Busy Mom Frustrated with Finding STEM Classes for Daughter Starts Online Learning Platform
Learning is always healthy, so today we’re excited to tell you about a new way to keep your brain cells sharp. Meet Amy Olivieri, President and CEO of TakeAClass. TakeAClass is an online resource to support academic, recreational, and professional class searches, payment processing, live stream technology, and Classalytics – an event management tool for instructors, schools, and organizations.
It seeks to revolutionize educational options for adults and children by providing access to local and online classes to anyone in the world.
Turns out, the Global E-Learning Market is expected to reach $325 Billion by 2025.
Welcome Amy. Tell me more about what prompted you to start TakeAClass?
Name is easy for everyone to remember. That’s a major plus right there.
AMY OLIVIERI: “Yes! And TakeAClass takes the drama out of the class search process, making it easy for consumers to find exactly what they want – including fitness, cooking, dance, computer, skydiving classes and thousands of other classes. The idea behind TakeAClass is to organize all the information needed to make an informed decision in one place. We allow consumers to search class listings for free.”
Who can use it?
AMY OLIVIERI: “Instructors, schools, and organizations will have the convenience of listing their classes, which will help increase their visibility and get more students with stunning profiles, photos, class descriptions and schedules.”
What if someone wants to teach cooking or how to knit or play basketball on the site, how does it work? Do they get paid?
We charge a 18% booking fee for every class purchased through our website. There is no monthly subscription. We don’t get paid unless a class is paid for.
AMY OLIVIERI: “Teachers are our class vendors. They get to set their own price for teaching and get paid weekly for all completed classes.”
Let’s say there’s a local kid’s cooking class in town or yoga class for adults and they want to fill those classes locally — can they utilize the site to fill classes?
AMY OLIVIERI: “Yes. Right now, we’re launching in Houston, Texas. But we will be available everywhere soon.”
Great. What about the person wanting to take the class? Do they pay?
“It’s free for consumers to search through our marketplace of classes. They simply search, find, and buy the class they wish to take.”
You also intend to utilize blockchain technology. Tell me about that.
AMY OLIVIERI: “We seek to take advantage of the exciting blockchain technology by offering global access to education while removing the barriers to pay for it by introducing our own cryptocurrency, which we hope will change the way payments are accepted for academic institutions.”
You were raised by a single mother who is now a retired nurse. Tell me what role your upbringing played in what you’re doing today.
AMY OLIVIERI: “My mother instilled in me at an early age that if I wanted to be successful I needed an education. So education was my first passion. She raised two children and worked multiple jobs. She was my first role model and gave me my work ethic. She taught me that I could pave my own path, which gave me the confidence to excel in my professions as an African-American woman in male dominated industries.”
AMY OLIVIERI: “My greatest challenge was finding trusted service providers who didn’t over promise and under deliver. It’s not easy to find the right team ofpeople who see your vision and are willing to move with that vision to make your idea a reality. And as a female founder of a tech company there are many obstacles you must overcome in this space. I have an amazing support infrastructure that helps me navigate around the challenges and stay focused.”
Part of that supportive infrastructure is from you forming a strategic partnership with KiwiTech, where we met.
AMY OLIVIERI: “Yes, we’re pleased to join hands with KiwiTech and view them as the ideal technology partner to help us launch our platform and take it to the next level.”
Explain to our readers what KiwiTech does.
AMY OLIVIERI: “KiwiTech, LLC, is a technology services provider that invests in tech startups. Most recently, they featured their first all Female Founders Demo Day in New York City. As part of the partnership, KiwiTech will provide exclusive technology development capabilities to TakeAClass.”
CEO of KiwiTech says:
“KiwiTech is excited to partner with TakeAClass,” says Rakesh Gupta, CEO of KiwiTech. “Their platform offers consumers fast access to academic and recreational local and online classes. Leveraging our deep domain expertise, we’re committed to helping TakeAClass achieve their mission.”
When do you launch?
AMY OLIVIERI: “We’re real excited to go live Monday, June 25, 2018.
How can be people sign up for a class or offer one on the site?
AMY OLIVIERI: Go to: http://www.takeaclass.com
Thank you, Amy! Congratulations and continued success. You’re a great role model.
More About KiwiTech
KiwiTech provides end-to-end digital technology solutions across a wide range of industries, including publishing, healthcare, media & entertainment, education, financial services, energy and nonprofit & government.
KiwiTech has quickly gained recognition as an innovator by investing in numerous early-stage startups and partnering with large enterprises. Drawing on its deep expertise across mobile and web technologies, KiwiTech enables companies to create groundbreaking digital experiences. KiwiTech is based in Washington DC, with additional offices in New York and New Delhi.
RELATED:
Online Learning Industry Poised for $107 Billion In 2015
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjmccue/2014/08/27/online-learning-industry-poised-for-107-billion-in-2015/#287eae667103
The $107 Billion dollar industry that nobody’s talking about
https://www.inc.com/john-nemo/the-107-billion-industry-that-nobodys-talking-about.html
Global E-Learning Market 2017 to Boom $275.10 Billion Value by 2022 at a CAGR of 7.5% – Orbis Research
https://www.reuters.com/brandfeatures/venture-capital/article?id=11353
Global E-Learning Market to Reach $325 Billion by 2025
https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/02/06/914187/0/en/Global-E-Learning-Market-to-Reach-325-billion-by-2025-Rapid-Growth-in-Online-Content-Digitization-Innovations-in-Wearable-Technologies-are-Flourishing-the-E-learning-Industry.html
Global Online Education Market (2018-2023) by Type, Technology, Vendor and End-User – Market to Reach $286.62 Billion Growing by 10.26% CAGR – ResearchAndMarkets.com
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180226006458/en/Global-Online-Education-Market-2018-2023-Type-Technology
US E-Learning Statistics
https://www.statista.com/statistics/693280/the-self-paced-e-learning-industry-revenue-in-the-us/
MEDIA:
To book an interview with Amy or for more info call: (713) 298-6597
Available live in Boston July 1-7, New York City, July 26-27
http://www.takeaclass.com
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