NEST would like to welcome and introduce you to the latest additions to NEST’s expanding? customer services team, Emily Hanson and Vanessa Moles, who joined us in May 2011.
Vanessa has worked in customer services/administration for 4 years (since leaving college) and during this time she has developed excellent customer service skills as well as learning ways to be fair to all.
She says, “I am keen on fitness and have always found martial arts an interesting area. Although I have only been here since the start of May, I have met some great people (both colleagues and clients!) in the short time I have been here and it is a pleasure to work for such a great company.
At NEST I intend to maintain the high levels of customer service that already exist and build excellent customer relations through effective and professional communication. I look forward to being part of an expanding company. ”
Emily joined the NEST team at the end of May having graduated with a 2:1 degree in Zoology from Sheffield University.
With previous experience of the services industry, where she has worked in both the catering and hotel industries, Emily has learnt many valuable skills for helping customers both face to face and over the phone.
Emily says “I am very excited to have joined the NEST customer services team and want to play a significant role in the future success of the company. I hope to help increase the business levels and provide a high quality service to both the instructors and the students.”
Best wishes,
NEST, martial arts club marketing
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Sunday, 24 July 2011
Thursday, 14 July 2011
Introducing Terry & The Wing Chun Academy
I have been involved in the Martial arts for over 32 years from way back when I first started training in Karate.
I have been training in Wing Chun Kung Fu now for almost 30 years since the day I walked in to an old dusty church hall in Barking in Essex and began training and have never looked back since then. Like most people of my generation I was hooked by the Bruce Lee films and the Kung Fu series that was on TV when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to have a go myself.
During my years of training I have also trained in other martial arts and I hold a Black Belt in Japanese Ju Jitsu which I learned from a fantastic Instructor. I have also trained in Thai Boxing and in Kali.
However my first and real passion remains Wing Chun Kung Fu which I teach throughout the Essex area in various schools.
Having trained for many years and encouraged by my own Sifu I began teaching to pass on what I have learned to my own students. I did this as I believe that the benefits of the martial arts are so far reaching and we can positively impact on people’s lives with martial arts.
I have been fortunate enough to have been taught by and trained with some great Wing Chun instructors and have travelled the world meeting and training with some great Masters to improve my knowledge.
I now try to pass this knowledge onto my students to help them.
In my schools we teach all ages, we have a very successful Little Dragons class for the youngest children and our very popular Kids Kung Fu classes for older children along with these we have our great adult classes that have been running since before I joined NEST.
I am very pleased with the progress that all my students have made over the years with numerous Black Belts being a credit to the school. We have confident, focused and persistent children with a great attitude in our schools and many of these have progressed through out children’s classes into our adult classes. Also a number of these children have developed further and are now on our Instructor Training Programme and act as great role models and mentors to all the other students.
I also have an excellent team of Instructors who are a real credit to the school in the way they teach and inspire the students and in the way they conduct themselves. They are great ambassadors for the school and give all the students something to aspire to. In particular I should mention Che McDermott, Daren Alger and Ian Gleed as part of my great team.
In our schools we really believe that if you can inspire students to have confidence in themselves that they can achieve extraordinary things and we actively encourage this in all our students and in all our classes.
If you believe you can you can!
This has never been more clearly demonstrated than by Ryan Trott, one of my students who joined me many years ago when he was only 14 years of age. Ryan was diagnosed with leukaemia almost 4 years ago now and was so ill he almost died. He has openly said that his training in the martial arts and learning over all these years of training to focus on his goals and to never give up was a major factor in him overcoming his dreadful illness. He says he put to the test these great lessons learnt from training in the martial arts and proved that they work and he firmly believes everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and benefit from these lessons that the martial arts have to offer.
I believe that there is a great deal to learn and benefit from training in the martial arts because it’s not just about kicking and punching, it’s so much more!
Why NEST?
I had been teaching for many years before I decided that I should take it more seriously and run my school in a more professional manner rather than just as a hobby. I was hesitant at first to do this because I really wanted to focus on teaching my students the very best that I could and wanted to teach people the complete Wing Chun system. I suppose I didn’t want to water down what I taught.
I began to research a number of martial arts consulting businesses to see what they had to offer in terms of advice but wasn’t really impressed with them. Their values appeared to be more about business than martial arts so I wasn’t to keen to progress with them.
Then one day I contacted NEST and spoke to Gerard Turvey and I immediately felt that this was different to my previous experiences. We spoke the same language and had the same values its all about teaching great martial arts classes and the rest will follow. I followed up this initial conversation with Gerard and he came down and met me and we discussed my schools, how I operated and my concerns that I wanted to teach the best martial arts classes that I could.
