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Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Nandi Edouard.
🔎 Interview Summary
In this episode, Nandi Edouard, founder of The Simple View Academy, discusses her mission to reimagine education by blending academics with entrepreneurship and financial literacy for middle and high school students in metro Atlanta.
Her charter school focuses on:
- Project-based learning
- Teaching students how to start and run businesses
- Building confidence, identity, and economic mobility
The conversation centers on education innovation, entrepreneurship, and community-driven impact.
🎯 Purpose of the Interview 1. Highlight Educational Innovation
- Showcase a new model of schooling focused on real-world skills
- Demonstrate how entrepreneurship can be integrated into education
2. Promote Financial Literacy Early
- Address the gap in teaching young people about money and wealth creation
3. Inspire Community Support
- Emphasize the importance of funding, partnerships, and local engagement in charter schools
4. Encourage Purpose-Driven Leadership
- Present Nandi as an example of a young leader creating systemic change
💡 Key Takeaways 1. Entrepreneurship Is a Path to Economic Mobility
- The school teaches students how to:
- Build businesses
- Understand funding, costs, and profit
- Students turn ideas into real ventures (13 student-run businesses in year one)
👉 Lesson: Entrepreneurship education empowers long-term financial independence
2. Education Must Evolve Beyond Traditional Models
- The academy uses project-based learning and real-world application
- Success is measured by:
- Collaboration
- Planning
- Execution—not just test scores
👉 Lesson: Skills and application matter as much as academics
3. Financial Literacy Should Start Early
- Nandi calls it “irresponsible” that kids aren’t taught about money sooner [
👉 Lesson: Early exposure to money management is critical
4. Building a School Requires Community First
- Key steps:
- Listen to community needs
- Build trust (through programs like summer camps)
- Secure funding and partnerships
- 👉 Lesson: Community buy-in is foundational for impact
5. Charter Schools Face Resource Constraints
- Receive ~33% less funding than traditional public schools
- Must rely on:
- Grants
- Donations
- Partnerships
👉 Lesson: Innovation often requires resourcefulness
6. Exposure + Mentorship = Opportunity
- Students engage with:
- Business leaders
- Organizations like 100 Black Men
- Helps them identify career paths and refine goals
👉 Lesson: You can’t aspire to what you don’t see
7. Academic + Entrepreneurial Growth Is Possible
- Early results:
- 20–30% improvement
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to my show. I'm Rashon McDonald, a host of
Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop
reading other people's success stories and start planning your own. Now,
you don't want to miss an episode, so please take
a moment right now to follow or subscribe to Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. It's free. You can follow me on iHeartRadio, app, Spotify,
(00:20):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. New
Money Making Conversations Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to
keep you on alert because my guests provide tips on
how you can uplift your community, improve your financial planning, motivation,
or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now,
let's get this podcast started.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
My guests journey towards educational innovation and community impact took
shape with the founder of The Simple View Academy SVA.
The Simple View Academy is committed to building a school
culture where students thrive academically and emotionally, just bridging the
gap between education and entrepreneurship and shaping future leaders of tomorrow.
(01:01):
Welcome to the Money Making Conversation master Class and why how.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
You doing ND I'm Okay, thank you for you know. Edward,
that's fancy, fancy dancy last name there.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yes, my dad is Haitian songradulations.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You had that foreign flavor working over here.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Charter schools, Yes, I have another friend. He has a Utopia.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yeah, he's somebody I mentored when we were with Steve Harvey.
I'm very proud of his charter school and they're growing.
