HCM UNIVERSITE LIBRE DE BRUXELLES HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL MBAVB3 NGÔ QUỐC PHONG BUSINESS PLAN FOR A START-UP ENGLISH TRAINING SERVICE CENTER MASTER P
Executive summary
The Business plan is at the cross-roads of the team, the opportunity and the resources
Exhibit 1: Components of a business plan
Seven years teaching English at leading schools like VUS, Elite, and Cleverlearn revealed a disheartening homogeneity in teaching methods While successful students thrived, underperforming students remained disengaged, highlighting a critical need for differentiated instruction This standardized approach leaves struggling learners without effective support.
Discovering Adam Khoo's "I Am Gifted, So Are You" two years ago transformed my perspective on success and happiness This book instilled the belief that mastering English is achievable for any student with sufficient desire, belief, and effective learning strategies.
Underperforming students often lack motivation, confidence (hindered by negative teacher feedback), and/or effective learning strategies.
Inspired by struggling students, I founded a school employing innovative teaching methods, leveraging cutting-edge knowledge and personal experience Instead of teachers, we use coaches to set goals, create action plans, and foster a fun, competitive learning environment Our mission is to cultivate students' self-learning abilities and passion for English, equipping them with essential self-teaching tools often overlooked in traditional schools.
Collaborating with Ms Ha, a colleague who already successfully implemented a student study skills program, revealed shared concerns and a synergistic vision Her proven success makes her an ideal R&D Manager candidate for significant contributions to the school.
Ms Huong, a marketing expert I met at Royal Business School, completes our management team Her expertise will be invaluable, addressing my lack of practical marketing experience crucial for our service-based business's success She is an ideal Marketing Manager.
Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Education reports booming demand in English training, yet student needs remain unmet, leading to frequent school changes This presents a significant opportunity for our school to focus on profitable General English courses for high-growth market segments: high school and university students, and middle-class white-collar workers.
Our competitive advantages stem from a comprehensive, innovative methodology, robust marketing strategies, a strong company culture, and a skilled 23-person team.
Our first-year goals are a 40% ROI and 10% profitability, achievable with 50% capacity utilization (10 students per class), projecting $629,000 in sales, $93,800 EBIT, and $84,400 profit (43% ROI and 13% profitability).
With a strong team, ample resources, and significant market opportunity, we are confident in achieving business success and delivering substantial societal value.
Definition of the market
High Low Medium high low high
Exhibit 2: English training market (Source: Vietnam Investment Group – VIG)
The English training market has been seeing substantial demand (750,000 enrolled students in 2009 (HCMC Dept of Education)), scattered supply and generally low entry barriers due to low initial capital investment
Each year there are around 35 – 40 new schools, about 5 – 10 of which are branches of big schools The others are mainly small centers
Vietnam's rapid GDP growth fuels its rise as a global player, making English proficiency essential for success across all sectors.
Ngo Quoc Phong's MBAVB3 targets a broad demographic, from high school and university students to office workers The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education identified this market as highly potential, particularly between 2012 and 2016 due to favorable educational policy changes.
In short, the market size is huge and the growth rate is high
New English schools face a challenging market: rapid growth means high competition and low initial market share Significant investment in branding and market acquisition is crucial for these startups to achieve sustainable growth.
The school should also follow differentiation and niche strategies (according to Professor Michael Porter) to stand out in the crowd
A Tool for Assessing Industry Attractiveness: Porter’s Five Forces
Exhibit 4: Porter’s Five Forces a) Existing firms
There are around 500 English schools including branches of big centers in HCM city So the competition is very severe b) Threat of new entrants
Low entry barriers and high market demand make the English school business attractive; minimal capital and technology are required for startup.
The main suppliers are teachers However, there are not enough good teachers for all schools, especially foreign teachers As a result, almost every school is in need of
Ngo Quoc Phong – MBAVB3 good teachers, which creates a high pressure of teachers’ remuneration and benefits on schools, especially new and infamous ones
High-quality service delivery in education relies heavily on well-trained teachers, a crucial factor in this people-intensive industry However, teacher retention is a major challenge due to high teacher turnover, driven by competitive benefits offered by other schools.
English learners have so many options/schools to choose from, so their bargaining power is also very high e) Substitute products
Students can learn English outside traditional schools via home tutors or self-study, utilizing readily available resources like books, CDs, and free online courses English is mandatory in secondary and higher education, further supported by numerous international schools offering English-language instruction.
