Now Open: The Journey of a School-Based Enterprise

With the return of fall, and a new school year on the horizon, hear what we're doing at our store, and what advice is being given to others, preparing their Return to Earn plans. I'm hopeful that none of you have been told your operations will be halted this year, but if you have, is there something else you can do? And if you are allowed to continue operations, what should you plan and prepare for that maybe you haven't thought about?

No one could have anticipated the craziness following the COVID-19 outbreak. Find out how our store is dealing with it, and what industry experts are suggesting until things return to normal... if there is such a thing.

Our store is run by a group of students who are simultaneously enrolled in a course, designed to teach how to operate our business, but also customer service skills. Learn how we have get all of that done in 90 minutes a day.

Wondering how much stock you have left? Listen to this podcast on how you might use students to help you keep track of your inventory.

Need something to teach to your students, other than the actual operations of your business?! You might be surprised to find out who provides Customer Service and Sales curriculum.

Having trouble getting your students to help your business grow? Listen for some strategies that might help

Listen to a review of some of 2019's most coveted POS systems for small businesses. You can now find all episodes and show notes on our website: nowopenpodcast.weebly.com

Find out what other developments have been made since our brick and mortar store was built. Click here for a link to to our store's timeline (2012-2019), e-commerce site, annual gross sales comparison, curriculum, and printer/heat press used to do in-house production.

Discover what we discovered when our new store opened, what still needed to be done, and it's reception by the public. Click here for a link to the local media's press release, a few photos of our store (as it has evolved), our blog with student-written posts, and links to the companies whose software we use.

Find out how construction would change the course of our school-run business. Click here for Blueprint, AutoCAD, Fire Drill State Champions Tee

We have money in our pockets, learn how our operations evolved once we started buying inventory. When not in operations, students created a product catalog to act as a silent salesman. Click Here to view the 2014-15 Product Catalog.

We've just discovered that money set aside can't be used for inventory...now what?! Click Here to get links to suppliers and learn more about Dillon's Rule.

We've answered some basic questions, and students have enrolled in our course...it's time to get to work. Click Here to see what the Small Business Administration has on their webpage, for help in putting a business plan together.

A Capstone Course is a course offering that allows students to show what they have learned, by taking other courses. In our situation, students are able to apply what they have learned by running a school-based enterprise.

Now Open is a podcast about the journey our school took, in the development of a school based enterprise.