Ward 7 Trade & Business School | Application Preview
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General Information
Business Registration Number: Ward 7 Trade & Business School
Location: Oklahoma City, OK, United States
Length of Operation: 1-5
Number of Employees: 1-10 Employees
Annual Gross Income: Less than $100k
Annual Gross Expense: Less than $100k
Open to Loans: NO
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Funding Usage
I am seeking funding to invest in improving payroll, upgrading our online software, covering rental expenses and advertising.
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Business Plan
Within the next 5 years, my goal is for my trade school to be fully operational, offering programs in heating and air, building maintenance, auto paint and body, and culinary arts. I aim to not only train individuals, but also to retain them as employees within my company. My hope is that those I train will ultimately become part of my workforce. In 2004, at the age of 19, I worked as a chef at an independent living retirement community, making around $15 per hour. I pondered my future and chose to enroll at Metro tech to pursue a career in heating and air trade. After completing about a year of schooling, I landed a job in the industry I wanted and had to resign from my role as a cook. In 2009, I earned my mechanical contractor certification by passing the HVAC test. For 7 years, I have been working in Taylor, Oklahoma, fixing equipment for restaurants. In 2010, I established my own heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) company focusing on providing specialized services for heating and air systems. I quickly learned that obtaining funding and loans would be a challenge, so I had to start over and rethink my approach. I effectively managed the company for approximately 4 years, providing heating and air services and repairing restaurant equipment, despite encountering a range of obstacles. I made the difficult yet necessary choice to close my business. Over the course of five years, I acquired significant industry expertise while serving as a maintenance supervisor in the apartment industry starting in 2014. I also obtained my real estate license at that time, but I had a strong desire for something more significant. During my time working in the apartment industry, I developed the idea to create a vocational school. I was released from my position at the apartment complex after it was sold and new management took over because I was making a high salary. I saw this as an opportunity to follow through with my plan to go to trade school. Although I was initially unsure, I began to investigate and eventually found the private vocational board. I adeptly maneuvered through the difficult application procedure and was able to meet the necessary $1,400 application fee deadline. Everything seems to be falling into place seamlessly. I found a property in East Oklahoma City, but unfortunately, my investment was affected by the Covid-19 pandemic, leading to delays in my application process with the private vocational board. Nonetheless, I continued to credential maintenance technicians with EPA licenses and ultimately had to go back to working hands-on in the field. I established Ward 7 Service Team, and as of 2024, the private school board is still reviewing my application, and I anticipate receiving certification by July 2024. I have discovered a different address at 1515 Northeast 23rd in Oklahoma City. You asked about my qualifications as a competitive candidate. In my opinion, being successful in life means taking advantage of opportunities, even when faced with challenges. I am certain that enrolling in a trade school located in the eastern region of Oklahoma will have a beneficial impact on numerous individuals. I am confident that securing the grant will give me a strong starting point for my endeavors.
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Self Identified Competition
Metro Tech will be a competitor on the east side of Oklahoma City, but my advantage is that we provide heating and air and building maintenance services in that area. Metro Tech offers their heating classes at their South Bryant campus. We can provide a more personalized service to students with smaller companies than with larger Metro tech companies.
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