lisamallen

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  • lisamallen 9:14 am on July 30, 2012
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    I’m Lisa Allen, President and Owner of the Educational Technology Experts (ETE), a global consulting firm that specializes in providing analytics, recommendations and training of educational technology to educational institutions. This pitch is requesting the venture’s first year operating costs of $300,000 as an investment in the company. Youtube Elevator Pitch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9R9m3qq63Z8 Venture Pitch Paper  

    Continue reading The Educational Technology Experts (ETE) Posted in: Uncategorized, Venture Forum
     

    • vawells 10:54 am on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa

      Your venture sounds interesting however I wasn’t able to view your elevator pitch due to your privacy settings.

      Valerie

    • vawells 12:45 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks Lisa. I can now access it.

      Valerie

    • Deborah S 6:19 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      I can definitely see the potential in your venture and I think it fills a gap in the education system. I thought you did a good job describing the service in your written venture pitch, both to the educational and institutional customer.

      Before I would invest, I would like some additional information on your marketing plan, and how you determined that you would need three consultants to begin with. I also wasn’t sure whether you would be focusing on the educational or institutional market first. Would you be pursuing them equally? Would your focus be elementary or secondary, or both?

      Deborah

      • lisamallen 10:24 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for this feedback Deborah – you’re right, a more comprehensive “plan of action” would have been a good thing to include in my pitch.
        Cheers,
        Lisa

    • unclereg 9:02 pm on July 30, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hey Lisa,

      I like the idea and think it be great once it’s implemented within schools but getting access to schools will be difficult. I think district contracts with companies like G&T (Grand & Toy) & Staples will not let you anywhere near the financial outflow for continuous spending from departments. I love the point you make that we are educators not technological experts, which is so accurate. I think technology use within schools will continue to follow the pattern, ‘Hey I want what that guys got’ and that person goes and gets that device from and for their own departments funding. For the future I would suggest planning how you will innovatively gain access to public school department heads, and school spending. Good luck.
      -Regen

      • lisamallen 10:27 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for these comments Regen, I think that you’re right when it comes to public elementary and secondary schools. With higher education and private institutions though, I think they’re much more open to bringing in consultants. Perhaps that is where my “consulting firm” should try to gain entrance into the market.

        Cheers,
        Lisa

    • vawells 1:22 am on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa
      I enjoyed watching your elevator pitch. You present the advantages of your venture very clearly. I can see the potential in your idea and agree there is a need for this in the school system. I was left with a couple of questions; Most districts employ their own IT staff so why would schools go outside of this? Would districts allow schools to go outside, as most schools have to choose goods and services from district approved lists?
      Good luck with your future ventures

      Valerie

      • lisamallen 10:30 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Hi Valerie,

        Thanks for these comments – and great questions. Not working in the public school system, I don’t really know how they contract vendors… that being said, perhaps my consulting firm can gain access into the private educational market to start and build credibility there? I think the biggest issue with IT staff is that they don’t have that education theory background – and that’s what sets this consulting firm apart from the IT staff.

        Cheers,

        Lisa

    • mariefrancehetu 1:57 pm on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hello Lisa,

      Here are some comments on your venture pitch and your elevator pitch:

      Elevator pitch
      It is difficult to say all that you want in a one minute period, so it sounds a bit as if you are rushing to say it all quickly. A suggestion might be to make a simple powerpoint presentation outlining the main points, and then use this presentation to read out from on your computer as you are filming yourself.

      In one minute you do manage to summarize the essence of your venture however.

      Venture Pitch paper

      You present a very strong paper here. You outline the need and the solution quite well. You establish your marketing possibilities expertly and it shows your paper is well researched. If such a company was looking to hire I would be interested . . .
      As an investor, you certainly have convinced me that it would be a worthwhile project to invest in.

      Well done!

      Marie-France

      • lisamallen 10:31 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks Marie-France,

        I agree, in hindsight a powerpoint presentation would have been more effective for the one minute pitch!

        Cheers,
        Lisa

    • Leonora Zefi 6:14 pm on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      I liked your venture plan and how you specified the growth projections. Here are my comments.