II Critical needs of the market
In general, students want to learn English in a fun, effective and efficient way
Student school loyalty is low due to the overwhelming number of educational options, leading to frequent school changes in search of the ideal fit.
Although English is one subject, different people have different needs which lead to different products For example:
7 TOEFL iBT/ IELTS (for those who wish to study abroad)
9 Accelerated learning courses (for those who want to study at a faster pace)
Ho Chi Minh City's English school market, segmented into three tiers by VIG, features high-class institutions like the British Council (renowned but expensive), ILA (popular for children's programs with multiple branches), and Cleverlearn (rapidly expanding with high enrollment and franchise opportunities) Apollo's Ho Chi Minh City branch, however, struggles with poor facilities and reputation.
Ngo Quoc Phong's MBAVB3 program and its successful FTDP initiative deploy foreign teachers to nearly 40 Ho Chi Minh City schools VUS, a popular mid-range option with numerous branches, offers lower tuition than premium schools but employs only 30% foreign teachers, and its teaching quality has reportedly declined Outerspace, another mid-range option, commands high tuition fees despite primarily using native-speaking teachers.
Vietnamese language schools offer diverse options Budget-friendly choices like Pedagogy University boast numerous locations and low tuition ($10-$20/month), while larger chains like VUS, though possessing extensive resources, employ a rapid-results teaching style better suited for beginners Higher-end schools such as Atalanta and EduWorld command premium fees but maintain smaller class sizes, often operating at a loss Elite, a VUS offshoot, provides a more affordable alternative with a streamlined structure, but rapid expansion is impacting its teaching quality.
500,000 students ü Duong Minh, Dong Au, IWEP, My Uc, etc.: target mass market with very low fee
Despite low monthly tuition ($10-$25), numerous branches, and high student enrollment, this franchise suffers from poor facilities, subpar teaching, and significant student churn (up to 70%), resulting in inconsistent and unpredictable growth across locations.
School Average fee/hour Student body Growth rate
Exhibit 5: Comparison of some English schools
We choose the middle class segment for the following reasons:
- This is the biggest segment in size with highest growth rate
High-end English language schools necessitate 100% foreign teachers, demanding significant investment and posing recruitment challenges, particularly for new institutions While experienced founders advocate a 30% foreign teacher ratio, securing and retaining qualified expatriate staff is difficult due to high turnover among transient teachers Therefore, substantial resources may be needed for teacher training and methodology development.
Low tuition fees in lower-class schools hinder recruitment of qualified teachers, impacting educational quality and our growth Limited capital restricts effective marketing and branding, crucial for long-term sustainability.
This General English course, focusing on all four language skills—particularly listening and speaking—targets senior high school, university students, and white-collar professionals seeking effective English improvement despite prior unsuccessful attempts.
In his best-seller book “I am gifted, so are you”, Adam Khoo suggests the following formula: DESIRE + BELIEF + STRATEGIES = SUCCESS
Motivation is crucial for English language acquisition; without a genuine desire to learn, success is unlikely regardless of teaching quality Conversely, a strong need to master English fosters the dedication required for achievement.
Business Description and Vision
Exhibit 7: Corporate Envisioning Process (Source: Prof Lee, Hofstra University) Notes: ã CC: Core Competences ã CSF: Critical Success Factors ã KPI: Key Performance Indicators
To help people build up their desire, belief and strategies to be able to teach themselves English in a fun, effective and efficient way
Lodestar becomes a household name when it comes to English training
Communicating core values to all employees and students builds a strong brand and culture, providing a significant competitive advantage.
“Your destiny is yours to create”, says Adam Khoo Save yourself first, and others will save you later
Self-reliance unlocks untapped potential for problem-solving; passive dependence hinders success.
In addition, if you know how to help yourself, you’ll be respected and others will prefer helping you
Finally, if you take responsibility for everything that happens to your life, you will feel happier for sure
Students learn proactive English self-teaching strategies using various tools, fostering a love for the language and establishing independent learning habits.
Business is for profit, but if a company spares no means to chase money, how can you expect your employees not to jump to other companies for better remuneration?
Maintain ethical recruiting practices; avoid misrepresenting qualifications or employing unqualified teachers Honesty fosters employee loyalty and builds client trust.
One – way communication is never allowed Sometimes it’s the lowest level employees who have the best ideas
Curiosity is paramount, especially in education and the workplace A Chinese proverb highlights this: "He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes; he who doesn’t remains a fool forever." Openly questioning confusion is encouraged for both students and employees.
