![Proud of Paolo]()
by rossanahead | Aug 25, 2011 | children, Education, parenting, Rossana Llenado
By Rossana Llenado
It was a terribly busy day filled with all sorts of stress and get-it-done drama when I received some great news. My son Paolo has been accepted at Mensa Philippines after taking the qualifying exams at the University of the Philippines.
When I read the letter from Mensa Philippines, which was addressed to Paolo, my eyes watered up immediately. It stated: “Your equivalent IQ is 134 which ranks you at the 98th percentile. Since this is within the upper two percent on a recognized intelligence test, this means you qualify for membership in MENSA.”
Mensa is a society comprised of people with IQs belonging to the top 2 percent of the population. One of Mensa’s goals is to promote intellectual opportunities for its members, which I hope that Paolo would take advantage of so that he can reach his full potential.
I am just so proud of Paolo!
When he was younger, I already had an inkling of his exceptional intelligence. When he was in grade 5, he took a test at the Ateneo, which found out that his capacity to learn math was that of someone who had already finished high school.
This is why I’ve always encouraged him, as well as my three other children, to pursue his interests. If there was a book that stimulated his mind, I got it for him immediately.
Paolo’s eyes are also as sharp as an eagle’s. He’s our master proofreader. Last summer, I asked him to proofread AHEAD’s reference materials. These materials were produced by 20 honor graduates from the University of the Philippines, Ateneo, and La Salle. I told Paolo that I’ll give him P50 for every typographical error that he identifies. I ended up paying him P16,000 that summer!
But apart from being smart, I am prouder of the fact that Paolo has always been a kind and considerate child, sensitive to the needs of his brother and sisters. He is also very responsible when it comes to his duties at school and at home while being gentle to those around him. Paolo is everything that a mom could wish for in a son, and for this I am very grateful!
by rossanahead | Aug 20, 2011 | career, Education, Rossana Llenado
By Rossana Llenado
The other week, we had an orientation talk for potential franchisees of AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center. When we started offering review programs in 1995, we immediately got franchise inquiries. Even then, a lot of people saw the viability of our business concept. However, we didn’t want to get into franchising until we were ready for it. We wanted to make sure that all our operating systems were working perfectly and that we were giving our students the best possible service before we even opened up ourselves to the idea of franchising.
Besides, I never thought of AHEAD as merely a business concept. I see AHEAD as a vehicle for young people to achieve personal and academic success. By helping our students do better in school, I had hoped that it would make them feel good about themselves and give them the confidence to go after their dreams.
When we meet with potential franchisees, we are not actually looking for investors per se. We are looking for partners who share the same vision as we do: to give young people the opportunity to reach their full potential. By franchising, we hope to reach out to even more students across the country.
I’ve always believed that your work must follow your passion. And so, for potential franchisees, I always look at whether they would take pleasure in the same kind of things that I enjoy while running AHEAD.
For me, managing AHEAD fulfills many of my needs.
Physically, the hours are less taxing. This is very important for a mother of four like me. Most review classes run during the summer vacation, and so on weekdays, I am home by the time my children arrive from school. Besides, there is something absolutely energizing about working with young people. Being around them keeps me young.
Mentally, AHEAD gives me the opportunity to exchange concepts and ideas with the smartest teachers in the country. And because we deal with bright and competitive students, I am encouraged to learn more myself. That’s why I make it a point to attend seminars and workshops regularly. The process of educating one’s self must never stop.
Socially, I am constantly in touch with a pool of students, parents, teachers, and school administrators—some of whom have become my friends. And so, on social engagements, I sometimes get to mix business with pleasure.
Psychologically, I am always thrilled when a student tells me about doing well in his Algebra class or when a parent says thank you for helping his child become number one in his class. Nothing beats the kind of fulfillment that comes from helping others.
In the same manner, it warms my heart that in some way, I am helping shape the lives of our future leaders and consequently, the future of our country.
These, I tell our potential franchisees, are the kinds of benefits that they would get when they sign up for an AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center franchise.
To top all that, an AHEAD Tutorial & Review Center is a business with minimum risk. AHEAD’s proven approach to supplementary educational services guarantees financial dividends for intelligent investors. Besides, we want our franchisees to succeed. That’s why we’ll be there to guide them every step of the way.
At the orientation, there was an applicant for a center in one of the cities in Metro Manila. Immediately, I discouraged her. I communicated to her my doubts about the viability of putting up a Center in that area. I didn’t think there was a big enough market for one. I didn’t want to put up a franchise just for the sake of putting up a Center. I want every Center to succeed. I want every partner to succeed.
But she was very persistent and proceeded to explain to us why it can be done. While she was talking, I saw her passion, her zeal, and her wisdom. I realized as well the other reason why we needed partners: to discover new and untapped markets, share our vision with even more students, and share the joy of working with a purpose.
We are fortunate to have found franchisees who share this same vision and who are as passionate as we are about our work. Why else would they give me and my staff gifts every so often? And it is not a one way thing, because I love our franchisees with all my heart. We are a family working happily together because we know that we are doing something good every day.
by rossanahead | Jul 3, 2011 | career, children, Education, Rossana Llenado, woman
By Rossana Llenado
In my business, I am surrounded by young people. Our students are young. Our tutors are young. And my staff, most of them are in their 20’s. Although I am just in my early 40’s, I am already one of the oldest in our company. This to me is a blessing because there is nothing like the passion and enthusiasm of youth to get any sort of enterprise moving.
