Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur? Francesca Patrizi discusses her journey from being a teacher to becoming a startup founder.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3WbqlRg4jY&feature=share&si=ELPmzJkDCLju2KnD5oyZMQ[/embed]
When we think of entrepreneurs, we associate them with a business degree or decades of field experience. Not often do we encounter teachers who open their own businesses. And manage to succeed at it.
In the tenth episode of the Let’s Talk BD Podcast, we interviewed Francesca Patrizi. Francesca is a former student of The BD School. With many years of teaching experience, Francesca has dealt with numerous students from diverse backgrounds. She knows the impact that learning can have on a student.
So, at one point in her career, she decided to create her own business. Unsure of how her new career journey would take off, she took a leap of faith and founded the L’IT School. The company offers courses for people who want to learn Italian. In this episode, Francesca offers tips on how to use your teaching background to run your business successfully.
Teacher vs. Entrepreneur
While Francesca was teaching students from different nationalities, she noticed that she was doing a great job. She could manage her classes well. She began to view herself as a good teacher and trainer. Her experience in education equipped her with great managerial skills as well.
However, her transition from teacher to entrepreneur wasn’t easy. It took some time for her to start seeing her new role as her new lifestyle. One of her first impressions of being an entrepreneur was understanding that it’s much broader than teaching. And that it requires a mindset of growth.
To achieve this, she decided to pursue training offered by The BD School. Not only did this impact her outlook on her work, but also made work processes much easier.
In her own words:
“Being an entrepreneur means knowing a lot of tools I didn’t know.”
Francesca Patrizi
However, not everything was new to her. There are many transferable skills you can use to grow your business. For Francesca, her organizational skills are central to her workflow. Taking a step-by-step approach to business development activities has ensured her professional journey is always evolving.
But, how does she manage to stay organized in the midst of the uncertainty that comes with growing a business?
Focus on your organizational skills
As a business developer or entrepreneur, you want to make sure you’re not losing focus and direction when doing your tasks. It is common to get caught up with tasks that aren’t urgent or important. That’s why business developers need to be organized in order to achieve success.
Some business developers lack time management skills or struggle to delegate tasks. Others may use their resources improperly, but forget to take care of themselves. Every business developer’s story is different. However, Francesca’s tips are bound to give you a fresh perspective.
Francesca highlights writing things down as the first tip. Specifically, she uses Google Calendar to structure her daily agenda. She schedules meetings but also things such as a newsletter update sometimes two to three months in advance. Planning in advance is something that has helped her as a startup founder.
Second, it’s important to know how to delegate tasks to others. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to do everything themselves. However, receiving help from others can save you precious time and improve your overall performance.
Challenges of becoming an entrepreneur
Despite structuring your workflow, challenges are unavoidable as an entrepreneur. For example, as a teacher, you already know the students you’re going to teach. It’s not something you have to think about.
It’s different when you’re running your own business. As Francesca mentions, reaching out to students is difficult. And it’s not a task that feels natural most of the time for her. She points out that this goes both ways. Choosing to take the course should feel natural for students as well.
Despite this challenge, Francesca’s passionate about what she does. In fact, she credits passion for bringing consistency to her work. Also, self-confidence is key. She adds that if you’ve already proved to yourself that you can find clients for your business, don’t believe otherwise.
When the work week is over, Francesca sets time aside to relax. She prefers biking or going to the center of Rome for an aperitivo with her business partner Maria. Touring the city is one of her favorite activities.
This shows that being an entrepreneur isn’t just about spending countless hours standing behind your desk. Spending quality time with others, biking around your city, and taking time to relax, are part of the job.
Working in business in one of the most historical cities of the world can seem dreamy and utopian. But, you can make your entrepreneurial ambitions a reality. So, if you’re planning to open your business in Rome, learning Italian will boost your chances for success. With the online courses offered by the LIT School, you’ll become a local in no time.
And if you want to grow your business and overcome challenges, The BD School is here to help you!
So, sign up for our personalized learning platform today and become a successful entrepreneur!