There is always room for the best to be better You will fall behind as soon as you feel complacent That’s why constant improvement is very important
A healthily competitive environment through a variety of incentives will help students and staff improve themselves quickly and effectively
“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most responsive to change” – Charles Darwin
Adaptability is crucial for success in today's dynamic world Effective teaching requires individualized approaches, varying strategies for diverse learners.
The same rule applies to business We have to keep our eyes open to changes and trends in the market
Superior service quality hinges on prompt responses and a client-centric approach, ensuring timely assistance and rapid resolution of requests.
You can hardly achieve great things if you don’t feel happy doing them So whatever activities we are involved in, we have to make them fun
The adage "we get what we measure" highlights a detrimental effect of "Best Teacher" awards: competition stifles collaboration Teachers, focused on winning, hoard teaching strategies rather than fostering a supportive, collaborative environment This results in a reluctance to share expertise and mentorship amongst colleagues.
If we also have a prize of “Contributor of the month/year”, we can change this attitude Once everybody realizes that sharing is learning, they will all be better off
Through a variety of incentives, we will encourage all staff, teachers and students to share their knowledge and learn from each other
Our team boasts extensive experience in English language training and educational management from top institutions like VUS, Cleverlearn, and Elite, coupled with strong marketing expertise This, combined with a proven, successful Asian methodology (Desire + Belief + Strategies) and strong internal relationships, forms the foundation of our company culture and strategic partnerships across diverse industries.
Our startup English school faces challenges including brand recognition, requiring a pilot project to refine methodology, and needing thorough market research to understand client needs Financial limitations necessitate exploring additional funding for rapid expansion, while inexperienced management and costly, time-intensive teacher training pose further obstacles.
Vietnam's rapidly expanding English language training market presents significant opportunities New market segments (high and low income) and geographic areas (other Vietnamese provinces) are ripe for expansion Product diversification, including courses for children, teens, TOEFL/IELTS test preparation, and corporate training, offers further growth potential Franchising, a proven model for service businesses, allows for scalable expansion Partnerships with international high schools could extend the methodology beyond English to other subjects and grade levels.
Our business faces threats from competitor imitation, established international training brands like EMPGI (with $2 billion in annual sales) potentially entering the Vietnamese market, and the risk of key personnel departures.
Curriculum is standardized and optimized
Growth rate (number of students) = 30%
2 new products (English for children and Business English which focuses on in-house courses at companies)
Turnover rate = 20% (in which turnover rate of teachers is 15%)
Turnover rate = 15% (in which turnover rate of teachers is 10%)
Year 3 will see expansion via franchising and corporate chains, leveraging economies of scale to reduce management and marketing costs and boost profitability.
Furthermore, we will have more teachers, which will reduce their bargaining power as we don’t have to depend on few teachers like in the early days
Turnover rate = 15% (in which turnover rate of teachers is 10%)
VI Strategies and Action plans
1 Marketing and Sales: see below
Employee success is paramount to company success Within the first year, HR must implement a comprehensive policy covering recruitment, career development, training, succession planning, and retention.
The HR department must collaborate with R&D to recruit sufficient qualified personnel, including at least one foreign teacher, one month prior to launch, as per the organizational chart.
Description of Products and Services
8 levels from Elementary to Advanced
2 hours/day, 3 days/week, 15 weeks (3.5 months/level)
Formal materials: textbook of General English and Business English, video clips by
Oxford or Cambridge, CD-ROMs of famous publishers
Informal resources like online jokes, short stories, video clips, and songs expose students to authentic English, bridging the gap between textbook language and everyday conversational English This "real" English enriches presentations and enhances language acquisition.
As a result, students would be more interested because of the practical learning content Students will also be taught and encouraged to use popular tools that teachers use like
Students can boost their English skills and confidence by actively engaging with learning resources like Oxford dictionaries, collocation dictionaries, and thesauruses, supplementing their studies with engaging books such as L Ron Hubbard's grammar guides and George Woolard's "Grammar with Laughter." This proactive approach fosters a fun and effective learning environment.
“fishing rod”, right tools and habits to teach themselves English The secret to English proficiency is no longer a scary mystery
Held in the first day of each course (2 hours)
Purpose: help students build their DESIRE (e.g by setting their SMART goals) + BELIEF + STRATEGIES
Expected result: a customized STUDY PLAN for each student (2 copies, 1 attached to the student’s book, the other the class’s folder)
Class documents, based on established learning strategies like Adam Khoo's methodologies and Myron H Dembo's "Motivation and Learning Strategies for College Success," will foster student commitment This approach, piloted successfully by Ms Ha, will be standardized within the school's operational procedures.
