Math Marketing

"One thing I learned at Harvard business school is the power of marketing. It's practical problem solving. It doesn't matter how good your business idea is; 99 percent of success is execution, 99 percent of execution is good marketing, and 99 percent of marketing is empathy. You have to know your audience." - Will Dean, founder of Tough Mudder

I asked a successful insurance agent for his advice on marketing a start-up math tutoring business. "Think of ways that you can be a partner to teachers and counselors," he said. "You have the same goals: To develop successful students. Figure out how you can work together to achieve that."

That has been good advice and a good partnership. Some math teachers and counselors at the school have referred motivated, struggling students with supportive parents to me, and we've achieved some definite improvement in grades and confidence.