Speed to Success
Speed to Success
One of my life rules is “Speed of Implementation.”
I first heard this term a few years ago from a mentor, and it has stuck with me ever since. In fact, Speed of Implementation has led to some of my biggest business wins.
To me, speed of implementation says “get Version 1.0 done and then work to fix that version and release 2.0 when it’s ready.” Unfortunately, I’ve known many people over the years that have an idea or concept they want to develop but who get caught up in making it perfect. They work on the idea as time allows, but never seem to finish and bring it to fruition.
The first time I heard “perfection” was the reason for not finishing a special project that has the potential to earning someone thousands of dollars over the years, the coach said it this way:
There are 2 Business Commandments
- If you have a dream, just do it. Get Version 1.0 done and launch it. It’s scary – putting yourself out there, and sharing your dreams with the world. But if you know of a better way to do something, or a widget you want to create, just do it. When you have the idea and you don’t act on it, someone else might have the same idea and be first to market and you will spend your life wishing you had acted first.
- If in doubt, refer to the 1st
I’ve never operated from a place of fear. I’ve always been what I would call an “action taker.” From jumping into Information 
Technology (with no training) to buying my massage school when the founder closed it in 2009 during a recession. I’m never at a shortage for ideas, and I tend to act on them fairly quickly.
The truth is, perfection is unattainable and therefore most people don’t reach for their dream. Perfection is a pipe dream. As you learn more and grow, you will always be reaching for perfection – it will always be in the distance and will always be unattainable.
As I thought about what I’m offering with our done-for-you massage school product that will help you open your own massage school, speed to success came to mind. The Bodymechanics Institute system will quickly help those interested in opening their own massage school a system to quickly launch using the Speed of Implementation model and realize success much faster than someone waiting to make their system perfect.
My most recent school that I opened was in Vancouver, WA – a community rocked by the closing of one of the larger national franchise schools that was closed by the Department of Education. When I learned of the school closing, I ready to launch my program quickly – 100 miles south of my main school campus. So, I know a little bit about getting a new project going = quickly and efficiently.
3 months passed from the first information meeting, to opening day for the school. In the three months I hired and trained staff, located the school campus, negotiated the lease, marketed to and interviewed students and I also took 2 international business trips and 1 in-state business trip.
My goal was to be first in the market in Vancouver – before other schools decided to open so that I built a reputation quickly as a great school.
We reached our goals for the first year with 2 morning and 2 evening classes starting bringing in over 30 students.
Put another way, the recent launch in Vancouver brought an additional $222,000 in revenue to the school.
So, how did I get my Speed to Success?
It started for me with a dream to own more than one massage school. I had been thinking of moving in a different direction, but when I heard of the opportunity in Vancouver I knew I had to act quickly.
My Speed to Success Plan
- Right team in place
- Solid plan to launch
- Strong marketing plan that didn’t break the bank
- Structured curriculum that set students and the school up for success
Right Team in Place
Immediately, I began searching for the right mix of people and hired quality instructors. I knew 2 local massage therapists already who helped recommend the other core instructors. 1 of the instructors previously taught at my main campus and another instructor went to the school 8 years prior (under previous ownership) – so there was some base knowledge about the program in place. The other instructors were educated on school philosophy, lesson plans and lecture notes and school policy quickly.
Solid Plan to Launch
From the first meeting in December, I knew I wanted to be first in the market (get Version 1.0 done…) I actually made the decision to launch in January, 2016. I researched potential school locations on Craig’s List. I also had 1 of my instructors who knew the area better than I did give me ideas on where it would be best to have the school.
I found the space, and in early February, my realtor and I made the 100-mile trip to Vancouver and met with the landlord. I loved the space immediately and knew it was the perfect fit for a massage school. Centrally located to the major freeways in the area and a large, wide-open professional building.
We negotiated and came up with the plan that would be mutually beneficial.
The landlord allowed us to use the space earlier than the lease so that we could hold information sessions to prospective students and tell the community about our program. Since they didn’t know about Bodymechanics School, I had to talk about our philosophy and our successful program. They needed to hear from me – so I spent a lot of time in the community over the first few months getting the word out.
We officially took the space on March 1, and opened our first class on March 22, 2016 with 5 students. This was impressive for the fact that I wasn’t known in the community as a massage therapist, and my school was unknown as well.
In July of the same year, we launched our first evening class with 10 students and we continue to grow at a fast rate. (** The second campus is growing at a faster rate than my first school.)
Strong marketing plan that didn’t break the bank
The main marketing plan used was Facebook. I did several targeted ads to the Vancouver area with a 100-mile radius and began generating interest in the program. I spent $200 on advertising as I was on a budget from the startup expenses that included the lease, equipment, supplies, and so on. $200 generated over $50,000 in income immediately.
Beyond that, we held information sessions and invited the community – including massage therapists.
I built an e-mail autoresponder series so anyone who asked for information received it quickly and then they called in with further questions.
We answered all calls for information.
We invited the local community to learn about us through different community events.
We encouraged social media sharing from the students to engage a larger audience.
We exceeded expectations with our program and the quality massages our graduates offer.
Structured curriculum that set students and the school up for success
Our program is designed as a layered curriculum where each class builds off the information learned the day before. We look at our curriculum further than the state requires, but more towards student success. This logical approach makes teaching easier and comprehension from students increased.
Students will be massaging twice a week, APP once a week, Kinesiology once a week and business classes peppered throughout the program so that they can begin planning for their future on the first day of school.
I had an RN graduate from my program and her words were “I was able to think of my business in nursing terms and “discharge plan” my business from day 1.”
Successful students share their love for the program with their friends, family and social media network which helps grow the reputation of the program exponentially.
Speed to Success is our goal with every school we are able to help open. Using a formula that has been proven successful, we can facilitate the growth for those who are passionate about opening their own massage school.
My goal is to help as many as I can open their own massage school quickly. If you enjoy teaching others to love massage as much as I do, then I can’t wait to help you open your own school.
Let’s talk soon
Shari Aldrich, LMT
President