The business: An education app that helps children fire their interests in problem solving, mathematics, communications and creative thinking.
The challenge: To salvage the best parts from development work completed on the game. And to pivot the project to a different audience. Also to gain funding from Angel investors, to grow the business and support the further development of the app and content.
Brian helped us see possibility and purpose when we had almost given up. He kept us focused without the ‘should have’ discussions, and worked with us, providing guidance and insights along the way.
As a futuristic educator I see major changes that we need to make for the benefit of children. I do not look at the here and now but rather the future of educating people. I am a neuro-framework scaffolder. A proper educator interprets the mental frame of the student and helps them scaffold their knowledge. We stand on a platform and then need to build the rest of the thinking structure for students. This is the future of learning.
This game has in its DNA the way we educate children, how we develop their learning and increase their communications and engagement skills.
When you think about playing a game, getting into ‘flow’ and the pride that come from achievements within the game, these are qualities that become part of the narrative surrounding the game. The students have to communicate and collaborate to problem solve. These discussions are being taken into chat rooms and forums. This is where the interaction is happening. It is not only the playing of the game and strategies but the engagement that is well beyond just the game. These qualities are what schools are trying to teach our kids. There is an opportunity for families to play together and this is another way of bonding through a game. Using common language, aligning goals in an engaging and often challenging situation, this is where true learning takes place.
The whole communications exchange that comes from games empowers our kids when they have to teach us how to play the game. This empowers them. This is the thinking behind our product.
Initially we were going well. Our developer gave us a product and we were working as a partnership, continuing to build and develop the app. Then the arrangements fell through and we had a product but were without the source code so we could not change anything. So we were stuck and facing the potential of starting all over again. This situation also made it hard to raise more money.
Brian showed us how we could salvage the best out of our situation and start over. Brian clicked with our team and gave us a solid way forward. He is a sensible adviser with the right personality for us. He gave us faith in the future of the project. Working with him was even better as we went along.
Brian thinks through the problems and works out how to get you back on track. He provides guidance designed for your problem, deviation or scenic routes that you have found yourself travelling through on your path to creating your product.
Lots of people have the expertise but they don’t deviate from their model and can’t build a solution for where you are. Many rely on formulas, which might work if you have an ordinary problem. But ours required a depth of experience, creativity and communications, housed in the right sort of temperament, which was definitely Brian.
Brian has such knowledge and provides guidance without guilt and the ‘should haves’. He helped us regroup. By following Brian’s road map we did get further investment. He helped us put forward a good proposal for investors. Now with the new investment we are moving forward.
My own growth has been part of this process. Getting people to believe in my product and me has been a valuable by-product of working with Brian. Through guidance, preparation and knowledge backing up the work, my confidence has grown and the project has progressed, well beyond what I initially expected.
Brian shares his experience and knowledge and removes the self doubt that creeps in when things are not going well. Brian has been there and done that and provide the way to achieving the results that are necessary for incremental success. Then you can tell others that this is the way and when an expert believes in you that gives great confidence. Our plan of how to grow was also important in conversations with others. We have stretch goals that we are progressively meeting.
I have also written a book to support the project. This too has taken its own path as I discovered the best way to produce the book. Its aim is to get people interested in the game. Brian has encouraged us to evolve the plan by incorporating the book. This has added to the experience with an outline and purpose of the app.
We have also developed an international network of specialist educators who have an interest in teaching the outliers who normally fall through the cracks of our present education system. Our game is about bringing the best out of children who are not mediocre and factory worker type people.
So if you are thoughtful and interested in the evolution of your business and self-discovery, with the support of a safe pair of hands, then Brian is a great choice. A business journey and your personal journey will accelerate and there is much to learn through this process.
I now see much more possibility in the direction that we have taken. Brian has helped me move my position and see well beyond just my product. It is quite powerful. We have the game and now we are also making what happens after the game.