Offering an ethical service

Having people pay for ethical services
I think more and more people are looking for services that line up with their beliefs. We’ve gotten used to it. It’s become a part of our collective psyche for products, things we know we can touch and feel, so we’re more aware of the production chain. But when it comes to services, it doesn’t even cross people’s minds for the time being to invest in ethical services.

Convincing the tutors
Being a SIS company is a good argument to come work with me rather than my competition, for instance. When they work for me, they’ll be helping someone. But they don’t know if that person is paying a lower price or not. They’re just helping someone. And they’re paid the same whether their student pays less or pays the standard rate.

Convincing the parents
For the parents, it’s mainly word of mouth. They’re trusting us with their most valuable assets, their children, for an often sensitive topic. School! There are a lot of things that amass around school, really a lot of things, so it can be a touchy subject in families. They need to feel reassured, and what’s most reassuring is when someone they trust recommends someone to work with.

Rethinking your operating mode
I refuse to work with a subscription-based model because it would mean asking parents to pay for classes their children might not need. That would be outside of my scope. I’d be a business like any other.

Is it profitable?
It’s on the right track. The trend is definitely positive, but it’s still somewhat unstable.

Why to do it?
I’m here to fulfill families’ needs more than to sell a service. If you’re not in it for a clear social objective you’re not in it for the right reasons.