      Elevator pitch message
      The need for The Educational Technology Experts (ETE) services is clearly outlined in the introduction – piqued my interest with the question at the very beginning. The solution is well explained but I would have been persuaded about the success of the venture if I got a clearer sense of the ”uniqueness or differentiation” characteristics of the service provided by the venture.

      Marketability
      While I see understand the importance of having these professionals advise school administrators, given the arguments and stats about the market, I wasn’t convinced about market opportunities for this venture. Just stating that the government of Canada and BC spend 5 -7 and 4.5 billion in the next 3 years” doesn’t necessarily mean that money will be allocated to a service specific to what the venture is proposing.
      There was no mention of competition and that made me a bit nervous despite the specific growth figures (although long-term – 5 years)

      Venture Plan

      Your venture plan is very well structured and clearly laid out. It includes details plan – revenue and expense processes are very clear and outline promising prospect for the company therefore convincing the investor on ROI.

      Thanks,
      Leonora

      • lisamallen 10:34 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks Leonora,

        It’s hard to pin point the competition since “consultants” are everywhere and the information out there is quite vague. You’re right though, it would have been good if I had included that information in my pitch.

        Cheers,

        Lisa

        • Leonora Zefi 4:21 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

          Hi Lisa,
          I completely understand the challenges of pinpointing the competition. I had the exact same challenge – the main competition for my venture is corporate training companies and there are myriads of them.
          Enjoy the rest of the summer.

          Leonora

    • gillian 6:19 pm on July 31, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      You were braver than I was for your elevator pitch – couldn’t get myself in front of the camera. I found the elevator pitch to be somewhat disengaging however as you were not looking at the camera, but rather reading somewhere off to the side – losing eye contact. I did think that your voice had good variation in pitch and tone though.

      As for your venture pitch, it sounds like a great idea. The service sounds extremely thorough from needs assessment to implementation, and I thought it very smart of you to note that consultants were experts in both education and technology, so that you would retain credibility from all sides of the market. I also appreciate how you are careful not to disparage educators by explaining that teachers and admin are experts in education, but not necessarily technology. I also think that the public would appreciate how you are careful to note efficiency and effectiveness – ensuring that private business is accountable with public funds.
      As for your numbers, the costs that you mention sound reasonable, but it does seem that you may be missing a few expenses such as office space, equipment etc.

      gillian

      • lisamallen 10:35 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks for your comments Gillian,

        In hindsight, a powerpoint presentation would have been better for the one-minute pitch (especially since I am not the best public speaker in the world).

        Cheers,

        Lisa

    • karonw 12:43 pm on August 1, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,

      Thank you for sharing your venture with us. I quite liked your venture idea and I think you have done a good job in trying to deliver as much details and specifics as possible within 1:11 minutes. It is very challenging to be able to pin point the core ideas and being able to present it. You did very well in that matter in trying to convince your investors. However, as an EVA I am a bit picky in the presentation itself, I would find it more convincing if the presenter was looking at the camera providing some eye contact and at the same time adding a smile would definitely boost up the atmosphere of the pitch. Other than this, I think you have did a good job.

      Keep up the good work.

      Karon

      • lisamallen 10:37 am on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

        Thanks Karon,

        I appreciate your comments. It’s sometimes difficult to smile when you’re nervous! 😉

        Cheers,

        Lisa

    • troos 1:09 pm on August 2, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hello Lisa:

      Your venture, Educational Technology Experts, is a great idea and similar to my venture proposal for professional development in educational technology. You have good personal presence in your elevator pitch but focusing in on the camera once in a while would have relieved the “scripted” feel to the video. You identify clear pain points and explain your market expectations well. As the venture leader, you sound convinced of your product’s value. Great job. You mention the need for investment based on labor and advertising. I wonder if you are short-changing yourself here. What about office space, equipment, travelling costs and internet access? Will you have a team to support you? You may have provided answers in your venture pitch but I am just analyzing your elevator pitch here. The first half of your elevator pitch seems aimed at convincing your clients rather than your investors. I think your investors need to here this same information but somehow it needs to be clear that you are directing this at them rather than your clients. Good work!

      Tim

    • Chelsea M Woods 8:54 am on August 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa, great concept, and certainly an area where schools need support. The school I am currently working at brought in EdTech Audits, and they provided us with recommendations for development and areas of strength. I would have liked to hear more about the structure of your reporting process and how you will ensure that your people are experts, and provide useful recommendations to your clients.

