Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sebastian Weiss, Co-Founder of Flyp Academy, located in London, UK.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
We've developed an online learning platform to support GCSE, IGCSE, A-Level, International Baccalaureate, and CBSE students on their exams. We provide all the tools and resources necessary for any of these students to succeed on all their exams, including study lessons with videos, quizzes, and notes, as well as a social area with groups and forums.
Tell us about yourself
I'm a professionally-qualified tutor and have always believed that there is a big digital market opening with respect to these standardized exam boards. I reconnected with a co-founder I'd worked with - Jonny - and soon after met with Mark. Together, we started this business in October 2020 and officially launched it in November 2021. We're motivated by seeing Flyp's progress - it's been a long journey, but it's really only the beginning. Seeing our user numbers grow, students leave positive reviews, and students attribute their success - at least in some part - to Flyp's support are all huge motivators for us.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
It's hard to put various achievements along a relative scale since they're all special in their own way. Signing the initial development contract, using the product in its digital flesh, testing the product on our phones, and launching a big marketing push last May all felt like tremendous accomplishments. Of course, they all represent different goals and different periods of the development process. We like to think that we're yet to reach our biggest accomplishments!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Naturally, in developing this business, we work with a lot of different people, and each person is their own! Managing goals can be a challenge, especially when working on a relatively condensed time schedule. This is especially prevalent when we see dips in quality of work - having to raise our expectations for someone and make that clear often feels like walking on a tightrope.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
There's no correct answer for this, but we have felt:
- Find the right people. This is almost always not who you may initially think it is, but make sure you have the same vision.
- Be realistic. It's easy to get caught up in new ideas, features, and big plans - but don't get too far ahead of yourself. With each new avenue, your project takes, have a very clear plan.
- Always maintain faith. When working on a project for years, it's inevitable that at some point, you may experience some brief losses in motivation. But these are temporary - recognize that, and plow through it.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://flyp.academy/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FlypEducation
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flyp.academy/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Flyp_Academy
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/flypacademy/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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