2023 summary – ramblings from Andy
Version 1.0. I’ll add any edits here to save you reading it all.
Firstly, thank you to everyone that has delivered courses on behalf of 4 Minutes. 2023 has beaten 2022 in revenue and profit & feedback from learners has been very positive. If I have personally linked you to this page, then you are one of the chosen few that have helped! Thank you once again.
Some highlights:
- Went from using an Awarding Body (ITC) plus Trade Body (ProTrainings) to just a Trade Body. Despite what AOs say, in the 7ish years of Business I may have lost at the most one or two prospects because I don’t offer ‘Regulated’ courses (I know that I can through ProTrainings, I just choose not to). By not using an AO and by using a Trade Body instead, I have saved about 100 hours of admin this year and £££ with lower Certification costs. Clients just don’t care as long as they meet their certification needs. No-one has ever queried the Certificates. If you use an AO, take a think about how much admin time you spend on your courses, then multiply by (say £25 for each hour). That is straight to your bottom line. I save almost an hour admin per course.
- Loads of new Clients. Don’t believe FB Groups when they say the Market is saturated. It’s not. There are always Businesses looking for whatever reason. The tricky part is getting them to find you. 4 Minutes is good at that. Look at my Coaching package (below) if you want me to help you do the same.
- Second Full year using a Personal Assistant. It’s very difficult for Solopreneurs to delegate. You feel that you have to do everything. You don’t – and usually it’s better if you don’t. I delegate the basic stuff allowing me to concentrate on higher value and strategic stuff.
I reached a significant age milestone this year and it has led to me thinking about what to do with 4 Minutes. In 2024 I want to do the following:
- Grow 4 Minutes by between 50 and 100% in revenue, whilst at the same time delivering fewer courses.
- Delivering fewer personally will free me up to work on the expansion and secondly allow those of you that want to deliver more courses for 4 Minutes to do so. Working ‘on’ the Business, not ‘in’ the Business as they say.
- I coach individuals in building their own First Aid Training Businesses and increasing their online presence. I want to build up that side of the Business more. (If you are interested in my mentoring packages, or know someone that might be, do take a look at AndyCrowhurst.com).
- I’ve just got my FREC 3 (FREC 4 to follow) so I can go back to my First Aid roots, which was Event cover. Originally with the Red Cross as a volunteer. Now as a (paid) side line. Loved the ‘getting into places for free’ aspect of it. I’ve covered WOMAD and big name concerts at Blenheim. Glasto is on my bucket list. Never quite managed it with the RX.
So that is what I want to steer myself and 4 Minutes to and I want you to be a part of that. There will be some changes, though.
As part of this I have been reviewing processes and streamlining where I can this year.
2024 Look ahead
- Paper out: From 1st January 2024 all courses will be paperless in terms of what 4 Minutes sends out for courses. 4 Minutes will require all its trainers to print out any required paperwork. It will pay £20 per course over & above the Trainer fee for you to do this (some of you do already, so that will just be free money). I will create a page within Trainer Central with all forms that you can download if needed.
- Paper in: I don’t want any paperwork back for ProTrainings courses. There is no need. You have access to their dashboard for each course and can upload PDFs directly to there (Images are not an allowable format). If you can get the learners to complete the MCQ (and by extension, feedback) online, the only thing you need to upload normally is the two course forms and 1 Registration form per learner. (Reasonable Adjustments / Special Consideration / Professional discussion forms if needed will also need to be scanned & uploaded).
- I’m working on reducing paperwork anyway. For internally certified courses, feedback is already online and I can provide WORD versions of assessment sheets for you to complete on a tablet or laptop. ProTrainings only requires Learner Registration Forms – and they are working on digitising those. I will still need the course paperwork sheets (x2) uploaded as they are your declaration that your delivery has conformed to specifications. This is a WIP to eliminate these.
- Manuals. I still believe that learners like something tangible. The Branding also helps with Marketing so these will continue. You will still get these and will still be expected to keep safe any unused ones between courses, possibly holding a higher float. It’s pointless me sending out up to 12 at a time, where I could send out 20 or 30 (say) to keep you going. 4 Minutes tracks manual stock levels for each Trainer, so between us we can manage this.
- Other skills. Make sure I know what First Aid courses you are happy to deliver for 4 Minutes. If you deliver anything outside of First Aid (e.g. Fire Safety, MHFA, moving and handling), let me know as we can either upsell on courses you deliver for me, or if I get a random enquiry I’ll just pass the lead to you anyway. I have no current plans to expand 4 Minutes beyond First Aid. There is always that possibility should I take someone on full-time, but whilst it is just me, First Aid it is.
- Run more courses. Make sure I know if you are willing to consider courses further afield. 4 Minutes pays travel and accommodation when required, so if you want more work, just give me the nod.
- IQA visits. I will try and do better in getting out to meet you. As part of me trying to deliver fewer courses I’ll hopefully have time to get out and about more. If you need IQAing to carry on with 4 Minutes, drop me a line and I’ll see what I can do. I am a L4 IQA anyway, so if you need an IQA for your Centre let’s talk.
If there is anything that I can do better or more efficiently for you, let me know. We both benefit.
Any suggestions as to how we can eliminate the paperwork (Registration and assessment sheets) for internal courses will be considered.
