May 18, 2020
After a five-year stint with Sesame Streets Labs in New York, and getting her Masters in Education at Harvard, Carly Shuler returns to Canada. She creates Hootreading.com. Why? Carly knows that kids who love to read will spend a lifetime loving to learn. Hootreading.com matches students with real teachers, and with Carly's proprietary technology and teaching methods, her business takes off. Her concern is that she might draw the attention of multinationals who will go after her market share with their deeper pockets. John Ruffolo, Founder, OMERS Ventures and Co-Founder, Council of Canadian Innovators, Lisa Kimmel, Chair & CEO, Canada & Latin America, Edelman and Eric Leblanc, VP, Knowledge Based Industries, at RBC step in to help.
Small Business Matters series, presented by RBC.
Carly spots a
gap in the market (01:14)
While working at Spin Master
Canada, Carly spots an opportunity. There is a gap between
those that make the toys and those that truly understand learning
and childhood development. After receiving a masters in technology
in education, from Harvard, she lands a job at the Joan Ganz Cooney
Center https://joanganzcooneycenter.org
at Sesame Workshop.
Return to
Canada (03:33)
Carly returns to Winnipeg, Canada and starts Hoot Reading. In true
entrepreneurial fashion, Carly acknowledges she needs to make up
for her weaknesses and appoints a co-founder to help scale the
business. Setting out “to give every child the opportunity to have
one on one reading practice with real classroom teachers” Hoot
Reading makes it mark.
The focus on
literacy. Is paying off? (07:16)
Tony explores Carlys’ focus on literacy and the challenges facing
Hoot Reading. With so much literacy content being free,
communicating their value has been key to Hoot Readings’ success.
COVID-19 changed the demand for literacy services and Hoot Reading
quickly adapts. However, maintaining its position in the market
still remains a challenge.
Defending Hoot
Readings position - the experts make their points
(12:36)
Lisa Kimmel
suggests Carly broaden her focus into STEM and with her credentials
and unique experience, she has a great story to tell…but she needs
to get it out there.
John Ruffolo advises Carly that, customers will start to disappear over time, as such she needs to find ways in both direct and indirect channels, to continually add to her pipeline.
Eric Leblanc, assisting companies “beyond the balance sheet” and seeking to understand the businesses plans and what they are trying to achieve, enable financial partners to provide complementary funding options to companies like Hoot Reading.
Tony’s advice
on getting the attention Hoot Reading deserves
(24:33)
Our world is filled with noise and our attention is fleeting,
breaking through this noise is key to getting attention for her
brand. What Carly stands for, “Kids love to read, love to learn”,
needs to be woven across every touchpoint in order to
breakthrough.
Links and
References
Carly Shuler, CoFounder & CEO at Hoot Reading - https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlyshuler/
Website - https://www.hootreading.com
Facebook - @hootreading
Twitter - https://twitter.com/hootreading
Instagram: @hellohootreading @raisingandreading
Lisa Kimmel, Chair & CEO, Canada & Latin America - Edelman
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lkimmel/
https://www.edelman.com
John Ruffolo, Founder, OMERS Ventures and Co-Founder - Council
of Canadian Innovators
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joruffolo/
https://www.omersventures.com
https://www.canadianinnovators.org
Eric Leblanc, VP, Knowledge Based Industries, RBC
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/eric-leblanc-758a332/
RBC Business page – https://www.rbcroyalbank.com/business/index.html
RBC COVID-19 Financial Relief page - https://www.rbc.com/covid-19/business.html
Future Launch - https://www.rbc.com/dms/enterprise/futurelaunch/index.html
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