283 Week 6

$100 Entrepreneurial Challenge Update:

This week I refined a big idea elevator pitch as follows:

About 20 years ago, Colorado began offering charter schools as an innovative way to give parents a choice about schooling for their children.  These schools of choice are autonomous which often means they have no connection with teacher unions, utilize a curriculum of their own choosing, and though they are still accountable to local and federal education authorities, they govern themselves through elected members of their communities, such as parents of enrolled learners.  Such members rarely have past leadership experience, and many lack the knowledge and skills required to govern such an organization.  Leadership development is crucial if these schools are going to be successful in delivering a quality education to our nations kids.

My name is Sara Ker.  Over the last ten years, I have been serving in this community both as a board president and as a leader mentor where I have been intimately engaged in helping schools establish best practices in a field that is somewhat new. 

Currently, Colorado has a league of charter schools which offers training as part of a large and costly package of services. But for schools who must stretch every penny they receive; these solutions aren’t always attainable.

I have established a consulting firm to serve the charter school community that specializes in school governance.  My firm is focused on low cost, specified leadership training that guides teams through critical thinking processes to discover how they are applying policies, principles, and strategy in their organizations and to assist in establishing proven methods for success. 

Acton Hero Summary: Phil Romano

Phil Romano began his video with sound advice, “Don’t be like everyone else, have that point of difference”.  He goes on to say, “ I wouldn’t be successful if I didn’t do everything people told me I shouldn’t do.” In other words, he didn’t let fear or stumbling blocks in his way and he has always had an attitude of, “I can do it” no matter what anyone says. 

When he had a paper route as a young boy, he learned to upsell his customers by offering to put their paper in between the storm door and the front door to keep it dry from the elements.  Because he was willing to meet this need, his customers paid him extra.  He looks to this experience as the inspiration for much of the rest of his life. He learned to keep his focus on serving people, and not on profits, he said in his bio, “You never think about making a profit, …you think about service, giving people something they want, and you make twice as much profit.”

A health scare when he was about 50 years old, inspired him further to work harder and to serve his community.  He learned from this experience that fear is a motivator.  When he is afraid, he is motivated to make sure he doesn’t fail.  He sees fear as a positive thing that drives him, rather than disables him.  The motivation turned him to help homeless people and shelters in his community.  He credits this service as something that gives his life meaning.  He said he wants to make his mark and wants to be sure that his legacy is the things he’s done, the services he has rendered, the work he has accomplished.  He doesn’t “want a tombstone”. He is driven by the desire to make something of his life.