Lex DeVille
Sweeping Shadows From Dreams
FASTLANE INSIDER
EPIC CONTRIBUTOR
LEGACY MEMBER
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It's been several months since I attempted importing. My wife left for Active Duty military and things have been crazy. I chose not to move forward with this due to the uncertainty of upcoming months but did successfully import items and learn a lot. At the present I am still in KS, but have finally discovered where we will be moving and have re-evaluated my Fastlane plan. So here it goes...
BACKGROUND: I've stopped CL/Ebay hustling in favor of working a minimal part-time job (10-15hr/wk max) and selling my art hobby to create base capital for the new business. Since I'm familiar with the military and have access to all U.S. Military installations as a military spouse, the business needs to take advantage of this. The business also needs to be able to stand on its own without me in just a couple of years as we will probably move around a bit.
THE GOAL: Create a State Approved Urban Defense & Security Specialist credentialing program available to civilians, military & law enforcement with Residency & Distance Ed. training programs. Then seek approval through MYCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts) & Dept. of VA & other financial aid resources so tuition can be paid for by education benefits instead of out of pocket.
STEP 1 - Create the foundation then grow it.
My Foundation - I'm a former Army Sgt. who previously served 4 years with 10th Special Forces Group and has put in countless hours of study in survival, security, tactics, intelligence etc. I do not have a degree, but do have over 50 certificates in advanced training such as Evasive Driving, Bomb Search methods, Disaster Response etc. As of this year I'm also an E.C.S.I. Lifesaving Instructor & Combatives Instructor. In the near future I plan to enlist in the Army Reserves for additional credentialing power and will attend an extensive Security Protection program using the GI BILL.
Why is all of that important? It really doesn't matter how good I am at these things, but our clients want to feel confident that they are learning the best from the best.
The Business Foundation - Before November I will create an L.L.C. in the new State and begin acquiring appropriate business licenses so I can hit the ground running. Obtaining State Approval as a certification program is going to take time and a lot of work, so until our curriculum is fully developed I will be offering Self Defense & First Aid courses both on & off base to build additional capital. Not only will this create income, it will give the local community a taste of what we offer. Basically we'll wet their appetite with entry level courses so they can see the VALUE in our credentialing programs.
STEP 2 - PREPPING FOR GROWTH
Instructors - In order to offer an education program we have to have "competent instructors". Instructors do not have to be certified teachers since what we are offering is not regulated in the same way as elementary or college programs. The State's only qualification is that they be competent in their field of knowledge. To meet this need I will seek out 2 - 3 employees who are either Reservists or Veterans with appropriate experience and will train them in my curriculum.
State Approval - With Instructors on board and completion of all curriculum requirements we can apply for state approval for our certifications. Now we can offer ourselves as an "Approved Program through (State) Department of Higher Education". We can start offering our courses and can accept financial aid from students, creating our first opportunity for real growth.
(NOTE: Gaining Approval with the state is a strong entry barrier)
MYCAA Approval - As a state approved program we can now apply to MYCAA Military Spouse financial aid for their approval. MYCAA offers spouses of service members on Active Duty up to $4000 as a grant to pay for higher education.
With State & MYCAA approval we'll start looking pretty official. :coolgleamA:
I won't explain the intricacies of our programs but we will definitely offer an option that falls in the $4000 range. This part of the program will be marketed specifically to military spouses and will create the second opportunity for large growth as we now have a demographic that no longer has to pay out of pocket!
STEP 3 - TIME FOR THE FASTLANE
VA Approval - This is not listed in STEP 2 because in order for a "For Profit" Certification Program to even be considered it has to be in operation for 2 years continuously with students actively being taught during that time.
(This is a VERY STRONG barrier for entry)
Now the good part - In 2011 the Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits (Keep in mind this is only one type of VA benefits) were used by over 500,000 Veterans. The Dept. of VA paid out over 8 BILLION DOLLARS for education programs. Again, I don't have a degree (though I almost have enough credits for a Bachelors) but even 1 percent of those benefits = $80000000.00.
But I will need a lot of students to get anywhere near that!
Instructor Training Program - This may be my favorite part. In order to put a lot of students through the program we need more instructors. We also need more locations. The problem is I don't want to pay more than my 2 - 3 instructors at the corporate location. To solve this I'll create an instructor training program that can be taught to ANYONE regardless of experience. It will require some kind of reoccurring payment (such as a monthly due) and they will have to visit the corporate office to take the course in person. This way we ensure they are receiving quality instruction and have learned the curriculum.
Once they are certified as an Instructor they can immediately return to where they came from and begin teaching as one of our branch locations. The company will already be approved by the certifying agencies so branch offices operating in our name can immediately start accepting benefits without going through the 2 year wait!
FASTLANE EXIT
At this point we are reaching A LOT of people and can quickly spread our brand / name meaning big money FAST. There are also countless other opportunities available here or I can sell the company and retire.
SUMMARY
- Start the Business & set the foundation
- Offer base courses & create initial value
- Hire Instructors to promote growth
- Get approved by State (Strong Barrier)
- Get approved by MYCAA (Strong Barrier)
- Get approved by VA (Strongest Barrier)
- Create value by offering training that students don't pay for out of pocket
- Create value by offering certifications leading to future employment opportunities
- Create value by creating employment for Veterans and Civilians
- Tap into scale by expanding the business and reaching large numbers of students
- Tap into magnitude by offering tuition based programs (one of our programs will start around $10,000)
- Grow big, grow fast, and get off at the next exit all while letting my money work for me.
The end goal is to pull this off within 3 - 5 years max.