      Great idea!
      Chelsea

    • Dennis Pratt 8:43 pm on August 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Private consulting is a great idea for offering professional development for teachers. I would actually prefer to take PD from someone in the industry rather than a colleague teacher. I seem to get more out of the presentation as they usually provide real examples of work that they are doing. The difficult part might be to find, train and keep qualified staff that can relate to teachers and education and try to turn a profit doing so. I know we spend quite a bit of money on PD and some of it gets wasted in my opinion. I would want to make sure we are getting the most for our money and think that most schools are the same. If you have a great product and teachers like it, the word will spread quickly.

      Good idea! I can’t wait to see what sessions you have lined up.

      Dennis

    • toddpowell 10:14 pm on August 5, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Lisa,
      Very well done, especially with the paper. You have obviously thought about gaps that exist in the current educational systems. As for the venture pitch, I was a little disconcerted about not being “looked in the eye.” I know that camera work can be daunting, especially for 1 minute.

      Coming from both secondary and middle schools, what would your primary focus on implementation be??

      Cheers,
      Todd

  • lisamallen 9:03 pm on July 7, 2012
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    Hi all, Thanks to this weeks group, I’ve been thinking a lot about what makes a good mind map this week. For me, I think the answer to what makes a good mind map, is that I make it myself. Mind maps are a way of learning, problem solving and exploring ideas. For me, when […]

    Continue reading Good Mind Maps Posted in: Uncategorized, Week 09: Visual-Intensive Learning
     

  • lisamallen 2:34 pm on June 3, 2012
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    About Infinite Campus: “Infinite Campus is focused on delivering an innovative, evolving student information system (SIS) that K12 districts, regions, and states across the United States rely on today and into the future to effectively collect and manage student data.” About Charlie Kratsch: Charlie Kratsch is the founder and CEO of this web-based student information […]

    Continue reading Infinite Campus – Founder and CEO: Charlie Kratsch Posted in: Week 04: Entrepreneur Bootcamp
     

    • Meggan Crawford 8:06 pm on June 3, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,

      I think that you are raising a very valid concern, one that I question about my own background as well! So many of the successful ventures seem to be led by those with a direct background in IT that is seems as though they are required. At the same time, however, it seems common for these IT experts to partner with an educator, which is where I can take some comfort (I fit in!). I think that there needs to be a balance between education and IT in order to create something truly successful in this field.

      As for what you can come up with, I would hope that is not limited by a lack of IT knowledge. Perhaps it is possible for the non-IT people to imagine something incredible that will be fully realized with the help of a friendly IT partner.

      Either way, I think there is still a place for non-IT experts to imagine incredible ventures and to follow through, there just might be a need for support in the process.
      Thanks,
      -Meggan

    • lisamallen 9:41 am on June 4, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks for this comment Meggan,

      I am hopeful that me lack of IT knowledge won’t get in my way. I think you’re right that educators do have a place in the entrepreneurial world!

      Lisa

    • Leonora Zefi 5:27 pm on June 6, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      HI Lisa .
      I appreciate your genuine reflection about the roles on IT and non-IT. This is a question I ask myself very frequently. While I think that the role of the IT person is important to implement a creative idea in a creative way….I think that it’s the qualitative, pedagogically sound content that will prevail and make any venture successful (at least long-term).
      Maybe I am too naive but that’s what I like to believe.
      Thanks,
      Leonora

  • lisamallen 1:53 pm on May 25, 2012
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    Yes, I would invest in this venture. The Content: I appreciate a short pitch, sweet and to the point. The MEgo widget will clearly meet a demand in today’s environment where everyone has to manage a series of individual profiles. This widget will sync all profiles together, allowing the user to spend less time updating […]

    Continue reading Pitch Critique: MEgo Posted in: Week 03: Analyst Bootcamp
     

    • Deborah S 10:23 am on May 27, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      I think there’s a lot to be said for a pitch that gets to the point quickly. I certainly appreciate this directness whether I’m watching a pitch or a TV commercial. It’s interesting that the company chose to “name-drop.” I’m curious…did that sway your opinion in any way regarding a potential investment?

