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7 THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE PUTTING UP A BUSINESS

It has been almost  seven (7) years since my wife and I started Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc., and I am glad that we never gave up even if there were times that we really wanted to.

bright hope moving up
BRIGHT HOPE MOVING UP DAY 2018

Bright Hope is a small school with a big heart and it continues to advance as one of the premiere christian Pre-kinder and Kindergarten School in the City of Baguio.  Apart from its uniquely designed age appropriate programs, one thing that makes it different from other schools is that it offers Baby Classes for ages 1 year 8 months to 2 years and 2 months old babies.

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Currently, BRIGHT HOPE is composed of 11 employees and we are blessed to have leaders who actively manage it.  This allows my wife and I to just be around as volunteer management and academic consultants.

Looking back from where Bright Hope started, I can say that it has become a ministry just like how we envisioned it to be and we are making it a goal to continue to grow.

I’m no business guru but with seven (7) years of Bright Hope existence, let me share to you seven (7) life lessons that I learned that may be useful to those who are putting up a business or an organization:

  1. Do not quit your day job – If you are currently employed and are just relying from your monthly salary for daily sustenance -DO-NOT-QUIT-YOUR-DAY-JOB.  Resigning from work will probably apply to those who have savings that could support them for five years or more.  It takes time to grow a business and your monthly salary can help cushion your survival expenses. If you are stressed just because you don’t have enough time to be hands-on in your business, you’ll be more stressed during off peak seasons and realize that you have no cash flow. 

2. If you can, avoid investors who do not understand your vision and is just up for the money – we have different views when it comes to entertaining investors so to each his own.  But what worked for Bright Hope is not getting other people to invest. Carefully consider this especially if your vision differ from individuals who offer to invest.  The advantage of not getting investors is that we can allocate our budget to wherever we see fit without consulting other individuals. It takes away unnecessary headaches caused by clashing decision makers.  

3. Love your employees, they are a big factor why your business is a success.  I like this quote from Stephen Covey –

Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers. 

Bright Hope’s success is attributed to the dedicated teachers and staff who sincerely love their students.  In a business or in any organization, I learned that taking care of your employees or the people who help you run the organization does really make the difference.  Give them what is due.  We enter into business so that we can earn a living, but our employees need to live too. People who work for your organization will not demand more if they see that they are getting what is just and due to them. Plus, you’ll be greatly blessed as you allow yourself to be used to bless other people.

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Bright Hope Team 2018.  This was taken after the Parents’ Orientation. (3 others not on photo, sorry guys!)

4. Exceed customer expectation – I worked for several BPOs as a call center agent and that is where I learned about the importance of exceeding customer expectation.  It actually works if you care about your customers.  Besides, they are the very reason you are there. It is true that we cannot please everybody but in the field of providing services, we try to please everyone in as much as we can. This creates regular clients and customers.  Businesses do not aim for one time customers, they aim for repeat customers and that’s what you’ll need to thrive.

5. Never stop learning – continue to develop your craft, your people, your services.  Evolving will ensure your existence even if there are other products and services that are being created everyday.  Invest in education and in trainings.  My wife had to enroll in online classes just so she can learn new preschool concepts.  I had to take up management classes just to learn how to handle people (though I did not finish it after Math came in so I am looking at other Math-less courses okay?).  The teachers at Bright Hope had to go through series of trainings including make-up lessons so they can look presentable and professional even if they already are.

make up bright hope class
Make Up Tutorial for Birght Hope teachers by Krizia Guevara.

And just recently, my wife and I attended the E-Commerce and Social Media Learning Sessions of Ms. Janette Toral held at Cordillera School of Digital Arts Baguio.

training csda 1
with Ms. Janette Toral of Digital Filipino.
csda certificate 1
Certificates given by Ms. Janette Toral during the Social Media Learning Sessions at Cordillera School of Digital Arts Baguio. 

The point is, learn new things everyday.

6. Don’t be discouraged by people who do not believe in your crazy ideas – business concepts start off as crazy ideas until they are developed and are ready for hatching. While you are contemplating on your business model you will find yourself tempted to tell your friends about it and that is normal.  Prepare to get laughed at.  That is also normal.  Remember that not everybody is born a dreamer like you. Put that in mind, okay? But don’t hold it against them, they are created to challenge you.

7.  Never, never, never give up.  There were times when my wife and I were on the verge of panicking because we were worried we could not pay the rent for Bright Hope but we just focused on answering this question:  “How can we better our services so that we can attract more parents to enroll?”  We then created program after program and blessedly, there were parents who enrolled and believed in the programs that we offered.  This kept us going.  This kept us believing that Bright Hope exists for a purpose and we will never see that purpose if we gave up. We are thanking the Lord for giving us the strength to not give up and providing for our needs.

Currently, apart from Bright Hope’s mission of sharing the good news to the children and their families, we are glad that it is able to help alleviate poverty by providing employment, a college scholarship, and a plan to subsidize skills training for children in conflict with the law.

The things that I shared are not new, but I hope it encouraged you.  We can all make a difference, hold on to that bright hope and use it to ignite a bright tomorrow.