But I never asked this question. I've interviewed him several
times on my show A Tezius And how do you
start a charter school?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yes, starting a charter stu school is pretty complicated. There
are two pathways in the state of Georgia. So I'll
start by saying every state is different the way they
do charter schools. In Georgia, you're either locally approved by
your local school district or state approved by the State
of Georgia. So you have to petition for your chart,
which is basically a big kind of dissertation of your data,
(02:06):
the research, the community interest for your charter school, and
you go before a group of people, usually the Board
of Education, and you petition for it. You bring your board,
which is the people who govern and hold you responsible
for what happens within the school, and then you guys
kind of try to convince them to allow you to
(02:26):
come into their system, either the traditional public school or
the state side. We are a state approved school. We
petitioned our local school districts, but they denied us. And
then we went before the State of Georgia and the
State Charter School Commission and they said, yeah, let's bring
an entrepreneurship focused school into our fold. And we got
(02:49):
approved in July twenty twenty four, and then we opened
our doors August twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Okay, that's great, Thank you for explaining that to me.
My thought process is there's local in their state, YEP,
a local person, a local school district. If they approved you,
it would almost seem like you're their acknowledging.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
They are not providing a skill set that you expect
them to provide for their school. Correct. I wouldn't assume
the students.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
What I would assume is that they want some type
of innovation, maybe a smaller setting for a subpopulation of students.
And yes, there might be some interest in the design
of the school. Every charter school has some sort of niche,
which is why it is an innovative school. So, for
the simple view, our niche is entrepreneurship and financial literacy
through a project based learning model.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Now, entrepreneurship, let's talk about that. You know, everybody wants
to be a business owner, people of color, having a
clear understanding that there's life beyond the forty hour week
job correct or manual label jobs, which you know we
see at the forefront. That's what we see. We see.
We don't see education beyond high school most of the
(04:00):
There's a certain core students who do see it, but
the majority of students just want to jump out. Yep.
You have eighty students currently at your Let's walk on
the sixth through the twelfth grade.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Correct, Currently we just have six and seventh graders, seven,
and we grow every grade, every grade level we add.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Every year after that.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Okay, So you started in twenty four, we started in
two twenty five. Okay, cool, you were chartered in twenty
twenty four, correct, And then you started in twenty twenty five, correct,
And then.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
So every year you're adding another grade level. So you
sixth through the seventh grade, correct right now?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Okay, next year will be six through eight.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
The ultimate goal is six through twelve, correct, Okay? Cool.
Just want to make sure we get the story the
simple view correct as view with the you eat correct
and why is that good question?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
View means to be seen and that is really big
to me and the families that we service. Our core
values also are spelled out with view voice A Buntu
and empowerment are our core values. Voice because we really
value our student in our community.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Voice.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
A boom too means I am because we are. So
we have a community feel we have to work together
and then ease empowerment because we really truly believe that
our young people know where they want to go, have
passion driven work that they want to do, and we
just need to be the guidance to get them.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Boom to A boom too sounds like one of them dances.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
It comes from African culture.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
But when I hear that boot, I just say that,
you know those dances those little kids get out there
go They always make those kids dance those little dances.
They just be with these carves. Let's be two of
them out there, maybe three at the.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Moment, just running from side of the state, this side
of the state, that side of state. So it's a
very emotional addition to the to to your pillows.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So, because we serve as middle schoolers and as soon
to be high schoolers, they need a lot of support
socially and emotionally, and so our design has to be
driven around keeping them safe emotionally as they journey through entrepreneurship.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
It's hard.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Entrepreneurship is not a truly state career choice. You have
to be pretty mentally stable and mostly stable to actually
be successful.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Well, I agree, I you know I was. You know,
I left IBM, which is a classic forty hour week
job for one k retirement type package and vacation days
and you know, a consistent check right help benefits. Correct,
(06:28):
that's very safe. But what we learned is those type
of jobs don't carry you to the finish line like
they used to. Yes, but entrepreneurship and people need to
understand this. Now, you don't get paid overtime be an entrepreneur.
