Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Do you have a business that is focused on educating or entertaining children? 

To the many math and English tutors, after-school program directors, professional clowns, party DJ`s, story tellers, party planners, piano teachers, and science folks who are who are making money by entertaining or educating children - I would like to hear from you.

What are the unique challenges you face? Do you see major growth and is this an industry destined for big business or solo operators? Do you see more financial or personal rewards. I am an EEE, Education and Entertainment Entrepreneur and I think this topic might relate to a great deal of other EEE`s that are part of the SUN community.

 

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Have a Creepy Crawly Day!

Seth, Bugmaster
www.CoolBugStuff.com

Are you trying to start a new category on the forum or are you looking at writing a book?

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Erik
www.usspin.com
www.unitedbusinessalliance.com

Hello Erik,

Not sure what you are getting at. The post is self explanitory. Basically sharing ideas between similar businesses. I am looking to open communication between fellow entrepreneurs who earn a living by educating and entertaining children.

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Have a Creepy Crawly Day!

Seth, Bugmaster
www.CoolBugStuff.com

:-) I can see the reason for Davenny`s question. It does sort of sound like an advertisement for input from educators toward some sort of book. But I also know Seth, from having read the SEO thread, and see that he`s looking for a topical thread to discuss the problems facing education businesses.

My hope and intent is to write an educational-informational site, and I have to say the biggest problem is my anxieties as to whether or not my content really matters a hill of beans. I think all writers go through this.

We get an idea for a book or story. It`s fannnnntastic! Then we sit down and are all fired up, writing like crazy for a chapter or two. Then we go do something for awhile, coming back to the story. We sit back, wanting to get caught up, and read what we wrote. That`s when the trouble starts! "Who the hell would give a crap about THIS," we ask ourselves!!

It took me a long time to figure out the solution. It comes down to "why" am I writing, and I believe that applies to just about anyone in education or writing. After all, education is basically talking instead of writing, and uses written materials as well.

At first I thought, "If I could just get to the place where I`m writing for NO reason, then I`d be cool!" But that`s a contradiction in terms: The reason I`m writing is no reason.

What it boiled down to was to understand the difference between passion for an idea, versus passion or desire for fame, riches, power, and glory, or simply adulation. When I at last realized that I`m writing simply because I have a passion for writing, then it didn`t matter anymore if someone else would be interested. Sure, that would count, and it`d be nice, and I`d hope that they`re interested, but that`s not why I`m writing.

I think that`s got to be the hardest problem of doing an education site, or even a concrete business. It`s so hard to find a "fad" product when you`re dealing with intellectual properties. Then again, isn`t that exactly the same putting together a band? What are the odds of having a hit single? There`s talent, there`s luck, and there are a very few musicians who calculatingly go out and write a "formula" hit. Not many, that`s for sure, and it mostly comes down to that combination of talent and plain luck. Would you agree?

Yes I am an EEE,

The name of my busniess is a "Native American Puppet Theater".

It is puppetry, storytelling, arts & crafts, and music about Native Americans.

The theater is designed for children between the ages of 3 to 13, and is engaging for the entire family.

Although a form of entertainment, the stories fill in the gap where public school books leave blank much about Native Americans.

The show can be performed at just about any location in Miami-Dade and Broward counties, and is appropriate for birthday parties, schools, museums, and special occasions.

I`ve been in small business (as a sole proprietorship- for profit) for over 1 year and as of this point I only travel to locations. Currently, I am looking for an affordable location where I live in Miami Beach, Florida. As you may know, Miami Beach is a tourist magnet and having a location where I can perform from is paramount and I am looking into 2 theaters on the beach. I am hopeful, but it is a challenge.

I feel what I do is very unique and so did Start Up Nation as I have 2 separate radio interviews with them. I feel honored.

You can see and hear these interviews and all about my business on

www.bigtepee.com - this is a free online video 30 minutes in length

www.nativepuppets.com - is my website which has 5 minute video link on it

Sincerely,

David / Shaman for Children

**************** All my Relations ****************

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**************** All my Relations ****************

David,

I love it. What a great idea. History is a weak subject area in our schools and the students, and teachers, could use all the help they can get!

Working with so many schools in South Florida I can tell you that I learned that the "in-house" field trip gets top billings with the schools. The cost and liability of taking the kids off school grounds is very high these days. You may want to consider this before adding the expense of having your own location. It`s great to have met you through SUN.

CraigL, you are correct...no book deal. I just wanted to share ideas, suggestions, and creative juice with others in a similar field. You are also wrong...I enjoy reading your posts and learn a great deal from them. I`d buy any book you write, so keep hitting those keys!

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Have a Creepy Crawly Day!

Seth, Bugmaster
www.CoolBugStuff.com

LOL!! Okay....I`ll write it tomorrow!! :-D

Seriously, though, I do thank you for your compliment. My pet project, which started this whole philosophy thing, is an educational book for my neice Cassandra: "Phone Calls with Cassie." I have a note in my profile about it. But it speaks to what I see as the deplorable lack of moral certitude in today`s world, based on premises that can be taught.

So although we have religious folks, their morality lies in faith. Unless the kids are raised in that faith, there`s not much argument to back up today`s teenage situations. When a teen asks, "How come I can`t have sex? I`m old enough" the answer can`t be just, "Because God said so!"

A huge problem for educators, I think, is not only their general lack of moral certainty and authority, but the growing access to world-wide information by the pupils. Lack of respect comes out of having a plethora of opposing views, but nobody teaching critical analysis.

