Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on SubKit's interview with Paul Jacobelli, President of EdTek Services, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We offer 2 Learning Management Systems and a package of LMS Services to support clients. These include course design and course development, technical support help desk, administrator support, staff training, and 340+ Soft Skills courses in the LMS Library. Our customers include small and medium-sized companies, government agencies, non-profit organizations, colleges, and universities.
Tell us about yourself.
I started in eLearning in 1997 as a client of eCollege - one of the earliest hosted LMS providers. We built our program up to thousands of students annually. This led to an offer to join eCollege and the founding of EdTek a few years later. My mission at eCollege and with EdTek was to level the playing field so small and medium-sized organizations could have the same eLearning capabilities as even the largest providers.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We turned three failing colleges around and re-established them as thriving education providers.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Having to let a staff member go who is not working out.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Raise the capital you need so you can launch according to your plan but don't be afraid to start early if an opportunity arises. Give your team the room they need to achieve their goals and the goals of the business. These goals are not inconsistent. Growth will be powered by the reputation you build, as always looking out for the customer.