      Deborah

  • lisamallen 1:51 pm on May 25, 2012
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    No, I would not invest in this venture. The Content: While there are many (obvious) benefits to providing OpenCourseware through RRU, the main one that stuck out for me (because I am an Administrator) was the issue of marketing – if the prospective students could just try the course before they enroll in university as […]

    Continue reading Pitch Critique: Open RRU Posted in: Week 03: Analyst Bootcamp
     

    • Dennis Pratt 4:02 pm on May 27, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Lisa;

      I really liked the RRU model of open courseware but did not think too much about the economics of it. I would like to know more about that before “investing”. I wonder what the instructors think about the opening up their work, as well. I know, as a public school teacher, any work that I create for work is property of the school board, and I don’t mind sharing whatever I create. If I was writing a textbook, either hardcopy or online, I don’t know how I would feel about the potential monetary loss. I would imagine that some people would buy in but others would oppose the concept.

      Dennis

  • lisamallen 8:42 pm on May 20, 2012
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    The Gartner Newsroom is an accurate and relevant report on emerging trends in e-learning that is specifically useful to educational administrators. In particular, the press release titled, “Gartner Identifies the Top 10 Strategic Technologies for 2012” is valuable for strategic planning in an administrative capacity, because I can refer to the document for emerging trends […]

    Continue reading A Critique of Gartner’s Report Posted in: Uncategorized
     

    • Dennis Pratt 8:28 am on May 21, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Lisa;

      Thank-you for your perspective from an administrator point of view. It is funny that you brought it up that teachers may not need to predict trends in ET as that is what I have sort of been asked to do.

      As a technology teacher I have been asked to sit on our schools instructional leadership team where we will be the “visionaries” for the upcoming school year. I have never tried to be a visionary before and am a little bit nervous having to forsee or create trends in the school. I do like the model that our admin team has set up in that they ask for teacher input and have us involved in decision making. It has proven to be very effective, of course. The teachers really come together to develop great ideas.

      Dennis

    • Allan 3:28 pm on May 28, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks Lisa for sharing this. I think it’s certainly debatable how relevant it is for instructors/teachers to be up to speed regarding this type of information. As a librarian who is immersed in emerging technologies, this type of report is immensely fascinating and important. I’ve noticed mobile technologies have been slowly appearing as an important trend in not only technology but also the educational sector.

      Allan

  • lisamallen 1:31 pm on May 9, 2012
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    Hello everyone! My name is Lisa Allen, and this is my final term in the MET program. Along with this course, I am also taking ETEC 590. Professionally, I work as an Administrator in the Faculty of Arts at UBC full-time. My department has been integrating a lot of e-learning into the delivery of courses […]

    Continue reading Hello from Lisa! Posted in: Uncategorized
     

    • Dennis Pratt 2:16 pm on May 9, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Welcome Lisa! I am sure you are looking forward to the end. I ahev been looking forward to this course for the same reasons. We will see what comes of it.

      Dennis

    • lisamallen 2:29 pm on May 9, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Thanks Dennis – looking forward to working with you this term!

    • Deborah S 4:32 pm on May 9, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Lisa,
      It’s nice to be working with you again. Wow…a marathon…I’m impressed!

      Looking forward to your insights!

      Deborah

    • gillian 5:02 pm on May 9, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Congrats on being almost done … I must admit to being a little jealous.
      I hope you enjoy it until the end.
      gillian

    • Yves Mainville 6:50 am on May 10, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Last one?!! Waaaaah, that is where I want to be. 🙂
      Well, must earn my stripes as you have done. Congrats and good job… look forward to reading you hear.

    • unclereg 8:51 am on May 10, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hey Lisa,

      Marathon running….good for you. I can’t run on concrete, but love the track.
      Where is the marathon in October?

      Looking foward to the semester.
      -Regen

    • lisamallen 8:59 am on May 14, 2012 | Log in to Reply

      Hi Regen,

      The 1/2 marathon is in Kelowna. I did it last year as well – I like it because there are no hills! Hills are my enemy when it comes to running. Hoping to run it in 2 hours 30 minutes this year!

      Looking forward to working with you this term!
      Lisa

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