I'm sure somethings still need worked out, and I definitely left a few important details out :smug2: but you get the general idea, and of course that is all part of the process! Now it's time to get back to action. I've spent too much time typing this and have phone calls to make!
Thoughts are welcome.
BACKGROUND: I've stopped CL/Ebay hustling in favor of working a minimal part-time job (10-15hr/wk max) and selling my art hobby to create base capital for the new business. Since I'm familiar with the military and have access to all U.S. Military installations as a military spouse, the business needs to take advantage of this. The business also needs to be able to stand on its own without me in just a couple of years as we will probably move around a bit.
THE GOAL: Create a State Approved Urban Defense & Security Specialist credentialing program available to civilians, military & law enforcement with Residency & Distance Ed. training programs. Then seek approval through MYCAA (Military Spouse Career Advancement Accounts) & Dept. of VA & other financial aid resources so tuition can be paid for by education benefits instead of out of pocket.
STEP 1 - Create the foundation then grow it.
My Foundation - I'm a former Army Sgt. who previously served 4 years with 10th Special Forces Group and has put in countless hours of study in survival, security, tactics, intelligence etc. I do not have a degree, but do have over 50 certificates in advanced training such as Evasive Driving, Bomb Search methods, Disaster Response etc. As of this year I'm also an E.C.S.I. Lifesaving Instructor & Combatives Instructor. In the near future I plan to enlist in the Army Reserves for additional credentialing power and will attend an extensive Security Protection program using the GI BILL.
Why is all of that important? It really doesn't matter how good I am at these things, but our clients want to feel confident that they are learning the best from the best.
The Business Foundation - Before November I will create an L.L.C. in the new State and begin acquiring appropriate business licenses so I can hit the ground running. Obtaining State Approval as a certification program is going to take time and a lot of work, so until our curriculum is fully developed I will be offering Self Defense & First Aid courses both on & off base to build additional capital. Not only will this create income, it will give the local community a taste of what we offer. Basically we'll wet their appetite with entry level courses so they can see the VALUE in our credentialing programs.
STEP 2 - PREPPING FOR GROWTH
Instructors - In order to offer an education program we have to have "competent instructors". Instructors do not have to be certified teachers since what we are offering is not regulated in the same way as elementary or college programs. The State's only qualification is that they be competent in their field of knowledge. To meet this need I will seek out 2 - 3 employees who are either Reservists or Veterans with appropriate experience and will train them in my curriculum.
State Approval - With Instructors on board and completion of all curriculum requirements we can apply for state approval for our certifications. Now we can offer ourselves as an "Approved Program through (State) Department of Higher Education". We can start offering our courses and can accept financial aid from students, creating our first opportunity for real growth.
(NOTE: Gaining Approval with the state is a strong entry barrier)
MYCAA Approval - As a state approved program we can now apply to MYCAA Military Spouse financial aid for their approval. MYCAA offers spouses of service members on Active Duty up to $4000 as a grant to pay for higher education.
With State & MYCAA approval we'll start looking pretty official. :coolgleamA:I won't explain the intricacies of our programs but we will definitely offer an option that falls in the $4000 range. This part of the program will be marketed specifically to military spouses and will create the second opportunity for large growth as we now have a demographic that no longer has to pay out of pocket!
STEP 3 - TIME FOR THE FASTLANE
VA Approval - This is not listed in STEP 2 because in order for a "For Profit" Certification Program to even be considered it has to be in operation for 2 years continuously with students actively being taught during that time.
(This is a VERY STRONG barrier for entry)
Now the good part - In 2011 the Post 9-11 GI Bill benefits (Keep in mind this is only one type of VA benefits) were used by over 500,000 Veterans. The Dept. of VA paid out over 8 BILLION DOLLARS for education programs. Again, I don't have a degree (though I almost have enough credits for a Bachelors) but even 1 percent of those benefits = $80000000.00.
But I will need a lot of students to get anywhere near that!
Instructor Training Program - This may be my favorite part. In order to put a lot of students through the program we need more instructors. We also need more locations. The problem is I don't want to pay more than my 2 - 3 instructors at the corporate location. To solve this I'll create an instructor training program that can be taught to ANYONE regardless of experience. It will require some kind of reoccurring payment (such as a monthly due) and they will have to visit the corporate office to take the course in person. This way we ensure they are receiving quality instruction and have learned the curriculum.
Once they are certified as an Instructor they can immediately return to where they came from and begin teaching as one of our branch locations. The company will already be approved by the certifying agencies so branch offices operating in our name can immediately start accepting benefits without going through the 2 year wait!
FASTLANE EXIT
At this point we are reaching A LOT of people and can quickly spread our brand / name meaning big money FAST. There are also countless other opportunities available here or I can sell the company and retire.
SUMMARY
- Start the Business & set the foundation
- Offer base courses & create initial value
- Hire Instructors to promote growth
- Get approved by State (Strong Barrier)
- Get approved by MYCAA (Strong Barrier)
- Get approved by VA (Strongest Barrier)
- Create value by offering training that students don't pay for out of pocket
- Create value by offering certifications leading to future employment opportunities
- Create value by creating employment for Veterans and Civilians
- Tap into scale by expanding the business and reaching large numbers of students
- Tap into magnitude by offering tuition based programs (one of our programs will start around $10,000)
- Grow big, grow fast, and get off at the next exit all while letting my money work for me.
The end goal is to pull this off within 3 - 5 years max.
I'm sure somethings still need worked out, and I definitely left a few important details out :smug2: but you get the general idea, and of course that is all part of the process! Now it's time to get back to action. I've spent too much time typing this and have phone calls to make!
Thoughts are welcome.
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