He understood where I was coming from immediately and I joined NEST from that day way back in 2001. I have never looked back and since then I have grown my schools from a part time hobby to one where I quit my job as Human Resources Director for the UK and Ireland arm of a large American Company to running a fulltime martial arts organisation which has grown and grown with the help and advice of all those at NEST.
All of my original concerns about using an outside Company to run my student billing evaporated as NEST are so professional in the way they deal with me and my students and they are far more than just a martial arts billing company. I have never looked back since I joined NEST.
I prefer to think of NEST as part of my team, I can talk to them about all aspects of my business and get excellent advice whenever I need it. All the people who work at NEST are a real credit to both Gerard and Joy, it’s easy to say but when you work with nice people who you like and can trust you get things done and achieve so much more.
NEST have an amazing skill set and resources that you can take advantage of to improve your business. They invest in themselves and therefore me. For example, the technology that they offer helps me easily track my student numbers and payments without my ever having to worry about buying expensive software packages or the time consuming data entry that this would bring were I to do this myself.
Also the advice on marketing has been invaluable in helping me grow my schools along with Gerard’s business advice on all sorts of issues that surround running any type of business.
I would recommend anyone who is teaching martial arts regardless of style to talk to NEST, from a new school owner to large already established schools because they really have so much to offer.
I have never regretted the day I joined NEST they are an important part of my business and the success of my schools.
Follow us on Twitter!
Like us on Facebook!
I have been training in Wing Chun Kung Fu now for almost 30 years since the day I walked in to an old dusty church hall in Barking in Essex and began training and have never looked back since then. Like most people of my generation I was hooked by the Bruce Lee films and the Kung Fu series that was on TV when I was a kid and couldn’t wait to have a go myself.
During my years of training I have also trained in other martial arts and I hold a Black Belt in Japanese Ju Jitsu which I learned from a fantastic Instructor. I have also trained in Thai Boxing and in Kali.
However my first and real passion remains Wing Chun Kung Fu which I teach throughout the Essex area in various schools.
Having trained for many years and encouraged by my own Sifu I began teaching to pass on what I have learned to my own students. I did this as I believe that the benefits of the martial arts are so far reaching and we can positively impact on people’s lives with martial arts.
I have been fortunate enough to have been taught by and trained with some great Wing Chun instructors and have travelled the world meeting and training with some great Masters to improve my knowledge.
I now try to pass this knowledge onto my students to help them.
In my schools we teach all ages, we have a very successful Little Dragons class for the youngest children and our very popular Kids Kung Fu classes for older children along with these we have our great adult classes that have been running since before I joined NEST.
I am very pleased with the progress that all my students have made over the years with numerous Black Belts being a credit to the school. We have confident, focused and persistent children with a great attitude in our schools and many of these have progressed through out children’s classes into our adult classes. Also a number of these children have developed further and are now on our Instructor Training Programme and act as great role models and mentors to all the other students.
I also have an excellent team of Instructors who are a real credit to the school in the way they teach and inspire the students and in the way they conduct themselves. They are great ambassadors for the school and give all the students something to aspire to. In particular I should mention Che McDermott, Daren Alger and Ian Gleed as part of my great team.
In our schools we really believe that if you can inspire students to have confidence in themselves that they can achieve extraordinary things and we actively encourage this in all our students and in all our classes.
If you believe you can you can!
This has never been more clearly demonstrated than by Ryan Trott, one of my students who joined me many years ago when he was only 14 years of age. Ryan was diagnosed with leukaemia almost 4 years ago now and was so ill he almost died. He has openly said that his training in the martial arts and learning over all these years of training to focus on his goals and to never give up was a major factor in him overcoming his dreadful illness. He says he put to the test these great lessons learnt from training in the martial arts and proved that they work and he firmly believes everyone should be given the opportunity to learn and benefit from these lessons that the martial arts have to offer.
I believe that there is a great deal to learn and benefit from training in the martial arts because it’s not just about kicking and punching, it’s so much more!
Why NEST?
I had been teaching for many years before I decided that I should take it more seriously and run my school in a more professional manner rather than just as a hobby. I was hesitant at first to do this because I really wanted to focus on teaching my students the very best that I could and wanted to teach people the complete Wing Chun system. I suppose I didn’t want to water down what I taught.
I began to research a number of martial arts consulting businesses to see what they had to offer in terms of advice but wasn’t really impressed with them. Their values appeared to be more about business than martial arts so I wasn’t to keen to progress with them.
Then one day I contacted NEST and spoke to Gerard Turvey and I immediately felt that this was different to my previous experiences. We spoke the same language and had the same values its all about teaching great martial arts classes and the rest will follow. I followed up this initial conversation with Gerard and he came down and met me and we discussed my schools, how I operated and my concerns that I wanted to teach the best martial arts classes that I could.
