**Make sure your SOUND IS ON to hear the full sound bite above from Evelyn Wright**

On this week’s podcast, I got to chat with Ev Wright, the Director of Wright Academics,

a tutoring and academic coaching company in Towson, MD. Wright Academics services many areas across the country and even internationally. They help students from elementary aged all the way through college and beyond. Wright Academics covers a wide range of subject areas as well as abilities. Some of their students have specific learning difference like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia; they even see some high functioning autistic students. Recently, Wright Academics announced their Fall Programs, which will include 3-hour study sessions at their office and neighborhood “pod” study groups. These programs are ideal for working parents!

The Pandemic

When the pandemic hit, Wright Academics was already seeing students virtually, especially college and boarding school students.

As Ev described, this has been a time for her to grow and create new programs that meet the needs of the community. Throughout the pandemic, she’s been reaching out to her academic coaches and tutors to check-in with them; she misses their passing hello’s and informal hallway chats. Ev has also been trying to consistently reach out to clients throughout this time. She’ll choose a couple each day and give them a call to see how they are doing. Their positive feedback, she has found, is very motivating. Ev has also been hosting Virtual Team Happy Hours each Friday. She finds the happy hours give her team a chance laugh, catch up, and learn more about each other. As she so poignantly put it, “The better our bond, the better we are able to serve the community.”

Summer Tips

For parents, Ev says her number one tip is set aside some time to take care of yourself. She explained that this looks different for everyone; maybe it could look like getting up a bit earlier and having a nice cup of coffee to gather your thoughts. Her words of wisdom? “We are all doing the best we can do with what we have, and some days are going to be better than others.”

Ev also suggests establishing a routine. Routines provide stability and security; people feel safer and more secure when there’s a set plan each day. A lot of schools require summer reading books or math packets. Parents can make sure their student reads a little bit each day to help them stay on track for the fall. It’s important to note that reading can be a physical book or an audiobook; audiobooks are a really helpful resource. For math, a little bit every day (think 10-15 minutes) can also be beneficial. There are a number of great apps and websites out there like Brianpop, Brainpop, Jr., Khan Academy, and XML. These math sites are perfect for keeping students occupied while parents are working!

If you can get your student to journal for a few minutes each day, that is amazing! This helps your student practice their writing skills. Lastly, Ev emphasized, make sure your student is getting outside; there are so many great things you can do outside as a family…gardening, woodworking projects, bike riding, and more!

Business Coaching

Ev remembers the exact moment she knew she needed a business coach. Her and I had met through a networking group and, at first, she was really on the fence about hiring a business coach. She thought, “Oh my god, I can’t afford another thing.” Then, I invited her to my Masters of Entrepreneurship Facebook group (now called The Entrepreneur Evolution), and Ev started engaging in that community. She saw my post pop-up one day, and I said in a video, “You better know your numbers. If you don’t know your numbers, you’re in trouble.”

Ev then thought, “Oh my god, I don’t know my numbers.” From there, she remembers calling me and diving in; she credits iEvolve Consulting with changing the trajectory of her business. She explained, “Before you and I started working together, I was completely in the weeds.” One of the first things Ev and I did together is change her cash flow management process, and that shift alone had a huge impact on her business. Now, Wright Academics has exploded because, as she puts it, “We have the right processes and people in place. Before, I felt like I could teach and create a good team and environment. However, I’ve realized that is worth nothing if I don’t have some business sense, and before, I didn’t have any business sense. Now I feel like I do.”

The empathy that Ev brings to her parents, tutors, and students is contagious; she has such a gift! I am so grateful she got to chat with us on this episode of The Entrepreneur Evolution podcast.

To you, business owner: You don’t have to feel alone; feeling surrounded by great people and resources is within reach. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; don’t be afraid to find a safe zone where you can say, “Okay, this is where I’m struggling. This is where I need help. Can you at least point me in the right direction or give me a resource? Or tell me everything’s okay?” Because everything will be okay, and I am here as a resource and safe space for you, friend.

You can listen to the full episode below!

Apple: buff.ly/2WHQWUR

Spotify: https://buff.ly/30lUP2u

ABOUT ANNETTE WALTER

Much like Marcus Lemonis, host of CNBC’s “The Profit,” who lends his expertise to struggling businesses, Annette analyzes businesses, supports them with the right resources, and designs the plan they need in order to go from surviving to thriving.

Annette Walter has started, acquired, owned and operated more than 15 companies in her lifetime. As a wife, mother of two young boys, and owner of a national company, Timber Industries, that was included on last year’s Inc. 5000 list, she is able to serve her true purpose and passion in coaching and consulting entrepreneurs through her business coaching company, iEvolve Consulting. Annette works with business owners across the globe in various industries to support their overall well-being, teams, and operations. As an operations expert and strategist, she works with business owners to help them identify organizational gaps and opportunities in their companies. She works with businesses to help make their finances, marketing efforts, technology solutions, and sales more efficient and effective.

If you would like to know more about iEvolve Consulting, visit: http://www.ievolveconsulting.com, or send an email to YouRock@iEvolveConsulting.com.

Purpose. Process. Propel.

Contact: YouRock@iEvolveConsulting.com