I have to go now, my son has been playing with my phone for almost 2 hours as I write this! haha.

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My wife working on her paper as I write this blog, my son took this stolen shot upon my instruction.

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Oh yes! We have a Baby School in Baguio City!


Cassy previously enrolled in our Jolly Baby Class Program and is now one of our Toddler pupils.

My wife and I started BRIGHT HOPE ROOM FOR GROWTH INC., six (6) years ago.  A venture that we started out of passion and purpose. It was a tutorial center then in Barangay San Vicente, Baguio City where we had grade school to high school tutees and even had the opportunity to teach non-readers from the nearby public school out of the goodness of our friends who shouldered their tutorial fees.

Since tutorial centers are mostly only full in the afternoon, we had to look for ways to fill the hours that our center was not being used.  One day, when I was walking along the street in our barangay, I saw a lot of mothers holding babies from ages 1 to 2 years old, so I started to have an idea.  I did my own research as to how early a child can go to school and came to a conclusion that “the earlier, the better”.

So in the first quarter of 2012, I gathered my neighbors and some of my school batch mates and convinced them to enroll their 2-year old babies in our toddler program.  Most of them were hesitant and said that it was too early for a child of that age to be in school but they registered anyway and from then on, we all saw wonders every single day.

On October 24, 2013, an article from the Philippine Daily Inquirer further confirmed the relevance of starting early and I quote:

“The average 18-month-old can say about 10 to 30 words, but some normal 18-month-olds can say only five words. Sometimes I see a toddler of the same age who can say more than 70 words and can put these words in combination to form phrases or sentences. Kate, Trevor, Ryan and Cameron, all my patients, were already talking like a three-year-old when they were 18 months old. Trevor, at 15 months, was able to say more than 40 words when most of his peers could say only three to five words. Our son Len, at 24 months, was able to read the words “Toyota” and “Subaru.”

What do all of these children have in common? They were lucky to have parents and grandparents who started talking with them from the first day of life. They read to them early on and continued reading every night as part of their bedtime routine. These toddlers were fortunate to have parents who challenged and stimulated their brain cells during the first 12 months of their life by frequently talking, reading, counting, adding, singing, and playing in a happy way.

Unfortunately, most parents have the wrong idea that education starts at Grade K. To have happier and smarter children, education must begin during the first 36 months. This is the “golden window” of opportunity for parents, grandparents, daycare workers, babysitters, and nannies to make a huge difference. And for a dramatic educational outcome, educators and policymakers should look into this “golden window” of learning and apply recent cognitive research on how to boost babies’ language and brain development in their curriculum.”

As stated in the article, babies are blessed to have people around them who can challenge and stimulate their brain cells while they are developing.  Let us not neglect this stage and take this once in a lifetime opportunity to raise geniuses out of our babies. So parents, your babies can go to school too!  It is just a matter of carefully looking for the best program that would suit their needs and their personality. 

At Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc., we are offering JOLLY BABY CLASS, a program where babies ages 1 year and 8 months up to 2 years old are exposed to sensory, arts and crafts, fine and gross motor activities. They get to meet new friends too!

To find out our available schedule, do call the following numbers:

Admin Office: (074) 424-2647
Admin Head: 0917-145-2381
Principal: 0917-656-2007

Click this link to visit our Facebook Page.

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Looking for a Preschool in Baguio City? Take this Bright Hope Online Inquiry

Are you still scouting for a preschool for this coming school year?

Here are 5 reasons why BRIGHT HOPE ROOM FOR GROWTH INC., is the best choice for your child’s early learning needs:

1. SMALL CLASS SIZES

Each class for Toddler, Nursery, Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten Programs will consist of twelve (12) pupils maximum.

small class size
Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc., is a premier Preschool and Kindergarten School in Baguio City located at the 2nd and 3rd floor of Luke Foundation Bldg., Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City.

2. FRIENDLY, PATIENT, AND LOVING TEACHERS AND STAFF

Bright Hope team understands that children need to feel loved and safe wherever they are.  Bright Hope does not tolerate child abuse.

bright hope teacher
Here at Bright Hope, we promote activities that help a child to become a well rounded person.

3.  QUALITY EDUCATION THAT CATERS TO ALL ABILITIES

Bright Hope programs are carefully designed and chosen to achieve a world class standard.

4.  DEVELOPMENTALLY APPROPRIATE ENVIRONMENT

Bright Hope was founded on a belief that learning should be fun.  At Bright Hope, we make sure that all activities are age appropriate.

developmentally app

5.  CHRISTIAN CURRICULUM 

Bright Hope is a bible believing school and so most of the books used have bible integration.

6. FLEXIBLE PAYMENT SCHEME

We have a very convenient monthly payment scheme that will help you budget and pay your child’s school fees with ease.

Want to know more?

Visit our facebook page and send us a message or fill out the form below so that we could contact you as soon as we read your message.

 

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BRIGHT HOPE KINDERGARTEN: SECURE A SLOT FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2019-2020.

To secure your child’s BRIGHT future, RESERVE a slot for school year 2019-2020 as early as now @ Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc. For inquiries, visit 2nd floor, Luke Foundation Building, 90 Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City or call 074-424-2647.

