A Primary School In the North - Another Satisfied Client Gained

Today, I had a meeting with one of our clients from a primary school in the Northern part of Singapore. It was a very fruitful meeting with a few pleasant surprises here and there. I went to the meeting with our sales rep. As an operations head, my primary concern is gathering feedback on the program and our trainers. She expressed her happiness and satisfaction of our training program, quality of trainers and other administration support. When I heard to that, it really made my day. I am a satisfied person knowing i gained another satisfied customer. This is the thumbs up that I have been working hard for!

Then the next surprise came in... 3 of her colleagues came and joined in the meeting. They wanted Moneytree Singapore to conduct social enterprise and financial literacy programs as well. In total, we will be working with this school for 3 programs! Alhamdulillah! It is definitely good news. If you have just read this, do note that this is not a fluke. You have no idea how much tears and sweat I shed and the number of sleepless nights i had in the last 3 months. I am no sales person. I am an operations head. My job is to deliver. When schools talk to me, I can only share with them what my team and I can deliver. If it is something beyond our capabilities, I will let them know. I will not sell something I do not have or able to do. I am just glad that the trainers and facilitators are behind me. They are an adaptable, responsible and flexible bunch of trainers that took us years to build.

to a member of my training team, Christine - Good job! this one is dedicated to you!

ACE Entrepreneurship Week and I.C.E Challenge 2012 video

Heard of ACE Entrepreneurship Week? Heard of ICE Challenge? Here is a compilation of photos of those event.

 Enjoy..

Busy Post Exam Period

Every year, we have always been the busiest in September, October and November. This year was exceptionally busy. It is a good sign for the company. However, to me, it will be a good sign only when we complete the job well and the teacher or principal gives us a thumbs up. Am I setting to high a standard? Maybe. Am I such a sadist and perfectionist that will go all the way just for that thumbs up? I am not a perfectionist, honestly. If you guys know me or have read my earlier entries, I am actually passionate about education, be it for kids or adults. Joining the Ministry has always been at the back of my mind but a lot of time, I feel that I may not have the flexibility to let my ideas flow. Pls do not get me wrong. I believe MOE advocates innovation and creativity but it's just that I need more flexibility. Moreover, as a private trainer, I have the flexibility to train adults.

Back to the topic; this year Moneytree has worked with 60 schools in Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Enterprise and Financial Literacy programs. Recently, we completed a test run of our Co-operative module, which was a great success. The students at Orchid Park Secondary were simply awesome. My hope for all the students in our program is that we have put you though a series of workshops and activities. Most of it are fun activities with lessons behind it, some of it will grill you and teaches you the meaning of perseverance and the importance of not giving up. Success has never given up people. It is people who gives up success. I hope that those lessons will equip you with the necessary lives' skills and may it be useful wherever you go.

Just to share, Moneytree has a few programs;

1. Innovation & Enterprise
2. Social Enterprise Program
3. Financial Literacy Program
4. Blogshop and Online Business
5. Co-operative Program

For item 1 & 2, We've worked with Science Dept, D&T, Pupil Development, Student Leaders, Green Club and I&E Club. We've also done a full cohort program, say whole of Sec 1 or 2 and then select 40 students to form a focus group.
For item 3, we have it in 2 structures,
a. full cohort program. usually this is taken by teachers overseeing Humanities, Student Leadership and Maths
b. elective module - We have a Financial Literacy Board game this year as an elective module for NT classes.

For item 4 and 5, we have it for Elective Modules and Clubs.

There are fundings available for schools to tap on. So that makes it more affordable for schools to bring lives' skills to students from Primary, Secondary and Tertiary(ITE Included)

In November this year, Moneytree and ACE organised the ACE Entrepreneurship Week and the ICE Challenge. It was a tremendous success.

We hope to see more schools taking part. It is not about winning or losing. I think its about an opportunity for the students to be exposed and gain an experience that will last their lifetime.

Awarded 3-year Exclusive Training Contract and a Successful Co-operative Pilot Run

Photo taken from SNCF website. Team from Moneytree is represented by CEO-Ryan Soh, Moneytree Asia-Pac Director- Michael Reyes, Program Development Manager-Swati Arya and Head of Projects - Faizal
SNCF is represented by CEO- Dolly Goh, Senior Manager - May Ling and Relationship Manager - Williams Goh

We were awarded an exclusive 3-year contract from Singapore National Co-operative Federation to develop and run co-operative programs in schools. 

http://www.sncf.org.sg/web/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=49

In October 2012, We have just successfully completed a pilot program for Cooperative Program. The school, Orchid Park Secondary sent a group of students and the top team were invited to the ACE Entrepreneurship Week for a showcase.

This program was intended as an elective modules, promoting Co-operative spirit in entrepreneurship, rather than the usual money driven entrepreneurship program.
If co-operative seems familiar but not sure what, let me give you an example of co-operative in local context;
a. NTUC Fairprice
b. Singapore Malay Teachers' Co-op.

What is a co-op? 
According to Wikipedia,  a co-op is an autonomous association of persons who voluntarily cooperate for their mutual, social, economic, and cultural benefit. It is owned and managed by the people who use its services (a consumer cooperative) and/or by the people who work there (a worker cooperative) or by the people who live there (a housing cooperative)
It is very common for an agriculture society or country where farmers pull their resources together for a common goal. With combined resources, farmers could afford to improve productivity and earn better returns for their yield.

NTUC has played a major role in controlling the prices of necessities such as rice and sugar. With the financial power to purchase goods by the masses and investment in logistic infrastructure, locals are able to enjoy affordable supplies while other countries suffer fluctuating prices, especially when they lack the muscle to mass purchase.

In general, Co-operative program is an entrepreneurship program but rather than focusing on making money, our program focuses on meeting unmet/insufficient social needs, values and teamwork. Co-operatives can never be born without teamwork.