This orientation session leverages the "I Am Gifted" program, licensed from Adam Khoo by TGM Corporation, incorporating key learnings and activities experienced by its founders.
The teaching philosophy is based on , so teachers are encouraged to use more of the activities at the bottom of the pyramid
The higher level, the less teaching teachers do Instead, their role is more like coaches and mentors
Unlike other English schools that minimize homework, prioritizing in-class learning to accommodate busy students, a different approach is employed.
Mastering English requires consistent practice; 6 or 4.5 hours weekly is insufficient Increased exposure leads to improved proficiency and enjoyment Our program differentiates itself by requiring both individual and group assignments, including presentations.
Ngo Quoc Phong – MBAVB3 will be graded by the teachers and students themselves The student’s GPA (Grade Point
Average) will be a function of various scores like midterm, final exam, individual and group tasks
Teachers provide varied, adaptable homework options tailored to each lesson (e.g., using Simple Present Tense in sentences, songs, or interviews) Student choice and self-commitment, fostered through peer sharing, encourage consistent practice, checked at the start of the following class.
Through a variety of incentives, all activities should increase the competitive and fun atmosphere of the class, which is also one of the values of the school as mentioned above
Again, you cannot do anything well unless you find it interesting
People skills (very important): presentation skills (basic, intermediate, advanced), business writing, leadership, teambuilding…
Study skills: 7 principles for good memory (suggested by Adam Khoo)…
Outdoor activities: interviewing foreign tourists…
Organization and Management
Jan Carlzon transformed SAS, a European airline, from a $20 million deficit to a $54 million profit in a single year by prioritizing customers and employees, empowering frontline staff, and aligning strategic and human resources to support this customer-centric approach, including significant leadership changes.
As a result, SAS 25 years later is still the leading business airline in Europe
Learning from this example, we will apply the same approach to our organization structure
Success hinges on facilitating others' work This "golden rule" applies from CEOs supporting department heads to frontline staff easing customer interactions, aligning with core values and ensuring optimal service.
Other tasks will be outsourced, e.g legal procedures
Leading as the founding CEO, I will collaborate with co-founders on strategic and tactical decisions, leveraging my expertise to directly contribute to R&D and Sales & Marketing in the initial stages, ensuring the company's success.
Our client services team, comprised of a manager and six staff members working three daily shifts, ensures smooth client interaction They communicate our values, methodology, and programs, manage classrooms, and address client inquiries and complaints Their pivotal role in client acquisition and retention makes them the vital first point of contact.
Ha, a founder, will lead the department, standardizing curriculum, extracurricular activities, and teacher training through candidate interviews, observation, feedback, and professional development, alongside the CEO and two staff members, ensuring high teaching quality.
Leading the newly formed Brand Development department is co-founder Ms Huong and two staff members Their focus will be on building brand strength and expanding market share.
There will be 1 accountant to deal with accounting issues and suppliers
There will be 1 HR executive to deal with HR issues and legal documents
The head of this department will take care of all IT and technical issues He will also manage 4 security guards and 2 cleaners
Our school will be a joint stock company
III Profiles of Key Managers
Please see the 3 founders’ CVs in the appendix
Corporate culture is very important as it is one of our core competencies
In order to create a highly performing staff and competitive environment, we will apply the following principles:
1 Five things to build an outstanding staff: according to “Tam @ quốc” (The three kingdoms), a famous book by “Cheng Jun Yi” (Thành Quân Ức) a) Create a for employees
Building trust among employees requires a bottom-up organizational structure and a commitment to supporting colleagues Managers fostering trust must lead by example.
The company will also welcome change and decentralize decision-making as stated in the bottom-up organization chart b) Make feel of the company
Employees’ pride is one of their main motivations
Internal communication and branding are critical to making all employees fully aware of our mission, vision, values, core competencies, goals and strategies For
Ngo Quoc Phong – MBAVB3 example, we can hold a competition in which our staff is challenged to demonstrate our
Aligning personal and corporate goals through career planning fosters eight core values, boosting employee engagement, collaboration, and retention Meaningful work, coupled with clear career paths, leads to greater effectiveness and longevity within the company.
Optimizing individual performance is crucial for overall team success A strong team relies on each member's maximized contribution, ensuring both employee satisfaction and company prosperity Strategic team goal setting is essential to achieve this.