Enrollment and Classes Ad

DEXTER DIWAS

Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., is NOW OPEN FOR RESERVATIONS for SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017.  We promote an intimate and nurturing learning environment through the following programs: Baby, Toddler, Nursery, Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten in SMALL CLASS SIZES.

bright hope career week Brightons during their Career Week. School Year 2015-2016 @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.

Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., pioneer class at Luke Foundation Inc., Building. (2014-2015) Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., pioneer class at Luke Foundation Inc., Building. (2014-2015)

1) Pupils receive more individualized attention and interact more with the teacher;

KINDERGARTEN 2 With limited slots per class, your child will receive the much needed one-on-one attention from their teacher.

TODDLER CLASS Our Nursery Brightons engrossed in making the world a brighter place through colors! @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., School Year 2015-2016.

2) Teachers have more flexibility to use different instructional approaches;

hand painting Brightons will realize that the world is within reach for them to explore! Only @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., –…

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Dexter Diwas2 Comments

BRIGHT HOPE KINDERGARTEN: SECURE A SLOT FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017.

Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., is NOW OPEN FOR RESERVATIONS for SCHOOL YEAR 2016-2017.  We promote an intimate and nurturing learning environment through the following programs: Baby, Toddler, Nursery, Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten in SMALL CLASS SIZES.

bright hope career week
Brightons during their Career Week. School Year 2015-2016 @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.

Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., pioneer class at Luke Foundation Inc., Building. (2014-2015)
Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., pioneer class at Luke Foundation Inc., Building. (2014-2015)

1) Pupils receive individualized attention and interact more with the teacher;

KINDERGARTEN 2
With limited slots per class, your child will receive the much needed one-on-one attention from their teacher.

TODDLER CLASS
Our Nursery Brightons engrossed in making the world a brighter place through colors! @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., School Year 2015-2016.

2) Teachers have more flexibility to use different instructional approaches;

hand painting
Brightons will realize that the world is within their reach! Only @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., – Nursery Class, School Year 2015-2016.

KINDERGARGTEN 1
Their eyes brighten as they are given the freedom to explore the world through clay @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – Kindergarten Program, School Year 2015-2016.

3)  Teachers have more time to teach because there are fewer discipline problems;

nursery 2
Nursery Class learn that tiny seeds can grow with proper nurturing @ Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc. – Nursery Class, School Year 2015-2016.

With smaller group sizes, our children can focus on friendships and fun learning @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.
With smaller group sizes, our children can focus on friendships and fun learning @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – School Year 2014-2015.

4) Pupils are more likely to participate in class and become more involved;

kindergarten 3
Numbers can be colorful too @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – Kindergarten Class, School Year 2015-2016.

colors
Let’s get artistically messy with colors! @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – Pre-Kinder Class, School Year 2014-2015.

look!
Look ma! I got 10 scoops of ice cream! @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – Kindergarten Class, School Year 2015-2016.

5) Teachers have more time to cover additional materials, use supplementary texts, and enrichment activities.

teachers preparing
Bright Hope Learning Ambassadors preparing to inspire future leaders @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – School Year 2015-2016

games
Guess what this is! Fun time with teachers and friends @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.

Other Fun Activities:

doctor message
Career Week. Career advising @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. with Dr. Dennis Dominguez of Baguio General Hospital. – School Year 2015-2016.

lawyer career
Career Week. Atty. Juliet Toma-ac-Camuyot of the Public Attorney’s Office explains to the Kindergarten class what a lawyer does to promote world peace. – School Year 2015-2016

united nations 1
United Nations. Speaking love and praising the Lord in different languages @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. – School Year 2015-2016.

christmas party
Christmas Fellowship @ Bright Hope Room for Growth Inc. Toddler, Nursery, Pre-Kinder, and Kindergarten class enjoyed entertaining their fans! – School Year 2015-2016.

Activity Bulletin @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.
Activity Bulletin @ Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc.

bright hope ambassadors
The Bright Hope Learning Ambassadors. Their warm smile and cheerful greetings will welcome your children to an intimate and nurturing learning environment. – School Year 2015-2016.

How many pupils are there in each class?

Each class for Toddler, Nursery, Pre-Kinder and Kindergarten Programs will consist of twelve (12) pupils maximum.

Baby classes will have maximum of three (3) babies per class.

How old should babies be to qualify for the Baby Classes?

Your baby should at least be 1 year and 8 months to 2 years and 5 months.

What are available schedules?

Please contact 09778541230 or 074-4242647 to get information regarding available schedules.

What are other programs offered apart from those mentioned above?

Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc. offers individualized tutorial sessions in all subjects and boasts in the success of its JOLLY PHONICS READING PROGRAM (JPRP). JPRP is a multi-sensory phonics program that makes it easy and fun for non-readers to achieve fluency in reading.

Where is Bright Hope Room for Growth, Inc., located?

Bright Hope is located at the 2nd and 3rd Floors of Luke Foundation Building (Beside DSWD SEC Cottage), #90 Leonard Wood Road, Baguio City.

For inquiries: Call or Text: 09778541230 or Call: 074-424-2647