Jose Rizal was only 26 when he published Noli Me Tangere. Andres Bonifacio was only 29 when he helped established the Katipunan. At the recently concluded convention of the International Association of Business Communicators in San Diego, California, of which I took part, the keynote speaker was Jonah Lehrer. He talked about the philosophy behind the decision-making process. There he was in his polo shirt and jeans, talking to us about the inner workings of the mind, and he is just barely 30!
The young are fearless. There is no challenge big enough not to be conquered. The young are free. There are no boundaries to the way they think and act. The young are idealistic. The way they throw themselves at what they believe in is simply amazing.
That’s why I always sit up and listen whenever I hear a young person speaking—whether it’s a staff member proposing something that we’ve never done before or one of my kids giving his two cents on a movie we just saw.
The youth, they are the future. And that’s why I am privileged to be working for and with them.
by rossanahead | Jun 25, 2011 | career, Education, Rossana Llenado, technology
By Rossana Llenado
People don’t go online because they like to read. They go online because they need the latest information fast, snappy, and brief. They don’t have time for details. They detest long text.
This couldn’t be emphasized enough during the recent International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) convention I attended in San Diego, California last week. One of the convention’s more than 80 speakers, Steve Cresenzo summed up internet writing principles in four letters, H-A-C-K.
Headline. Whether you’re writing a blog or updating a portion of your website, you have to have a catchy headline. It should be so encompassing that readers immediately “get” the idea and have no choice but to read the rest of the story. On your headline, use only key words. Make every word count.
Abstract. In a sentence, capture the essence of your story. Assume that this will be all that your readers would read. Let them know all they need to know. Try focusing on one persona that will represent your story’s point. According to research, readers are drawn in by striking character profiles rather than statistics. A reader is more likely to read the story of an earthquake survivor than an impersonal rundown of the number of calamity victims.
Content. Now apply your storytelling skills. Make your main “character” as human as possible. Include one or two quotations from an expert to give credibility to your account. Use conversational language. With different wordings, state your main point at the beginning, middle, and end of your piece as many of your readers would just be scanning your story. Through carefully chosen details, you should be able to give the reader a grasp of the bigger picture and lead him to where you want him to go.
Killer Content. Here comes the tricky part where you aim at three-way communication. Make the reader react to your story by leaving room for him to comment. Give examples and the examples of others so that the reader would be enticed to share his own. Be straightforward about how you’d like your audience to react:
(1) Like you/your organization on Facebook
(2) Share your story on their wall
(3) Join the discussion
(4) Comment. Comment. Comment.
Go forth and HACK!
by rossanahead | Jun 4, 2011 | children, family, parenting, Rossana Llenado, woman
By Rossana Llenado
What I like about traveling is that I get to discover so many things. And by that, I don’t just mean all the unique characteristics of a particular destination, but all those charming characteristics that travel brings out in my children.
Last week, we were finally able to take a trip to Korea. We’ve wanted to go for the longest time, but work and my kids’ equally hectic schedule interfered with our plans.
For four glorious days, we found ourselves in the land of kimchi and cherry blossoms. Incheon Airport did not disappoint. One of the most efficient airports in the world, it is state-of-the-art serving some 15 million passengers every year. So efficient is this airport that we were able to get out of there in just 15 minutes! How’s that for a good first impression?
We did a lot of walking during those four days, which wasn’t such a hassle as their sidewalks were not only wide, they were also pretty! The sidewalks were landscaped so there were many flowers and trees and greens, very picturesque.
I am so happy that my kids like the museums and parks more than the malls and amusement parks. The garden outside the National Museum of Korea had all these sculptures and benches. There was also a beautiful playground with exercise equipments all around. We ended up trying all of them. It was fun!
We also visited the six-acre Biwon (Secret Garden), which is located inside the Changdeokgung Palace. It was a magnificent garden filled with woodland paths, lotus ponds, and pleasure pavilions. We just walked and walked and walked, taking in the scenery and the fresh air.
I love it as well that my kids were adventurous when it came time to eat. We ate Korean food every day. We couldn’t get enough of it!
That’s why I love taking my Nicolo, Paolo, Darla, and Meg on trips abroad. They make for the best travel companions because they’re always open to new adventures and experiences. Till the next trip, kiddos!
by rossanahead | May 21, 2011 | career, Education, Rossana Llenado
By Rossana Llenado
I always get nervous when asked to speak in front of a group of people. I know that I’ve done it many times before but I still get nervous.
Last week, I met with a group of bloggers, and though I was initially scared, it took me no time to get comfortable. It helped that a lot of them were also parents. It also helped that I got to talk about something that I am so excited about right now, which is our attempt to break into the international market with Ahead Interactive.
Think you’re the only parent who has gone crazy helping his child with his homework? Well, you are not alone! Parents the world over have been confounded by math equations and past participles—and that is, after having worked at the office the whole day.
Through our smart and capable Filipino teachers, we’d like to be of service to tired, stressed-out parents. Through Ahead Interactive, we can provide real-time tutoring services to children across the globe. Mom and Dad can have some rest while their child finishes his homework. Afterwards, they can all spend some quality time together—maybe by taking a walk around the park or watching a movie. Initially, we’re looking at providing our services to families in California.
This is what makes my work very exciting. There’s always something new and fresh going on.