A manager’s job is to drive his team towards a common goal which will relieve personal conflicts and strengthen cooperation e)
“Scientific” means timely and accurate evaluation In principle, it means “fair internal treatment and competitive benefits” whether the awards are material or not
2 Rewarding system: this system will be applied to both staff and students
Different awards are set for different levels
When a person performs at a specific standard, he/she will receive a certain number of honor points
Earn points redeemable for rewards such as bonuses, movie tickets, training courses, or travel This flexible system lets users save points for their desired rewards.
Boost student engagement and creativity with in-class group presentations Reward inventive approaches, such as acting out jokes, for extra credit.
3 Planned, spontaneous recognition (informal system): according to “The Sid story”, a training video based on a real story in the US
The same award at the same time will not work long The employees will get bored and soon take it for granted, their performance will deteriorate
Boost employee engagement with creative, personalized rewards and public recognition to foster healthy competition and pride.
Boost employee morale and productivity with inexpensive yet impactful incentives like verbal praise, a simple handshake, small tokens of appreciation, shared meals, or a supportive pat on the back.
Unexpected rewards are the most effective employee incentives Spontaneous, surprise recognition maximizes impact, despite careful planning.
Ask yourself 2 questions: “What behavior will I look for today?” and “How will I reward my employees/students when I see it?”
Marketing and Sales Strategy
Marketing is one of the critical success factors, so we will spend $40,000 (18% of the total investment) for Marketing in the first year
II Characteristics of a service business
Different from tangible goods, a service is intangible So it’s hard for clients to actually grasp the concept and create an image of the real service in their mind
A service often uses lots of people and production cannot be automated with machinery
So the quality is inconsistent depending on laborers’ performance
Simultaneous production and consumption characterize services, as exemplified by teaching This necessitates close client contact, often diverting service providers from optimal quality assurance.
Unsold class seats are lost revenue, similar to perishable goods This fluctuating supply and demand creates scheduling challenges, resulting in either too many empty seats or insufficient classroom space.
Service convenience is crucial; inconvenient location or operating hours can lead to postponement or substitution by clients seeking alternatives.
FIGURE 12-6 The five dimensions of service quality
Exhibit 10: Five dimensions of service quality
Service quality control is crucial due to the inherent inconsistency and inseparability of services Maintaining quality requires standardized systems, operations, ongoing training, and continuous R&D observation and feedback for teaching staff.
However, we do understand that there should be no hard and fast rules in teaching So teachers’ performance is also evaluated based on less subjective criteria like students survey
Measuring teacher performance using KPIs, such as student progress on mid-term and final exams in Ngo Quoc Phong's MBAVB3 class, is crucial because effective measurement drives improved teaching practices.
We will also standardize our facilities to improve the tangibility and train the other staff to offer the highest responsiveness, assurance, professionalism and empathy
Our competitive pricing of $3/hour (vs VUS's $3.9/hour) reflects our commitment to value, despite VUS possessing a stronger brand and facilities We confidently offer superior quality.
Because of the service supply/demand imbalance (no inventory), we will apply discrimination pricing to fill up the rooms and maximize our profit (yield management)
Student discounts are capped at 20% for a limited number of students to protect brand value This allocation will be adjusted annually based on demand patterns.
To supplement initial revenue, we will lease rooms to companies for daytime training sessions during the first year of low student enrollment.
Effective promotion enhances brand awareness, improves customer understanding of our concept and product offerings, and ultimately boosts brand recall.
An appealing, interactive school website provides essential information, a forum for Q&A and experience sharing, and a platform for engaging learning contests with attractive prizes.
Second, we will make alliance with TGM Corporation, who aspires to help Vietnamese people with useful living skills inspired by Adam Khoo Corporation I have attended several of
Ngo Quoc Phong's MBAVB3 seminars reveal strong student desire for English improvement and enhanced learning skills Our methodology, partly based on Adam Khoo's ideas, aligns with TGM's, suggesting a mutually beneficial partnership Collaboration could involve website link sharing and student referrals with discounted rates.
Free workshops, offering a taste of our methodology and including prizes, will be held at local high schools, universities, and corporations Professor Hopstaken will speak at these events, promoting our program and serving as a key outreach strategy.
Strategic PR involves cultivating journalist relationships to promote workshops and Professor Hopstaken's article on English language acquisition using our methodology, bolstering brand recognition and deterring imitators.
Royal Business School, with its founders' extensive business network and thousands of trained alumni, leverages targeted email and phone outreach for effective telemarketing.
