David Jaffa, founder of SAM Learning, shares his vision for the future of SAM Learning:
Painted Picture of SAM Learning July 2012
David Jaffa, April 6, 2009
What will we look like, feel like and act like in July 2012 (coincidently the date of the London Olympics)?
Overall Vision
We are the biggest and the best provider of student driven e-learning in the world; a market leader in USA and UK and developing our third major territory.
Our services are really popular with students, improve their scores and get them through their courses quicker than anybody else’s. Our model of student driven learning excites students and enables them to take responsibility for their own learning. We help students develop skills they will use all their lives – not just learn mainstream subjects. We recognise the diversity of students’ needs.
We support an enhanced role for teachers with less drudgery and more time for real teaching. And we supply schools and local and national educational bodies with state of the art data analysis to help them deliver education of the highest quality.
We believe that if students take responsibility for their own learning, it will change the world and we are committed to being the company that makes this happen worldwide.
Brand
We are former students and educators. We are charming, successful, pioneering and smart; sometimes fun and sometimes focused but always courageous, honest and caring. Our stuff works, meaning it solves actual problems, delivers real benefits to real people and we’ve got the evidence to prove it.
Our users’ agenda comes first and we do well off the back of that. We are ‘Google’ rather than ‘Microsoft’.
People, Culture, Values and Spirit
We are passionate about changing the world through new and better delivery of education online. We employ great people who are committed to our vision. We are innovators and risk takers – constantly trying new things to see if they work. We give back to others through corporate social responsibility.
We have good work-life balance and are friends outside work. We have a fantastic working environment. We travel a lot and have a global perspective. We are a great company to work for.
Leadership
It’s not about telling people what to do. We hire smart, motivated people who get things done. The culture of the organisation drives innovation, change and growth.
The company is there to support our culture and provide clear vision.
Innovation
Innovation is the key to being a market leader. We seek out ideas from users and borrow ideas from competitors but also develop areas nobody else is thinking about.
We partner with customers and companies that share our vision and values.
Measuring and Monitoring Growth
We monitor the impact on students’ achievement, the number of schools and students using our services and how much they use them. We are constantly trying to improve.
Media
We are multiple award winners on both sides of the Atlantic and frequently featured in the press and media. Our website has many tie-ups with celebrities and major consumer brands. In the last year we met Bill Gates, Education Ministers on both sides of the Atlantic and appeared on Oprah.
Profitability
There are a lot of advantages of scale in our commercial model, so we are very profitable but plough a lot back in to drive innovation and growth. We leverage large numbers of people in our user base and elsewhere to help us succeed. Rewards are shared with staff. We have unusual perks.
Communication
We are open – especially about problems. We spend a lot of time with customers understanding and responding to their needs. We listen more than we talk.
Customer Service
We are friendly and we do what we say we will. We under-promise and over deliver.
Systems
We use third party business systems wherever possible so our product development effort is concentrated on the stuff we can’t buy from anyone else. We actively seek out the best business practices that have worked elsewhere rather than try to re-invent the wheel. We use technology accelerators to move us forward faster.
Mentor Board of Advisors
Our non-exec board includes some of the top business and finance brains that are helping prepare the company to float its shares on the stock market (IPO).
We regularly meet with top educationalists and key customers to get their feedback and guidance on what we should do next and what we need to do better.
Success
We are proud of each other and the success we’ve achieved, but even more proud of the success of our students.
