Entrepreneur takes life-long learning out of the classroom and into social venues

Showcasing early entrepreneurs has a twofold purpose. One is to offer an added marketing communications or social media element to help promote their businesses. The second is to provide a forum through which they can guide other aspiring business owners around avoidable obstacles and toward a path of attainable goals. Sharing insights begins with hearing their stories firsthand beginning with a conversation with

Julianna Greer, founder and host
Nouveau
info@nouveau-dupage.com
www.nouveau-dupage.com
phone: 630-984-5365
cell: 630-306-6767
blog: http://nouveau-dupage.com/blog.htm

ABOUT MY BUSINESS
Nouveau offers interactive life-enrichment programs that are mostly classes and workshops along with some fun events. Our popular topics include memory improvement, stress management, dream interpretation, how to sell on eBay™ which is a direct result of the economy because people are trying to get rid of their unnecessary items, live more simply and make money at the same time. Another presentation that goes over well is entitled “Welcome to the New Normal.” While I have a degree in gerontology and present several of the programs myself, Nouveau encompasses a reserve of professionals that delivers the wide-ranging topics listed on our program of events.

WHY I STARTED THE BUSINESS
Nouveau began out of a desire to develop a business that we could build and run from anywhere. My husband and I talked about the type of business that we’d want to be involved in after retirement. Meanwhile, I could see the days of my current career were numbered, so when I did lose my job, Nouveau began sooner than later.

OUR UNIQUENESS
What makes Nouveau unlike anything else is that we focus on humanities, psychology and personal growth. Community colleges tend to focus on computer training, foreign languages and, in some cases, culinary arts all in an academic environment. What we do is host our events in a more social setting with the right ambiance where refreshments are available. We specifically avoid holding our classes in classrooms or boardrooms for this purpose. Looking toward next year, I envision event planning services that would include content-based marketing and fund-raising events for retail businesses and non-profits.

OUR IDEAL CLIENT
We’ve found that people most interested in life-long learning tend to be adults over 35 with at least some college education. I’m reaching these people through a number of groups on LinkedIn™ and my Facebook™ page. I’m also making use of press releases to announce our various events. At the same time, I’m offering some free programs to develop name recognition. I conduct a regularly-scheduled email blast to my mailing list along with targeted direct mail campaigns. Plus, I will be starting my own MeetUp™ group. We’ve found that the most effective way to broadcast our programs is by the venue itself posting them on its own event calendar. I’m looking to partner with various restaurants or businesses who would find our life-enriching programs complementary to what they offer their customers.

SHARED ADVICE
What surprised me the most about starting my business was the amount of time and the many channels I’d have to go through to get it up and running. What I might have done differently would be to contact more social networking groups in advance to learn that they were not necessarily going to support my concept or promote my business as some so-called experts had assured me would be the case. What I am doing is connecting with some advisory groups to gain help in refining my direction. From my own experience, I would tell new entrepreneurs that starting your business most likely will take more time and money than you originally expected, but with perseverance and the help of the right advisers there is no reason you can’t succeed.

Editor's question: What other venues do you feel would be ideal for life-enrichment programs?