We will also use newspaper ads to promote our school
Internet and Social Media marketing may also be a good promotion channel However, we are not an expert in this, so we may consult an Internet marketing company about this
Strategic location is key for a discretionary service business District 10 offers a balance of high foot traffic (office workers, students), reasonable rent, and proximity to central districts (1, 3, and 5), justifying a large, accessible building with ample parking.
To increase the convenience, our strategy aims at geographical expansion through corporate chain and franchise system (as of year 3)
Financial Management
Cleverlearn Phu Nhuan Branch's pre-launch financial projections are detailed in the accompanying Excel file The provided calculations are based on real data.
Floor Function Room Classroom Notes
1 2 Lab room & oral test room
Classroom Quantity Unit Price Total
$ 1,350.00 Whiteboard 1 $ 25.00 $ 25.00 Teacher Desk 1 $ 25.00 $ 25.00 Student Desk 30 $ 10.00 $ 300.00
Expected Month Salary Total wage
Operation/IT Head 1 $ 350.00 $ 350.00 Security guards 2 1 3 4 $ 160.00 $ 640.00
Notes: There are 6 AOs named a, b, c, d, e, f Shift 1: a, b, c, d Shift 2: c, d Shift 3: a, b, e, f
So a, b, c, d all work 8 hours a day while e and f only works 4 So they will save the other 4 hours for the weekend The same approach is applied for R&D, Security guards and Cleaners
Investment Item Quantity Unit Price Total Percentage
Minimum Expense for first 3 months 3 $ 19,122.73 $ 57,368.19 26%
Notes: Total investment of $220,608.19 will be financed by the 3 founders (CEO, Marketing
Manager, R&D Manager) at a ratio of 3 : 1.5 : 1.5
II Monthly Break-Even Point (BEP)
Number of Classes Number of Students
Classroom Minimum Number of Students per class
Tuition fee/course $ 270.00 3.5 months/course (90 hours)
Quantity Unit Price Total Percentage
Notes: ã Direct Expenses (37%): see E3 cell in ‘Class BEP’ sheet ã Total Marketing budget for the first year is $40,000 So Marketing expense per month is
To break even, a school needs approximately 503 students at 37% capacity, given a $3,333.33 monthly fixed cost (including $40,000 annual depreciation spread over 3 years), 4% of revenue allocated to utilities, and 10 students per class Profitability reaches near zero at this student count.
Quantity Unit Price Total Percentage
Teachers Salary 90 $ 10.00 $ 900.00 Teaching Material 90 $ 1.00 $ 90.00 Certificate 11 $ 0.30 $ 3.30 Discount 0% $ - $ -
References Number of Students 503.20 Number of Classes 50.32
Monthly indirect expenses totaled $24,800.51 Over 3.5 months, indirect expenses per class amounted to 7% of the total monthly indirect expenses.
When a class has 10 students, we reach the BEP for that class (Profitability = -1% ~ 0%)
We estimate the school runs at 50% of its capacity (also with 10 students per class)
Number of Classes Number of Students
Quantity Unit Price Total Percentage
Increasing class size by just one student (to 11) yields a significant 70% ROI and 20% profitability increase Therefore, our growth strategy focuses on maximizing class enrollment through strategic pricing and promotions, rather than adding more classes.
This sales forecast (percentage of each month) is based on the sales pattern at Cleverlearn Phu Nhuan as a benchmark
Exhibit 12: Estimated Revenue in the first year
Risk Management and Limitations
Strong PR and branding are crucial to establish our methodology's ownership and deter competitor replication of this successful model.
Continuous innovation is key to staying ahead of competitors Building upon existing advantages with new developments ensures that imitators always lag behind.
Competitive advantage requires constantly outpacing competitors by developing future advantages before they copy current ones Continuous improvement, therefore, is crucial for sustainable competitive edge, as the ability to adapt and learn is the most resilient advantage.
The three founders are crucial to our success, though their levels of commitment vary As CEO and founder, my deep belief in the school's potential drives my efforts to engage and inspire my co-founders.
I also need to make succession plans to make sure there are always people (besides me) to replace them when they are sick or even leave the company
Unprofitable companies or those where founders have lost interest may benefit from a management buyout (MBO) or sale to outside investors, especially if pre-determined goals have not been met.
The trigger point for exit consideration is ROI of – 40% a year or – 20% in 2 years
Preliminary customer interviews revealed positive interest in our business concept and pricing, but further quantitative research is needed to validate customer needs and marketing mix effectiveness A pilot program with 60 students will test and optimize our teaching methodology.
