Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Nikki Eddy, Co-Founder and CEO of Wowza Learning LLC., located in Charleston, SC, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Wowza Learning is an Ed Tech company that creates gamified teaching platforms. We serve students, teachers, and school districts.
Tell us about yourself
I've been a high school English teacher for 18 years, and I believe, like Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."
In 2020, a former student of mine and I were talking, and the conversation landed on how tech is being used in classrooms. We spoke about how the most popular gamified educational platforms were isolating for struggling students and didn't really deliver authentic learning opportunities. We knew we could build a better platform that helps teachers deliver content, turns struggling students into heroes, and acts as more of a gamified teaching partner than a platform.
This is how our teacher-student duo decided to build our first game, Zoinks! We now have a team of seven talented people, and we are piloting successfully in a few districts, and are excited for our major launch in 2023!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment as a business owner has been pivoting from a completely different field into building and running a company. Humans often get into a single-minded approach to life, and it took a fair amount of courage and audacity to do this. I am still a full-time educator, so I work endless hours in the mornings, nights, and weekends, and I could not do it without my team, family, friends, and dogs. I am beyond grateful for the opportunities and lessons of the last three years.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Early on, my co-founder told me something that remains true: the biggest challenge will be communication. Whether it's articulating the needs of the build, messaging for the website, or just understanding the landscape of business formation, it is critical to be able to communicate with precision and efficiency.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Write a mission statement early on, and always keep it at the center. When you start to feel a bit lost, it's a great reminder.
- You are on a staircase, and if you focus on what's at the top, you will feel overwhelmed and uncertain. Of course, be aware of where you're heading, but really the focus is just the next step in front of you, one at a time.
- Be open-minded and receptive to feedback, especially when it's critical. Don't get defensive if someone says they don't like something you've done. Find out what they don't like, ask them what they'd prefer, find out if that is true of your other users, and then fix it and make it shine for them!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.wowzalearning.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mseteach
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikki-eddy/
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.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.