It's a lot of work you don't And so eighty
(06:48):
hour week is a norm for an entrepreneur. Yes, now
you made this big decision. You're spelled mcgred. They born
and raised in Atlanta, Join went to Jersey Village in Houston, Texas. Correct,
got academic training and then went up to Brooklyn. Yep,
So you've had some nice, big markets outside of Atlanta. Yes, sir,
what made you by Frandy to be so bold? Because
(07:12):
it so bold, boy, because you're telling people that the
educational system that they're providing in this particular city can
be better through your vision. Yes, sir, talk to us
about that.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So, going through all the different realms of education, teaching, leading,
seeing other people's vision out, I just said, there's got
to be a way to do this that is different
because I've seen brilliant, beautiful black and brown children not
get fulfill through their educational experience from K through twelve,
(07:43):
And so I said, how do.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
I flip this on his head?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And one of the biggest things I needed to do
was come back home. I was in Brooklyn at the time.
I was a part of somebody else's mission, and I
was just like, I can do this better. So my
support system, my village is here in Georgia. So I
came back home. I started in a fellowship program which
supported me in understanding the nuances of education as a business.
(08:07):
Because I think people think that I'm just a school
teacher or a school leader opening a school, but there
is a serious business side to opening a school that
people don't understand until they're in it. After talking to
a few people and understanding what they wanted from a school,
I said, cool, let's see what this is all about.
(08:28):
And I started a summer program. So we really started
as a summer camp that then turned into a charter school.
Our families in our summer camp program were like, how
do we do.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
This every day?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
This has been an amazing experience, but I want my
student to be able to do this every day.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And so I said, okay, let's start a charter school.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Now again, I'm digging deep into this hole because our
teachers at Autopia Academy, you know, he was already up
and running. Yes, I'm getting you like year two correct,
this is year one literally and you want so because
I really got to delve into your mind because I'm
very impressed, because because it's very courageous. So how do
(09:12):
you recruit students? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Outside, we are outside tabling at an event or something
community focused. Every weekend we posted up Thanksgiving time, Christmas time,
Easter in front of public SAMs at the mall places.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Those people usually just walk by, they bother me.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Yeah, and it's a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
But I think when you sell tell people do you
want something different? For your student, When you tell them
that they can create wealth for themselves and their families,
I think it tunes to the ear a bit differently,
especially for our people who are looking for outlets and access.
As such, entrepreneurship is the way to economic mobility. It
(09:57):
is the way to create for yourself. It is the
way to bridge community. And so when I have those
type of conversations with families, they're like, Yeah, I wish
that I had this type of education, So I want
my child to be able to experience this as well.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
What has been the most profound statement a parent has
made to you about the simple view?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
A simple view?
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I think what has been really amazing is the things
that students are learning.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
In the classroom.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
They're telling their families, and then their families are coming
to ask about how to do that thing. So, for example,
we talked about how to fund your business or how
to fund your nonprofit, and we talked about grants and
getting grants.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
To help your writers, right, and so we talked about
this and what you need in order to have a
good grant.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Somebody went home and told their family about it, and
then their mom reached out to me and was like, Okay,
my daughter came home and told me about grant writing
and I need I want to start a business and
so I need some help.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Now you get me excited. I'm not saying I wasn't excited,
but that grant writing, Yeah, that is like the most
in demand skill set. Yes, in this country.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Yes it is because everybody wants a grant, but nobody
knows how to facilitate the process correctly.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Do you have a course over that you're teaching for
grant rights.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So it's embedded into our entrepreneurship program. And so one
really cool thing about our school is that all of
our courses intersect in some way. We have an interdisciplinary model.
So you're not just learning math and math class, you're
also learning financial literacy and math class. You're learning business
and social studies. And so we hit them in different
functions through all of their classes. And so in entrepreneurship,
(11:40):
we were talking about how they're going to build their
businesses and what they might need, and so that was
a portion of the curriculum to tell them here are
the different outlets. We talked about credit as well, and
how you get a loan from the bank, and how
you have to have a good credit score, and how
you get a good credit score, because all of those
things matter, and so telling them now because they have
(12:01):
to start making the choices now. Some of their families
have already given them cash app cards and things like that,
and I'm like, okay, but what are you doing with
that cash ap card? Are you saving your money? Are
you investing your money? How are you getting more money?