Fewer people read, more people exist on sound bytes, lasting only seconds, and expect to get a total knowledge in minutes. "Learn to play the Piano in Five Easy Lessons!"

How do we make education and knowledge valuable again? So many people enjoy the comfort of saying "Ignorance is bliss," then going out an bragging about their ignorance. "Oh, I don`t know anything about those computers! I`m just not good at that kind of thing. Aren`t I just so silly?"

We can try to make information "fun," and that works with most young people, and certainly with smaller children. But what about making it valuable? Unfortunately, pragmatism and empiricism place us in that Missouri motto, "I`ll believe it when I see it." And the result is that information mostly becomes crucial AFTER the failure to have the information produces catastrophic results.

I left the music business when the audience started wanting CD-quality music in a live performance. With no budgets for music appreciation, they had no clue what it takes to coordinate a live band, much less make it entertaining. We managed to come close to that quality, but the audience then "forgot" we were playing live, and just assumed we were a different jukebox.

It comes down to lack of any kind of system for valuing anything. So it`s an uphill battle. If "nobody" values your product, does that make it valueless? (If a tree falls in the woods, it damn well makes a sound! The air moves in waves, which are by definition, sound.) Bankers want to see value proofs, which means income generated by a product.

So if the product is a story about the American Indians, or a demonstration of how spiders help us, how do you assign a monetary value for the bankers? The book or video of the stories is a product, but it`s not THE product. It`s the information content that`s valuable. In theory...if people value it.

I think the biggest problem for intellectual property entrepreneurs is how to evaluate information. Then, secondly, how to market that value in a world of concretes.

Dear Seth,

I have seen your profile some months backs but I didn`t realize we were neighbors!

Would you consider coffee sometime? I should like to discuss the business, entertainment, educational and perhaps some leads related to EEE`s.

My personal philosophy is this: Children, Employees then profitability - in that order. Keeping children first insures my passion is fueled, which my employees and clientele see, which, all in good time, leads to profitability. In some ways, I`m in no rush.

As I said, just being over 1 year in business, I have learned allot & it has helped me grow as a person; but their are some business concepts which slow me down.

One hard lesson I learned was keeping employees and interns. If I had a magic wand, I would have 4 employees always available. Their is a demand here on Miami Beach, but it`s hard to tap into without having a fixed location, like being part of a Theater. I think that with the new 400 million dollar plus cultural center just opening in downtown Miami, the older Jackie Gleason Theater on Miami Beach might be perfect! And they do cater to children.

Another major hurdle is being for profit. Their are so many grants out their for non-profits. Their are some drawbacks to being a non-profit. Your are accountable to the organization giving funds (many times the US gov`t)  and being for profit in the long run means making more money.

Fingers crossed,

David

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**************** All my Relations ****************

David,
Consider that any non-profit organization does have its costs. Those include labor, salaries, materials, and advertising.

I worked for a not-for-profit foundation, part of a hospital and incorporated to handle bequests, gifts, donations, and so forth. What I learned, mostly because I`m just curious, is that the definition of a non-profit organization (I`m not a lawyer) relates to the fact that AFTER expenses, all remaining money must be released (as grants, funding, or whatever).

My point here is that just because you`re a not-for-profit organization teaching children about Native American heritage, that doesn`t at all mean you can`t earn a salary, pay for employees, cover your leasing costs, and whatever else you want to do. Have you ever looked at the salaries of the people running some of the more famous "charities?" Research those for the American Lung Association, or think about the money going to religious organizations!

There`s little doubt in my mind that you could create a not-for-profit organization, then work it out so that at the end of the year, your "profit" was $0. You`d want to verify this with an attorney, but it was my understanding with the Foundation, that people do it all the time. And not because they`re crooks! :-)

I also was part of a PC association, like a computer club. To account for the membership dues of 50+ people, the FVPCA was incorporated as not-for-profit. That did two things: First, it gave us an ID number that we used when purchasing various equipment. We got not only a discount, but didn`t have to pay taxes. (We had limited funds, so it was a help.)

Secondly, it helped with credibility when we joined the American PC Users Group association (APCUG). We could demonstrate we were a fully-functional and serious-minded business. But because we had no intention of storing a large profit account, we ended up with no money at the end of each year in that account. If we`d been larger or set toward something like your purpose, we would have paid the Board members a salary.

At the end of each year, if we had $100 left, we`d then purchase a second-priority item. Examples would be a used LCD display panel for presentations, or perhaps a VCR to show tapes in meetings. In your case, musical instruments, puppets, stage lighting, and all the rest would all be materials. Even your theater lease payments, insurance, and so forth would be expensed.

Craig,

I like your point about the value of information.  I was just discussing with Seth about how I`m daily annoyed with the lack of grammar skills around us everywhere.  There are tons of grammar books out there, but I`m wondering if they are just preaching to the choir as most people that use them already care about the subject.  How do we get the people that don`t care to care??  How do we give it value to the masses??

Puppetman,

I am also one of your neighbors!  I live in Fort Lauderdale.  I`m thinking that we need to get all the Palm, Broward, and Miami-Dade county people together soon to meet.  Perhaps after thanksgiving, or whenever we can fit it into everyone`s schedule. 

By the way, how big of a theater do you need??  I know of one in Hollywood, but not even sure if it`s what you want, or if you can even rent it.  Send me a PM and I`ll give you some info.

CG