Adam Khoo (2006), I am gifted, so are you!, Marshall Cavendish Editions
James C Cross and Bruce J Walker (1987), “Service Marketing and Franchising: A Practical Business Marriage”, Business Horizons, Indiana University Graduate School of Business,
Charlie Bentson King – writer and producer, “The Sid story” video, Training ABC Corporation – distributor
Thành Quân Ức (2006), Tam @ quốc, NXB Tp HCM, Việt Nam
Address : 230/18/24 Truong Chinh, Ward 13, Tan Binh District, HCMC
Interests : sports, swimming, reading, listening to music, singing
/ To develop my career in an interesting and challenging environment with excellent promotion prospects
December 2010 – present: Academic Manager, Royal Business School, HCMC
Responsibilities include developing training schedules, coordinating with professors, editing translated materials, providing in-class interpretation and assistance, recruiting trainers, ensuring professor onboarding, and interpreting for foreign judges.
“Key to success - CEO” game-show broadcast on VTV1 at 9:30pm every Wednesday
June 2009 – November 2010: Academic Coordinator, Translator, Interpreter, Royal Business School, HCMC
Duties: Translating materials for mini-MBA courses, communicating with Professors, interpreting in class and doing other logistic tasks to make sure the program goes smoothly
The courses cover a wide range of subjects including soft skills, sales, management, marketing and finance
February 2009 – June 2009: Translator-interpreter, Black & Veatch International Company
Duties: Translating and interpreting for the Central Region Small and Medium Towns Development Project, Water Supply and Drainage components
October 2008 – January 2009: Translator-interpreter, GTEK Information Technology Company
Duties: Translating documents, contracts, proposals, and website; holding an English speaking club
April 2008 – September 2008: Translator-interpreter, Khoi Nguyen Transport Trading JSC
Duties: Compiling documents, translating and interpreting for the Canadian International Private School Project
December 2006 – May 2010: English language teacher, Elite International English School
Duties: Teaching English to adults from elementary level to TOEIC, TOEFL iBT
October 2006 – October 2007: English language teacher, Vietnam Australia International School (VAS)
Duties: Teaching English to children and teenagers from Kindergarten to Junior High school
August 2004 – November 2008: English language teacher, Vietnam USA Society English Training Service Center (VUS-ETSC)
Duties: Teaching English to children, teenagers and adults from elementary to intermediate levels
Part-time translator and interpreter for VCCI, TNS (a market research company) and other organizations
/ December 2008 – present: Taking a joint MBA course of HCMC Open University and Solvay Business School, l’Université Libre de Bruxelles, Belgium
/ July 2004: BA degree in English Linguistics and Literature, University of Social Sciences and Humanities, HCMC
/ Good command of English language, translation and interpretation skills
/ Good communication and presentation skills
/ Ability to work hard, attentively and devotedly
/ Good skills at Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
Name: PHAM THI XUAN HUONG
Address: 217 Block D, Thanh Da, Binh Thanh District, HCMC
Building on my experience in advertising and marketing to develop a career as an account member in a advertising / media agency or a marketing member in a trading company
Diploma of Planning Faculty Bachelor
Certificate of Advertising (Branding; PR; Account management; Creativity; Media planning)
Certificate of Brand building Course
Certificate of Professional Sales Supervisor
Certificate of Sales system Building
VJCC – Vietnam Japan Commercial Cooperation
Certificate of Application of Customer oriented Marketing
Certificate of Accounting for leader
Certificate of Integrated Marketing planning
♦ Computer literate: Microsoft word, Power point, Excel
♦ Ability to work to tight schedule and independently
♦ Ability to work under pressure
♦ Well experienced in Marketing, Advertising, Media & Magazine publication
The company is specialized in PR, event and direct Marketing
Responsibilities: handling clients (finding new clients, consulting and planning Advertising activities) and widen market by create new products and services for company
Account Manager - PR & Event Organizer
The agency is full-service in Advertising
Responsibilities: Consulting, planning and implementing client’s Marketing, Communication, Advertising and PR-event plan
Brands: TCL electronics, Unif instant noodle, A-one instant noodle, Bibica, Enfagrow, MeadJohnson, Holcim…
The world-wide agency is full-service in Advertising
Responsibilities: in charge of managing, operating working process In charge of work quality and manage work timing Managing and assigning people’s working to meet client’s plans
The company is manufacturing compatible cartridges for printer
Responsibilities: in charge of Marketing activities: planning for Brand building campaigns: PR, Event, Advertising, Sponsorship; and planning for Marketing campaigns: Trade Marketing, Direct Marketing, Product pricing, Marketing Strategy