He understood where I was coming from immediately and I joined NEST from that day way back in 2001. I have never looked back and since then I have grown my schools from a part time hobby to one where I quit my job as Human Resources Director for the UK and Ireland arm of a large American Company to running a fulltime martial arts organisation which has grown and grown with the help and advice of all those at NEST.
All of my original concerns about using an outside Company to run my student billing evaporated as NEST are so professional in the way they deal with me and my students and they are far more than just a martial arts billing company. I have never looked back since I joined NEST.
I prefer to think of NEST as part of my team, I can talk to them about all aspects of my business and get excellent advice whenever I need it. All the people who work at NEST are a real credit to both Gerard and Joy, it’s easy to say but when you work with nice people who you like and can trust you get things done and achieve so much more.
NEST have an amazing skill set and resources that you can take advantage of to improve your business. They invest in themselves and therefore me. For example, the technology that they offer helps me easily track my student numbers and payments without my ever having to worry about buying expensive software packages or the time consuming data entry that this would bring were I to do this myself.
Also the advice on marketing has been invaluable in helping me grow my schools along with Gerard’s business advice on all sorts of issues that surround running any type of business.
I would recommend anyone who is teaching martial arts regardless of style to talk to NEST, from a new school owner to large already established schools because they really have so much to offer.
I have never regretted the day I joined NEST they are an important part of my business and the success of my schools.
Follow us on Twitter!
Like us on Facebook!
Friday, 1 July 2011
July 2011 Newsletter
We are now well into the summer period for sales and many schools are underway with promotional activity to ensure that they get the most out of the opportunities available. As everyone in this industry knows, potential students move their focus elsewhere at this time to holidays and other summer activities. The danger for our industry has always been that Martial Arts school owners take the view that if consumer interest is low we can do little to attract new students – this is simply not true - what we need to do is put our imagination into gear to ensure that the promotional activity implemented in the summer is as exciting and fresh as possible in order to get a good share of the new student opportunities available. One thing you can be sure of is that if you do not undertake a well planned summer campaign there will be other sporting activities that will.
By now you should have your summer campaign actions in place and if not you need to act now. You will have noted from the weekly Pulse messages that there are many activities including the NEST sponsored promotions that you can implement. Whether you are going to do a summer camp, community events, summer safety awareness or any other student acquisition activity please also remember your existing students and plan for retention events as well.
The key to a successful summer will be: have goals for your activities, put well designed plans in place for all the work you need to do, measure your results and then quickly make small changes if you see that you need to and, above all, be consistent and stay on track.
This year we are seeing all manner of sports activity companies putting substantial effort into get a share of the summer activity market for children. But, we all know that Martial Arts programmes can provide more benefits and more fun than many other activities. So, let’s remain positive and attack the summer market opportunity with a “Black Belt Attitude” and show just what this industry is capable of.
Finally, it is important to mention now that the start the new school year is vital for your business, and this will be upon us in mid August in Scotland and in early September in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You will need your plans in place early in order to “hit the boards running” with your promotions via school book bags in the first week of term as this is the week when many parents make their decisions for the kids activities – it is crucial not to be late.
I wish everyone all the very best for success and a great summer packed with new students. If you need any help or guidance please do not hesitate to call us.
Very best wishes,
NEST, martial arts club software
Follow us on Twitter!
Like us on Facebook!
By now you should have your summer campaign actions in place and if not you need to act now. You will have noted from the weekly Pulse messages that there are many activities including the NEST sponsored promotions that you can implement. Whether you are going to do a summer camp, community events, summer safety awareness or any other student acquisition activity please also remember your existing students and plan for retention events as well.
The key to a successful summer will be: have goals for your activities, put well designed plans in place for all the work you need to do, measure your results and then quickly make small changes if you see that you need to and, above all, be consistent and stay on track.
This year we are seeing all manner of sports activity companies putting substantial effort into get a share of the summer activity market for children. But, we all know that Martial Arts programmes can provide more benefits and more fun than many other activities. So, let’s remain positive and attack the summer market opportunity with a “Black Belt Attitude” and show just what this industry is capable of.
Finally, it is important to mention now that the start the new school year is vital for your business, and this will be upon us in mid August in Scotland and in early September in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. You will need your plans in place early in order to “hit the boards running” with your promotions via school book bags in the first week of term as this is the week when many parents make their decisions for the kids activities – it is crucial not to be late.
I wish everyone all the very best for success and a great summer packed with new students. If you need any help or guidance please do not hesitate to call us.
Very best wishes,
NEST, martial arts club software
Follow us on Twitter!
Like us on Facebook!
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