And so we have those type of conversations with our
kids because we have to prepare them for what comes
after twelfth grade, which we hope is that they create
(12:25):
something for the community in which they're serving that only
betters us.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Right, It's important that you say that very clearly when
I think about let everybody know what I'm talking to.
Non diad whah. She's founded the Simple View Academy SPA.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
She's a native of Atlanta, Georgia. You know, she wanted
to change the perspective of education for black and brown kids.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yes, sir, And if you see outside publics see you outside,
you know Sam's or whatever. She's recruiting to.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Promote an academic training session for entrepreneurship and emotionally charge
your child to be a leader in difficult circumstances. Yep,
that's important. Yes, I think about my life. Everything is
learned on the job. On the job of learning good
and bad.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
You know what I'm saying. If you can avoid a mistake,
whye experience?
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
How do you do that?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
A lot of sharing of our lives and the different
circumstances that we've been through. Majority of my teachers are
entrepreneurs so that they can talk from experience. So I
looked for a certain caliber person to lead this type
of learning for our students. Because while you might be
a great math teacher, do you know how to help
(13:48):
a student navigate a budget gap and what to do
to bridge that. So, for instance, we had our marketplace
for our students.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
This was the first ever. So some of our students were.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Super prepared because they come from entrepreneurship families, and some
of them don't come from families who practice entrepreneurship, and
so we had to bridge that gap for them, which
is like, okay, so if you're going to spend thirty
dollars to get whatever supplies and you're only selling five
of these things for five dollars, are you going to
make back your money?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
No, you're going to be five dollars short.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
So are you really going to sell for five dollars
or do you need to sell for ten so you
actually make a profit to actually put back in your business.
So these are the type of conversations that we're having
the students so that they can see their learning in
real time and really be prepared to take the next
step with their business.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. I need for you to do
me a favor right now to follow or subscribe to
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(14:58):
subscribe money Making Conversations. Welcome back to Money Making Conversation
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(15:19):
You know, I really appreciate you coming on my show
because I like to be educated too, and the process
of doing that you know, like I said, you started idea,
what inspired you or what mentors had you had on
the sidelines, Because this is a great idea, but there
has to be a support system. Yes, what was your
(15:40):
support system?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:41):
So I come from a family of entrepreneurs, I'm truly correct.
And my mom's from New York but Barbados, So.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
That's a Rihanna's country, correct.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
And so I was the only true traditional.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Child in my family, you know, going through primary school,
secondary college, master's degree, getting the job. My brother engaged
in entrepreneurship very early too as well. So I come
from a family of entrepreneurs. So I've been able to
see them go through the ups and downs of their
business journey along the way.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Of course, I have.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Developed relationships with amazing educators who helped me put the
instructional design together because while I have this great idea,
I do need people to be like, you're not going
to reach that standard if you do that activity, or
you're gonna have to push students here to bridge their learning.
So the Georgia Charter School Association has been an amazing
(16:43):
support system. The State Charter School Commission, my authorizers have
been amazing support systems to helping us understand the legality
of charter school, how to make sure that our money
goes in the ways that it needs to for our students.
Family that has been involved along this journey. I tell
(17:03):
people as soon as they enter our doors or as
soon as they interact with something with the simple view,
they're my cousin because they're a part of our family.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
They're part of our village.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
So we've had many people come along the journey and
help us out. Some of our key partners right now
are the one hundred Black Men of North Metro Atlanta
and Douglasville because our students come from Cobb and Fulton
County along with Douglasville and Paulding County. Some state institutions
like Spelling College, Moorhouse Clark, Atlanta, the whole auc Center
(17:36):
has been really helpful.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
There are so many partners.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
AUBUNTU wouldn't be a part of our core values if
community wasn't at the center.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Okay, it's all balls down the money, some of it.
