They're paying me peanuts.
My tuition center at Sri Gombak is paying me by a profit-sharing basis. 70-30 split. I keep 70% of the profit, the center keeps 30%. Sounds good, rite? If I have a class of, let's say, 10 students... That's great, right?
But not if your class has only 2 students.
The center told me that they have 9-10 students before I committed myself to the center. I feel conned.
Well, yesterday, 1 new student turned up in my Form 4 Add Maths class. It's safe to say that I have 50% growth in less than a month :)
The center told me yesterday that they're opening up two more classes for me. Add Maths Form 5, and Chemistry Form 5. How many students? 4 in the Add Maths class, and only 1 for Chemistry.
If I calculate how much they're paying me a month... It's peanuts. In fact, it's a loss to me.
But, stranglely enough, I actually feel kinda good inside after every tuition class at this center. Weird. I know at the back of my mind that what I'm doing here is akin to charity. But every time I end my class, I feel as though I've helped someone. Like I've given someone hope.
I decided to take up the 2 new classes. I figured, "Well, if they're giving me peanuts, I may as well earn brownie points here."
I didn't come into education for the money. If I was after the money, I wouldn't be looking for it in schools.
Melissa Ng asked me this question before: "Seriously, why are you into the tuition business? Is it purely for the money, or for some other purpose?"
Here's why... It's because I believe in giving people hope.
And I need another source of income too. If I can get that by doing something I believe in and love doing, then it's a win-win situation.
That's what I have to keep reminding myself. I'm here to give people hope.
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6 comments:
good centre. u hv ur priorities rite. i think very soon u wil hav a crowd if u r dedicated n noe ur lessons well. tuition is to giv hope. well do tat n u will soon b the most famous one but,.... ur school suffers. get ur permit mengajar for the centre u r in if b not there is trouble if another centre feels u r stealing their students. go apply thro ur office. its impt u hav permit mengajar in the centre.
selvin
Woohoo im famous!heh. Btw i've got something that belongs to you..from Ilyas! hehe
Selvin: How will my school suffer if I don't have a permit to teach tuition?
Also, how is it my problem if another center feels I'm "stealing" students? I didn't sign any binding contract.
Meowlisa: From Ilyas? What can that be?
giv me time to contact u
i dont wan details in blog too many ppl read ur blog watever i say b misquoted
pl b discerning dont write anything on money in tuition etc. u invite trouble 4 urself.
sorry i wil try my best to get help 4 u
selvin
Just some brotherly advice.
1. Be careful of what you publish. They can come back & hurt you even after many many years into the future. Internet can be a curse & has a long memory. Consider yourself already famous & known (thanks to local press); you may already have a file opened in your name.
2. Your % is indeed very high & makes me wonder how your center can survive in the long run. Maybe, they have certain classes that fill up to 50-80 students per session. Many young graduates/adults nowadays think the whole world owes them & should prepare a red carpet when hiring them. (I am not implying that you are one because I do not know you - it is a general statement.) But good bosses/managers/future business leaders are silently observing their staffs/subordinates for the best of the best. Should one day they venture out into great opportunities, they will already have a list of who to call. Having an experienced mentor/coach by your side is worth thousand times more than money.
3. Remember - It won't be a good thing for you if your center is forced to close shop. The owner (I assume he has good characters & principles) has more risks, worries and responsibilities to shoulder than his staffs. An individual staff can write a letter in a few minutes; submits it; leave; & go to another place. But not with the owner. It won't do any good if someone can squeeze a lot of the fees for himself. If it happens to you, then you better run as fast as you can away from it. Your boss is either a dumb or a conman. Same goes with the governance of a country.
4. On money matters, it is safe to say that money is important but not the most important thing. And there are many things which are more important than it. A cause to fight for sustains a person's commitment more than money can do. Search your heart for "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?".
5. Final point - This is a dog eat dog world. No matter how we try to look at it, the fact is that it has happened in the past, is happening now & will continue to happen in the future. (That is why we are called to be salt & light to the world.) You must be wise or else you won't know what or who has gobble you from behind. Your career is very very "important" & can also be very very "threatening" to some "entities" as well as to some people in your circle. I am not able to go into details here but just want to mention that it is best & safer not to blog everything - It won't do much good to be "naked" in public places.
I shall remain anonymous & if God willing, one day, maybe we will cross each other's path and team up for something great.
Till then, happy working.
Anonymous: Thanks for your advice.
Yes, maybe we will cross each other's path one day. But I think it's highly unlikely to recognize you, much less to "team up" you. Because you don't have a name nor a face.
My blog is called "He Who Has Hears, Let Him Hear". That's precisely why I blog about things that matter.
My blog is not called "He Who Is Shy, Hide In The Closet" That's why I don't believe in drifting in a sea of anonymity.
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