerleaders. Sometimes, national competitions are organised for cheerleaders. We need a more aggressive and innovative approach to youth development in African countries if we are to secure the future.
The movie industry in Nigeria and Ghana developed more out of economic circumstance than by intentional design.... the same can be said of sports.
When I was growing up, I used to get severely punished for playing soccer. Today one of the most popular toys for male children is a football. The reason for this is obvious. Soccer players make more money today than any professor ... ( laugh )
African countries can produce a grandmaster in chess or an outstanding fencer. ( many Africans don’t even know what fencing is.) So many young people are building careers in different roles along the lines of their talent these days and that is a positive trend. you can become a dancer of renown. There is nothing wrong with that.
My Christian brothers and sisters say that Jesus was a carpenter before he started his ministry but they will never wish to emulate him. Nobody wants to be a carpenter. everyone wants the big office job... ( colonial mentality ! ) This discussion actually made a friend of mine who was an architect to do go into ”carpentry” today he makes doors, kitchen cabinets and office/home furniture and is doing very well indeed. Try living your life without something made by a carpenter. Take a hint from Jesus and put your degree ( and ego ) aside.. think of carpentry ..lol. sorry for digressing.
We need people who will set up interventions in form of clubs to teach children things they would normally not learn in the syllabus. the market is so HUGE ! and the need is so real.
THE REALITY.
Vision. Hard work consistency. Passion and self-belief. A well-articulated statement of purpose. It is actually quite a lot of work as with anything worthwhile. You will be creating many jobs through trainers you will have to develop to cope with the many schools you will be dealing with. I use schools in my example because that is where you will get children in one place. You can be selective in your services if you wish. For example, you can approach churches or mosques or visit prospects in residential estates.
Vision. Hard work consistency. Passion and self-belief. A well-articulated statement of purpose. It is actually quite a lot of work as with anything worthwhile. You will be creating many jobs through trainers you will have to develop to cope with the many schools you will be dealing with. I use schools in my example because that is where you will get children in one place. You can be selective in your services if you wish. For example, you can approach churches or mosques or visit prospects in residential estates.
STARTUP STRATEGY.
Write your business plan. Decide on a brand strategy and Expedite it. Don’t look back. PRAY !!
Write your business plan. Decide on a brand strategy and Expedite it. Don’t look back. PRAY !!
TIPS.
Music club. Karate club. Praying club. Debating society. Music club. Acting club. Piano club. Adventure club. Business club. Proper Islam club, Table tennis club, chess club, Fencing club, Badminton club, Young Investors club, Hockey club, Gymnastics club, Dressmaking club, Art club, Agriculture club. Etc the possibilities are endless.
Music club. Karate club. Praying club. Debating society. Music club. Acting club. Piano club. Adventure club. Business club. Proper Islam club, Table tennis club, chess club, Fencing club, Badminton club, Young Investors club, Hockey club, Gymnastics club, Dressmaking club, Art club, Agriculture club. Etc the possibilities are endless.
In fact, it looks to me these days as I observe the educational system in Nigeria and other African countries that the more you know, the less you are likely to become….
Sigh!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.