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Total Writing Enrichment, Amy Haskell
Total Writing Enrichment offers college admission essay writing programs as well as monthly writing tutoring programs to help high school students win college admissions, scholarships, and "A" grades in the classroom.
The idea for the business originated when I was a classroom teacher due to the frustration my students at New Trier High School felt as they struggled to understand, “what makes good writing.”
The stress they experienced to achieve good grades and college acceptance drove me to begin tutoring to help grow their skills and increase their confidence as writers. I started tutoring in writing and English literature in 2007 and I incorporated into the state of NC in 2018.
The positive results from students in the classroom, the increased confidence, and relief students experienced and the happy comments from parents after I worked with their teens inspired me to start building a business so that I could serve more families.
When one mom from Winnetka told me, "Amy, you have no idea how much peace you have given to our entire family by tutoring our daughter," I knew I had to start to grow my business.
After many years of teaching and tutoring, one of the special aspects of my business is that I know these students and I know good writing. I understand from an emotional, cognitive, and developmental level their gaps in not only skill and the specific path to grow their skills but their insecurities, fears, and dreams.
The insight I gained from teaching in a high-performing high school as well as the years in the classroom with a variety of personalities, skill levels, and curriculum expectations makes the methodology and process of currently serving students unique, effective, and fun.
The high points include the kind, genuine, happy feedback from parents and students when they feel better about school, their writing, college essays, and English class essays, and especially when they recognize their growth and feel happier and proud of their efforts.
I remember one sophomore student, after working with me for a session or two confiding in his mom he "learned more from Mrs. Haskell in two hours than he did in two years of English class about writing."
The low points stem from overwhelm and loneliness when I realize, as a business owner, that I am 100% responsible for every aspect of the business. As a classroom teacher, you are given your schedule, you have milestone dates like final exam week and grade entry due dates, and you have students filling your classroom, as well as a human resource department and technology department.
The biggest low point, however, is the loss of colleagues to share stories, commiserate about prickly parents or students, and collaborate on developing creative lesson plans.
I am a social creature by nature and the low point regarding being a business owner definitely connects to the loss of the social aspects of working in a wonderful school that values teachers and education such as New Trier.
I love libraries, especially the Wilmette Public Library, and used to be a frequent visitor so when I read about free small business help from SCORE North Cook and Lake County. I decided to see what that really meant as I needed help starting my business.
The SCORE North Cool and Lake Counties Chapter service I use the most is meeting with my SCORE mentor, Mark Lieberman, and gaining his perspective on strategies and tasks for growing my business.
My mentor has helped me by offering a unique point of view on many aspects of business from clarifying offers, to marketing, to scaling my business as he has much more business experience than me; additionally, my mentor has introduced me to other SCORE mentors such as Margaret Eastwood who have expertise in specific areas like SEO (Search Engine Optimization).
Many people have ideas and most of those ideas remain in their minds. Below Amy shares seven important business growth tips for start-up entrepreneurs:
- Action creates clarity. Take inspired action every day.
- Write out your 90-day goals, one-year goals, and three-year goals.
- Get comfortable with the uncomfortable
- Build the plane while it's in the air. Get going.
- There is no failure, especially when your action is inspired by good. There is no failure, only life lessons.
- People need you. Make the offer. Close the sale because the transformation is in the transition.
- Get help when you cannot complete something by yourself. You must invest in your business to grow it, just like you invested in your children for their growth.
Get help. Create a plan. Keep going confidently in the direction of your dreams; but remember, dreams do not happen, plans happen. Make it happen. Set up a mentoring relationship with SCORE, funded by the SBA (Small Business Administration).
The idea for the business originated when I was a classroom teacher due to the frustration my students at New Trier High School felt as they struggled to understand, “what makes good writing.”
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