Where do I go now?

[Fonly]

Dear W&SS members:


A the beginning of 07, I was still posting messages on the board, and furthuring my knowledge of wilderness survival. In september, I moved back to Nova Scotia and put everything I've wrote and things I read to the test, I had many outings, leard the Native edible plants, tested my head against mother natures and came out ok.
During my time back, I found out a love I had for teaching the things I knew. I took several kids out, age ranging from 8 to 16 and showed them what I knew. I feel confident that what I told, and showed them was the best I could, and that they left the woods after a weekand knowing how to keep them selves alive, while still having fun. On thing I know I will never forget is the teaching part, I love it. Showing someone the simple craft of making bowls and spoons, to identifing their limits and abilitys. Also working as a team. I cant thank everyone enough for showing that, is been a life changing time for me.

What I want to do is thank everyone for the things I learned over the last two years. Even while I was back there, I read new posts and continued my knowhow.

Now, being only 18( I know, thats a surprise to some) I want to hear from some of you who teach the skills in a real corse. I would like to begin my own buisness soon and show people what I have learned parttime.

What type of things do you guys think would be benifitial to a public crowd?

Things I should be focusing on, tools I should supply and things I should watch out for. This isnt going to be happening for a few more years, in the mean time I will be taking various consevation and forestry programs and what ever other courses I can managed to put under my belt. Soon I hope to become a Conservation officer.

 

[akabu]

First form a LLC [Limited Liability Corporation] or incorporate yourself to protect your assets!
Second Get good Insurance.
Third get advanced Medical training as you will be dealing with people who do not know about outdoor dangers
Take a small business course and also Public speaking, if there is an acting class that would also help.
This is not Bush Craft but the realties of Businesses.

 

[southern bigfoot]

The business side of things is real and important in any new enterprise, take your time to learn the accounting and administration skills. I'm not a teacher of bushcraft, but I have taught both woodwork and metalwork and teaching in my opinion is about getting people comfortable enough to be able to ask the stupidest questions without feeling like they are being judged, and as the instructor, to relay your knowledge to them in whatever way is best for them, some learn by doing, some need to follow written instruction, others can learn by seeing you demonstrate a skill.
Business is really about the relationships you form and how good those relationships are, the best marketing you can do is let satisfied clients tell every one of their friends and family how great your course is.

A great businessman once told me to forget about making the money, be the absolute best you can at what you want to do, the cash will follow.

 

[raybadge]

Sometimes I think that being a successful business man is entirely different from being a successful craftsman. The business man's goal is to make money. The craftsman's goal is his art. There are a lot of compromises when you try to put them together with the craftsman almost always making the crompromises. You may have to be prepared to seperate your love of bushcraft from the the course you're planning to deliver. You may also have to figure out how to deliver your course in such a way as to make sure your students leave extremely happy with not only the course, but you as well. Your former students are probably going to best your best advertisements. Kinda been there and done that. Good luck!