校友新闻
Join us in celebrating your fellow Cobras!
校友新闻
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添加 删除 LiAsia Tillman, 2020
LiAsia Tillman jump-started a journey to revolutionize how businesses handle administrative tasks by establishing Precisions by Patch.
Driven by an aspiration to alleviate the burden of mundane yet essential tasks for fellow entrepreneurs, Tillman set out to offer a unique service tailored to the needs of small businesses.
Her vision was simple yet profound: to serve as the virtual equivalent of “Google” for enterprises, efficiently tackling tasks ranging from data entry to setting up QuickBooks with precision and meticulousness.
What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
I started my business because I wanted to help those who already had businesses and didn’t want to do simple tasks. 通过简单的任务, 我指的是数据输入, 按特定顺序归档, 制作电子表格, 文档, 发票, and even setting up QuickBooks. If someone asks for a specific document or file, I can work with minimal clues to figure out precisely what they need. I consider myself like “Google”. We tell Google what we are looking for as it pulls up all the needed options. That is what I offer other businesses that do not necessarily need a secretary; they just need someone to get them started or fix a few things that may have gotten out of hand.What sets your business apart in the market?
What sets me apart from other businesses is the time I take. Since we live in a world where everything is fast-paced, I take my time and look at the details to ensure I complete the job without missing anything. If I am setting up a spreadsheet with formulas, I make sure those formulas work and are locked in so no one can make a mistake and mess up the spreadsheet.What challenges have you encountered along the way, and how have you overcome them?
The only challenge I have faced is building my clientele. People don’t understand precisely what I do, and they do not understand how I can help them.Is there any advice you’d like to share with students considering a similar path?
I would tell them to never give up on your dreams. Even when it may seem difficult, remember you followed your passion for a reason. You could be ahead, but it gives you more time to perfect your work. -
添加 删除 布列塔尼·亨德森2012 & 2016
In the wake of a personal tragedy and a scarcity of quality childcare options in her community, Brittany Henderson anchored a life-changing path.
Driven by a desire to fill a necessary need and armed with her experience, 教育, 对儿童保育的关注, she boldly decided to transition from a ten-year teaching career to a stay-at-home mom.
During this time of reflection, the seeds of Tiny Treasures Daycare were sown, leading Henderson to jump-start a journey to create a childcare center that would meet and exceed families’ expectations in her area.
What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
“The inspiration behind starting my business came in January of 2020 when my children’s daycare closed due to the death of their director/owner. I Searched for a quality childcare center in our area and was unsuccessful. 2020年2月, I walked away from my 10-year public teaching career to stay at home with my two children. While being a stay-at-home mom, I had some extra time to ponder some things and realized the only way to fix our daycare shortage in the area was to open one myself. I had the 教育, the experience, and the drive to give our community what it desperately needed”.What sets your business apart in the market?
“I have a brand-new facility with state-of-the-art safety features, experienced caregivers who have the same common goal as myself and that is to provide quality childcare, and I am also the highest licensed provider for children under 30 months of age in our area”.What challenges have you encountered along the way, and how have you overcome them?
“I have encountered many challenges along the way. It was very hard to get anyone in our community to have enough faith to give us such a substantial amount of money to build the facility. I was a stay-at-home mom with no income and my husband is a business owner. We knew it would work out if someone would just give us the opportunity to show them. And we are so thankful that Mutual Savings Bank saw something that no one else did. Another major challenge came when we finally got the loan, COVID hit and shut everything down so the progress we finally made was being pushed back. Honestly, it was all by the grace of God that we overcame those challenges. I had to keep telling myself that it was His timing, not mine. 这是绝对正确的!”Is there any advice you’d like to share with students considering a similar path?
“Some advice I would like to offer is that no matter how many people doubt you or tell you no, you can’t give up if it is truly something you are passionate about. The rewards are much bigger than the challenges when you get the opportunity to make a difference in children’s lives daily!” -
添加 删除 斯科特·菲尔普斯,1998年
Scott Phelps founded Under the Lights Driver Training by leveraging his passion for 教育 as a full-time teacher. His primary motivation was to extend his role as an educator beyond the classroom, aiming to equip young drivers with essential skills while supplementing his income.
Scott’s business uniquely integrates his 教育al expertise with practical driver training by offering a focused and personalized learning environment.
What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
“I’m a full-time teacher and enjoy helping students. I started a driver training business in order to continue to help students and supplement my income”.What sets your business apart in the market?
“因为我是全职教师, I can only serve a small group of clients monthly, so my classes are small and individualized.”What challenges have you encountered along the way, and how have you overcome them?
“成本上升, particularly gas and insurance, have been a challenge as I try to balance the costs I pass on to the customers. I’m trying to keep prices as low as possible.”Is there any advice you’d like to share with students considering a similar path?
“Owning your own business can be challenging but very rewarding. Choosing a business that is a ‘need’ for customers is important. A business that is a ‘want’ can be challenging, especially in the inflated economy with so many people and families struggling to pay bills”.To learn more about Under the Lights Driver Training, visit http://driveunderthelights.weebly.com.
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添加 删除 达里安·洛夫,2017年
Darrian爱, founder of Collegiate Academy of Carolina, aims to cater to the diverse 教育al needs of learners. From the academy’s foundation as a support system for ESL learners to its expansion into Academic Success Programming and Educational Coaching, Collegiate Academy of Carolina is a testament to Love’s vision of providing thorough academic support.
In this question-and-answer series, Love reflects on the inspiration behind his business, 其独特的产品, challenges encountered along the way, and valuable advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
What was the inspiration behind starting your business?
My inspiration came from supporting all learners in their academic journey to success, no matter the language or the academic school program they attend, and from providing a place to receive extra intervention or enrichment.What sets your business apart in the market?
We offer a unique tutoring program that is not like your typical tutor. For one we call our Tutors, Academic Success Techs. Our goal is to support learners in being successful in any subject. We utilize a diagnostic tool to gather a baseline of the learners’ performance and then provide a unique individualized academic program for several weeks to measure academic growth.What challenges have you encountered along the way, and how have you overcome them?
Most challenges I have encountered have been inhuman resources and accounting sectors. I do not have a background in payroll, billing, or onboarding contractors. However, I had to reSearch it and find the best platforms that worked for me and my business. After discovering my solution, I used Square for my invoice system and payroll. I utilized Indeed to find potential contractors to bring onto my teams. I still have challenges that may arise from time to time that I just don’t know the answer to, but the answer comes from the advice I would give one”.Is there any advice you’d like to share with students considering a similar path?
I encourage students who are considering a similar path to persevere. You learn so many skills running a business. I have learned so much from Networking groups. You can meet other professionals with whom you are unfamiliar and have a conversation over coffee or a Zoom meeting to trade best practices. 因此, my biggest advice is never to give up and network because other business owners were once a blank canvas, and their passion developed over time.Darrian爱’s entrepreneurial journey exemplifies the life-changing power of passion, 毅力, 以及商业上的适应性. Through the Collegiate Academy of Carolina, Love 添加resses 教育al gaps and fosters a community dedicated to academic success and personal growth.
To learn more about the Collegiate Academy of Carolina, please 点击这里.