Date: Sunday, July 7
Time: 10:00-17:00
Location: No Borders Chikusa School in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. Map Link
– (Also available online)
– (Limit of 50 in-person attendees)
Price: ¥4,000 advance purchase (¥6,000 day-of purchase)

Building Up a Language School

David Paul established and built up a group of schools in Japan, Korea and Thailand without any starting capital, and, for most of the time, on a short-term visa. Over 28 years, his schools in Hiroshima alone taught over 100,000 students and played a significant role in supporting the professional development of teachers around East Asia. In this presentation, he will look at some of the key principles that made this growth possible. He will focus on advertising principles that make it possible to compete with schools that have far more financial resources, on the importance of playing a role in the community and how to do this effectively, on winning the trust of the local educational establishment, and on techniques that make it easier for growth to happen.

Biography

David Paul is originally from Weymouth, UK and lives in Hiroshima with his wife and dogs. He established David English House (DEH) in 1982, but went bankrupt in 2010 (not because of the schools). After that, he taught privately and set up Language Teaching Professionals to continue some of the things that DEH had been doing, but without employing any staff. He founded ETJ (English Teachers in Japan in 1999.

Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!!!

Tired of flipping a coin for school decisions? Are you finding yourself always trapped between “should I do this…or not?” This session explores the “Yay or Nay” in all areas, including marketing, pricing, student retention, operations, and more. Insights and secrets will be revealed by the results of the presenter’s experiments, as well as interviews with other school owners. Come steal some ideas!

Biography

Doris runs KEYS English in central Tokyo. Having never worked for any other Eikaiwa (not even Shane!), she leverages her MBA and background in marketing and PR to bring fresh insights to the industry. Doris’s current focus is on optimizing operations and achieving work-life balance for both owners and staff.

Clear Goals, Messy Process: Building a School in Japan

How do you build a school in Japan, much less an elementary school? In this presentation, Janina identifies six important components from her experience as founding head of school and owner at Kobe Bilingual School.

Whether you’re a school owner, aspiring school owners, or just looking to create more purpose in your life, Janina will provide insights and strategies, and explain some pitfalls too, to help you set clear goals and achieve success.

Biography

Janina Tubby is the founding Head of School/Director at Kobe Bilingual School (KOBILS) a daycare through grade 6 international school that holds three different statuses! Janina is interested in nurturing resilience, SDG promotion and collaboration, and leading a future forward educational vision that fosters strong students with solid English language skills who can think outside the box and bring global understanding to make a difference in their own communities right here in Japan.

Improving School Operations: Effective Procedure Development

With 10 locations and over 40 staff, MY English School faced challenges due to inadequate procedures. Ryan Hagglund will discuss the comprehensive steps taken to develop effective procedures and actively involve all staff in their creation. By fostering a culture of collaboration and continuous improvement, MY English School has managed to save significant time and energy. This has been achieved through encouraging standardization where appropriate and preventing staff from reinventing the wheel. Attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing similar processes in their own schools, leading to enhanced efficiency and better overall management.

Biography

Ryan Hagglund and his wife Maki took over MY English School in Yamagata Prefecture in 2008, growing it from 100 to 1,200 students across 9 locations, including Yamagata’s only immersion kindergarten. They have three boys, aged 19, 17, and 15. Ryan, originally from Oregon, holds an MA in TEFL/TESL, an MAT, and teaching certification from Oregon.

Employing Full Time Staff and Contracts

This session will go through the history, lessons learned, and process that helped An English Club develop the contract options for its teachers. During this exploration, it will highlight key points that were successful for the company, as well as some that were not.

Biography

Scott Noll is one of the owners of An English Club and the author and designer of his company’s textbook and video series. He currently manages approximately 80 staff members in just the eikaiwa department, with a mix of seishain (permanent), contract, and part time teachers. He’s also a pretty fun guy…

Customer Complaints: How to Handle a Demanding Customer

What do you do when you have a demanding customer? This presentation will go over common complaints and how to address them–keeping your sanity, your school’s integrity, and hopefully the student in the process.

Biography

Sean Gallagher is the co-founder and Prinicpa of Happy English Club YK and Hisaya International Preschool.

The Instagram Playbook: Tips and Tricks to Reach your Japanese Customer Base

Unlock the potential of Instagram to connect with your Japanese customer base and attract more students. This presentation will equip you with the essential strategies to establish a strong Instagram presence from the ground up. Learn how to craft a compelling bio that appeals to your Japanese customer base, create visually engaging posts, and use Instagram Stories to captivate your audience. We will explore the types of images that resonate most with the Japanese market and provide practical tips for maintaining a consistent and culturally relevant Instagram feed. By the end of this session, you’ll have the tools and insights needed to boost your brand’s visibility, foster engagement, and drive your school’s growth in Japan through Instagram’s vibrant platform. Join me to transform your Instagram strategy and open new avenues for success.

Biography

Yuriko previously worked for Japan Railways, but soon discovered that she didn’t align with the structured and rigid environment. After leaving JR two years ago, Yuriko has become a certified financial planner, organized large scale events, maintained multiple instagram pages for various companies and organizations, and is currently hosting financial workshops to help both children and adults achieve financial security. She taught herself English and has challenged herself to give this presentation in English.