2006 - 2008 CHU THI – SUC SONG MOI
The company is specialized in Magazine publication and TV programe called Suc Song Moi
Responsibilities: Manage all department of Magazine unit Handling 07 key brands of Unilever and write branded-editorials for these clients
Managing all Marketing and Distribution activities for Suc Song Moi magazine
2008 – now The company is specialized in marketing and distributing imported
(from France, Italy) pharmaceutical products, including: OTC medicine, functional food and treatment cosmetic
Brands: Foltene, Younger, Vit-Hair, Domina (leading products in each segment)
Responsibility: Develop and implement annual strategic marketing plans and strategic direction for 3 – 5 years plans Developing existing products
& future potential products Conduct & analyze market research Manage
& monitor all marketing programs, including both ATL and BTL activities Develop and manage Consultant, Website and Research team
Writing & editing skill (Newspaper article, Advertising and Communication)
Wide and deep knowledge about advertising, event, PR
Knowledge about marketing, trade marketing
Work well in team environment
Mr Daniel Comar – Creative Director of Ogilvy & Mather Malaysia Email: danicomar@mac.com
Mr Đinh Trung Chính – Creative Director of VAC (Đất Việt) Mobile: 0903 958 670
NGUYEN KIM HA Tel: (+ 84) 0983 633 369 -Email: hank@imc.edu.vn
2010- 2012 University of Applied Sciences- Northwestern Switzerland MBA- MCI ( In progress)
2006-2007 Curtin University of Technology, Australia
M.A in Applied Linguistics 2005- 2006 SEAMEO- RELC Vietnam- Singapore
Diploma in TESOL 1994- 1999 University of Education, HCMC, Vietnam
From 2008 to the present, I've lectured on public speaking in the Applied Associate Science Program at Saigon Institute of Technology, affiliated with Houston Community College I also designed and lectured in study skills and skills development programs for pre-university students at Saigon Tech and IMC Institute.
2002- 2008 ã English Instructor at Saigon Tech, teaching all language skills ã English teacher at Vietnam USA Society- Appreciated as Best of the Best teacher for the exceptional teaching performance (2004)
Ngo Quoc Phong – MBAVB3 ã Math and Science English teacher in Vietnam Australia Society ( VAS) – recognized as Teacher of the Year ( continuously for 4 years)
From 1999-2002, I taught English at Nguyen Cong Tru (Go Vap District) and Trung Phu (Cu Chi) high schools while concurrently working part-time at De Nhat and Caravelle hotels following my graduation from the Hotel and Management Department of Tourism Training School.
Skills April 2010- Present ã Dean of International Cooperation and Education- Information and Mass Communication of HCMC ( IMC Institute) ã Management Consultant for IMC Institute
- Lead the college in being responsive to challenges, opportunities, and requests from national and International related affiliates
- Provide leadership in developing an academic vision and plan for the college and its programs and ensure continuing attention to the college’s vision
- Responsible for the development of school programs and collaborates with the school chancellor, provost and Department Chairs
Served as Chief Operating Officer at a college (March 2008-April 2010), overseeing instruction, research, service programs, curriculum development, and faculty/staff management Also held the position of English Education Consultant for SaigonTech Management Board during this period.
- Worked with Management Board to propose innitiatives for the school's development
- Encouraged faculty to explore new teaching methods and technology
- Offered consultation, support and resources for instructional design
- Initiated English training programs for staff (Engineering Department)
- Provided academic consultancy to SaigonTech students
- Conducted English, Public Speaking and Study Skills Courses ã Director of Studies ( English International Programs)
- Designed and maintained a curriculum that reflects the students' intake, meet the needs of the students and fullfill the mission and vission of the school
- Provided support and guidances to instructors and faculties to ensure that learning, assessing and teaching are constantly reviewed and developed in line with the school's mission
- Recruited English teachers and provided teaching methodology training
Participation in GloCALL 2007 Computer- Assisted Language Learning Conference
“Strategic Management Consulting” Certificate from University of Applied Sciences- Northwestern Switzerland
Certificate from Institute of Young Businessmen- Management for Middle Managers Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, Windows 98/NT/XP/Vista and Power Point Presentations
Organized, efficient, and possess good communication skills among fellow workers, clients and management
Freelance writer for Tuoi Tre online/ newspaper Good at photography
Awards received “ Best of the Best” teacher at Vietnam USA Society 2004)
“Teacher of Distinction/ Teacher of the Year” 2004,2005,2006,2007
“ Exceptional Teaching Performance” awarded by University of Education 1999