Thinking of becoming an entrepreneur? Francesca Patrizi discusses her journey from being a teacher to becoming a startup founder.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3WbqlRg4jY&feature=share&si=ELPmzJkDCLju2KnD5oyZMQ[/embed]
When we think of entrepreneurs, we associate them with a business degree or decades of field experience. Not often do we encounter teachers who open their own businesses. And manage to succeed at it.
In the tenth episode of the Let’s Talk BD Podcast, we interviewed Francesca Patrizi. Francesca is a former student of The BD School. With many years of teaching experience, Francesca has dealt with numerous students from diverse backgrounds. She knows the impact that learning can have on a student.
So, at one point in her career, she decided to create her own business. Unsure of how her new career journey would take off, she took a leap of faith and founded the L’IT School. The company offers courses for people who want to learn Italian. In this episode, Francesca offers tips on how to use your teaching background to run your business successfully.
Teacher vs. Entrepreneur
While Francesca was teaching students from different nationalities, she noticed that she was doing a great job. She could manage her classes well. She began to view herself as a good teacher and trainer. Her experience in education equipped her with great managerial skills as well.
However, her transition from teacher to entrepreneur wasn’t easy. It took some time for her to start seeing her new role as her new lifestyle. One of her first impressions of being an entrepreneur was understanding that it’s much broader than teaching. And that it requires a mindset of growth.
To achieve this, she decided to pursue training offered by The BD School. Not only did this impact her outlook on her work, but also made work processes much easier.
In her own words:
“Being an entrepreneur means knowing a lot of tools I didn’t know.”
Francesca Patrizi
However, not everything was new to her. There are many transferable skills you can use to grow your business. For Francesca, her organizational skills are central to her workflow. Taking a step-by-step approach to business development activities has ensured her professional journey is always evolving.
But, how does she manage to stay organized in the midst of the uncertainty that comes with growing a business?
Focus on your organizational skills
As a business developer or entrepreneur, you want to make sure you’re not losing focus and direction when doing your tasks. It is common to get caught up with tasks that aren’t urgent or important. That’s why business developers need to be organized in order to achieve success.
Some business developers lack time management skills or struggle to delegate tasks. Others may use their resources improperly, but forget to take care of themselves. Every business developer’s story is different. However, Francesca’s tips are bound to give you a fresh perspective.
Francesca highlights writing things down as the first tip. Specifically, she uses Google Calendar to structure her daily agenda. She schedules meetings but also things such as a newsletter update sometimes two to three months in advance. Planning in advance is something that has helped her as a startup founder.
Second, it’s important to know how to delegate tasks to others. Many entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to do everything themselves. However, receiving help from others can save you precious time and improve your overall performance.
Challenges of becoming an entrepreneur
Despite structuring your workflow, challenges are unavoidable as an entrepreneur. For example, as a teacher, you already know the students you’re going to teach. It’s not something you have to think about.
It’s different when you’re running your own business. As Francesca mentions, reaching out to students is difficult. And it’s not a task that feels natural most of the time for her. She points out that this goes both ways. Choosing to take the course should feel natural for students as well.
Despite this challenge, Francesca’s passionate about what she does. In fact, she credits passion for bringing consistency to her work. Also, self-confidence is key. She adds that if you’ve already proved to yourself that you can find clients for your business, don’t believe otherwise.
When the work week is over, Francesca sets time aside to relax. She prefers biking or going to the center of Rome for an aperitivo with her business partner Maria. Touring the city is one of her favorite activities.
This shows that being an entrepreneur isn’t just about spending countless hours standing behind your desk. Spending quality time with others, biking around your city, and taking time to relax, are part of the job.
Working in business in one of the most historical cities of the world can seem dreamy and utopian. But, you can make your entrepreneurial ambitions a reality. So, if you’re planning to open your business in Rome, learning Italian will boost your chances for success. With the online courses offered by the LIT School, you’ll become a local in no time.
And if you want to grow your business and overcome challenges, The BD School is here to help you!
So, sign up for our personalized learning platform today and become a successful entrepreneur!
