Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in personal development but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Amy Seeley, Founder of Seeley Test Pros, located in Lakewood, OH, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Seeley Test Pros works with students determined to maximize scores for high school, college, and graduate school admissions tests. We offer individualized tutoring and small-group classroom options in person or on Zoom to meet the diverse needs of students and their families.
Tell us about yourself
I began my career in test prep in 1994, working for Princeton Review. After gaining valuable knowledge and experience, I turned that passion into a career with Townsend Learning Centers, assuming the role of Director of Test Preparation Services.
After leaving Townsend in 2006, I began Seeley Test Preparation Services – meeting the test preparation needs of several hundred students annually in the Greater Cleveland area. As demand grew for my assistance, Seeley Test Pros was born in 2012 with the addition of tutors trained in my successful methods and strategies.
My knowledge of standardized tests is unsurpassed. My methods and techniques for navigating standardized exams guarantee students who apply themselves and are committed to obtaining higher scores. I have helped over ten thousand students to maximize their potential, leading to admission to highly selective colleges and universities, receiving lucrative scholarships or achieving National Merit status based upon high test scores.
I am the founder and co-host of Tests and the Rest: College Admissions Industry podcast, which discusses the latest issues in testing, admissions, learning, and education with leading experts. I have received ACT Instructional Mastery (AIM) status in all five categories: English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. I am only one of a handful of ACT tutors nationwide to do so. I am also an AIM instructor, training ACT educators worldwide.
I am a co-founder of the National Test Preparation Association and a member of its inaugural Board of Directors. I have presented at national test preparation conferences. I contribute to the Test Prep Tribe, a national collaboration of test prep professionals. I was accepted into and graduated from the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business program. I am a proud member of Cohort 22 and continue participating in ongoing Goldman Sachs programs.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
In early 2020, before the pandemic, I declared in a business program that I enrolled that test-optional admissions were the biggest threat to my business. It turned out that COVID made that threat 100% a reality when practically every college has gone test optional. Almost three years later, my business continues to thrive is impressive to me.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Feeling a responsibility to the people who work for you. Working every day to sustain your business and them at the same time.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Offer a product or service that you are passionate about--it will never feel like work!
- Schedule time weekly to devote to one crucial business task.
- Find colleagues within your industry who can support and challenge you to grow as a business owner.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://seeleytestpros.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seeleytestpros
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seeleytestpros/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Seeleytestpros
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-seeley-35091338/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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