Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Robb Jenson, Owner of Avant Garde - College Prep Services, located in College Station, TX, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Avant Garde – College Prep Services (AGP) is your one-stop destination for test preparation (SAT & ACT), college application and essay prep, and family consultation in Bryan/College Station and beyond, including virtual services. We manage every aspect of the college preparation experience through a variety of unique services. Families can customize their experience with us, choosing to utilize all we have to offer or select individual resources.
Our primary clients are high school students and their families. However, we also have services that can help middle school and college students navigate the next steps in their academic journey.
Tell us about yourself
The idea came from my wife. She encouraged me to pursue this field as an opportunity to start a business. I worked at Texas A&M University and held several student development and recruitment positions. From this experience, I learned a lot about what makes a successful college student and how to successfully prepare them for post-graduate success. I saw an opportunity where high school students could equally benefit from this level of coaching, helping them to realize their talent and gifts and how to focus their efforts on growing these areas.
My business started with a couple of clients that I was meeting individually within their homes. Within a year, I found myself with enough clients that I was consistently spending my Sunday afternoons in a Starbucks meeting with clients. Over time, it grew to have a single office and then hired additional staff members to accommodate the additional set of services that we offered. Today, we have a 1600-square-foot facility and six staff members to help us deliver our various services.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I am most proud of how our services and ability to reach and help students grow with each passing year. It is my goal that we continue to expand the set of services that we provide to enrich our students' college prep journey. The addition of new staff members has allowed us to use their talents and, in return, help other students grow as people. Because of this, the list of services that we offer grows each year, and it is my goal that this trend continues.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Just the amount of effort that is required to grow. In the beginning, it takes a tremendous of effort, money, and time to grow. The patience required to stick it through is the most challenging part because you cannot expect immediate results.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Find your support network, whether that is through family, friends, or a professional network. You will need their help in several ways to survive at first.
- Never be afraid to change or pivot from original ideas. The marketplace drives your services and products, and it is up to you as the owner to adapt, especially at the start.
- Keep going. The first few years are a tough hill to climb, but if you enjoy a constant set of new challenges, owning your own business can be rewarding.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Our services now extend beyond the Brazos Valley and have clients nationally and internationally. We're both excited and proud to have our name shared by others who have allowed us to extend our reach.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.avantgardeprep.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/avantgarde.collegeprepservices
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/avantgarde.collegeprep/
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/3LN2YEA
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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