Last updated on September 24th, 2024 at 03:24 pm
Baasima (Baasi) Hendrickson’s journey into entrepreneurship began over 10 years ago when she studied professional writing at university and taught English in Korea. Upon returning to North America, she transitioned to online teaching, quickly advancing from teacher to hiring manager, and then to head teacher. When the company she worked for dissolved, many students reached out to her to continue lessons, leading her to officially start The Foundations Learning Group (FLG), an e-learning English language school.
Tailoring Education to Individual Needs: How Specialised Learning and Emotional Support Drive Success
“Our primary clients come from Southeast Asia, seeking to study or improve their performance at English-medium universities. There are also professionals who aim to enhance their career prospects in Europe and North America,” says Baasi. Both groups strive for native-level fluency in English to achieve their academic and professional goals.
However, many students find that numerous learning institutes lack the expertise needed to keep them on par with English-speaking students and professionals. Vetting teachers on platforms with independent tutors can also be daunting.
Fortunately, Baasi has a deep understanding of her target audience. She says, “I focus entirely on the learner. Having studied Spanish, French, and Korean, I understand how challenging it can be to learn a new language without specialised teachers!” At her school, educators are not merely tutors but learning specialists who, with their extensive experience, create customised learning plans and adapt them lesson by lesson for each student. With over five to ten years of teaching experience and expertise in various subjects, her specialists are well-equipped to meet each client’s needs. They are also encouraged to share feedback openly to continuously improve processes for their students.
In addition, social, emotional, and professional development learning has been a growing trend in learning institutes in recent years, but Baasi’s school incorporated these courses into their lessons years ago. “We will continue to find ways to support our students’ emotional intelligence and well-being,” she says.
Navigating Challenges in Education
With advances in technology, the education industry faces many challenges. For Baasi, however, the biggest challenge is managing unrealistic expectations and ineffective shortcuts often promoted by companies, parents, and learners. She explains, “We address this challenge by being transparent about our strengths and areas for improvement, setting clear learning goals, and carefully matching clients with specialists who are a strong fit.”
Her school also tackles other challenges faced by clients, such as the cost of education. “What sets us apart is our flexible, student-centred approach. We help clients reduce educational spending by providing one learning specialist instead of multiple tutors, supplying all necessary materials through notes, and eliminating the need for additional book purchases,” says Baasi. The school also schedules classes to accommodate family needs, avoiding late-night sessions and allowing breaks during holidays. “We begin lessons only after students have had formal, in-person English instruction and demonstrate a willingness for regular practice,” she adds.
Achieving Results
Her unique approach to business has yielded impressive results. Her students have shown notable improvements in English language fluency and confidence. “Many of my students have been accepted into universities abroad and secured their dream roles in places like England, Canada, and the U.S.,” she says. As a result, students keep coming back, and some even make recommendations. “I have grown my student base primarily through my reputation. Clients often continue lessons for many years, return as their learning goals evolve, seek support for younger siblings, or refer me to new clients,” she explains.
Baasi also credits her company’s growth to the launch of their social media project, which has become her favourite initiative at FLG. “We introduced a series of Q&A sessions, tips, and inspirational content, sharing our specialists’ wealth of knowledge and making practical, encouraging English learning more accessible,” she says.
The Future of Education
In the near future, Baasi envisions educational environments as places where students are seen as autonomous and unique individuals. She believes schools and learning institutions will need to continually adapt materials and lessons in real-time to meet each learner’s specific needs, which is exactly what she is doing now and forms the core of her business model—hiring specialists with the experience, resources, and insights to tailor their approach to each learner.
She also aims to shift how people perceive education. “Instead of viewing it as stressful and focused on cramming information into a short time, we want learning to be enjoyable and centered on long-term, strategic, and continuous growth,” she says.
As a leader and founder of FLG, Baasi considers her greatest achievement to be maintaining integrity. She says, “There is so much content, false information, and fearmongering in business these days. Our goal is always to help. It’s pure, simple, loving, authentic, and rare.”
Small Business Feature Opportunity
Do you run a unique small or mid-sized business that’s been around for at least the past 3 years? If so, I’d love to feature you in my entrepreneur series, Stories of Us, and share your journey to inspire others. Reach out to me at bei@beithoven.com, and let’s showcase your success together!
Bei, a bilingual (English/Chinese) Singapore content strategist, has over 20 years of experience in marketing for small businesses. She mostly writes about China marketing (Chinese market marketing), content marketing, SEO, GenAI, metaverses, and social media.