How do you fund your charter school?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Good question.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So every because we are a public school, every student
we get in allotment for.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Who enrolls in our school.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So every.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Nottment, So charter school gets funded thirty three percent less
than the traditional public school, and so oftentimes you'll see
charter schools fundraising or going for grants because we have
to make up the difference in some way, shape or form,
because we're still held to the same exact standards as
a traditional public school system. So every student who comes
(18:22):
in and if they have a need an IEP five
or four specialized service, we have to meet them because
it is our duty and is the law to be
a public school. So every student comes in with an
allotment and we put that in our budget, and then
we figure out how we make up the difference.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Through donations, fundraisers and stuff like that. If one wants
to make a donation, where would they go?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
They should visit our website, the simple view academy dot
org and hit our donation button link and put the
money in our pocket.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
And how is that distributed for food for the kids?
Close with great questions, academics.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yes, so transportation and nutrition are our biggest expenses. Of
of course teachers are top expense, and so oftentimes the
money that is donated to us, we make sure that
we have enough to cover our teachers and our educators,
and then the rest goes for like enrichment. We just
(19:24):
had a fashion show where we had kids dress up
and go down the hallway and we had them kind
of strut their stuff.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
We had a field trip.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
But on social media, I'm sure.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
There's videos that the children gotta gotta promote what.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
You doing that you know, that's thank you for pushing
me there.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Oftentimes I'm so in it with them that I don't
even look at my phone or take pictures.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Unique story. Yeah, and I think that social media will
be very friendly and passionate about your story. Yeah, because
you know you're rep sending a educational format that's non traditional. Yes,
but needed, you know, we know, you know, with the
just with the purpose of AI and social media. Being
(20:11):
a person like when I grew up, I didn't have that,
you know, so being able to go out there and
say I want to be successful by myself.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I used to pay for that. Pay for a radio commercial,
pay for a TV commercial. If you're smart, you pay
for none of that. You can start your YouTube channel,
you can start your social media. People will pay you
for your creative being an influencer. So I know one
of my employees. He has over three hundred thousand TikTok followers.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Okay, And so that's that's a person I've hired that
has developed that skill set outside of a traditional job
format that he also works, so he has his own
outside revenue opportunity or career opportunity he has as an entrepreneur.
But also he falls under that traditional for they are
weekend for So that's the that's the that's the people
(21:00):
we have.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Now, that's a kid.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So if I push you to do anything, post yes,
tell your story. Tell your story on LinkedIn too, because
you're talking about entrepreneurship, you're talking about future business leaders.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
That can fall under the whole world of LinkedIn. Yeah, okay.
So why are we waiting so late to teach kids
about money?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Great question, And I don't have the answer to that.
I don't know why. It doesn't make sense to me
at all, which is why we teach our kids about
money when they enter our doors. I think we are
waiting way too late to teach kids about money. I
know that when I went to college, when I got
my first refund check, I was at the cab buying
up stuff at the party, buying things that I shouldn't
(21:42):
have been buying instead of my books and making sure
that I had my rent to pay, and thinking about
our next generation. The economy is just getting tougher and tougher,
and so to not teach our students about how to
manage their money or how to get money is irresponsible
at this point.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
At a Simple View Academy, what are results are early
results have you seen since launching the school?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, so what's been really incredible is that our students
when we first tested, had our first diagnostic tests, were
below state averages. In month six, which is probably like
midway through the school year, we saw twenty to thirty
percent gains in math and reading, which is pretty significant.
Our students entered in not really knowing how to do
(22:31):
on gray level math or on Gray level reading, and
by the time we got them to January, they were
able to do it. So knowing that it kind of
just propelled us forward and got us excited about what
we could do next, which was get them to marketplace
and get them to the expo. And they did that
all themselves with their math skills and their writing skills.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
So it's been amazing, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
At the Simple View Academy viewer spelled v U E
because when you look, I want to make sure you
find it.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Entrepreneurship, teachers, child entrepreneurship. How does that alter their perspective
about their future?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Many of our students are saying now that they did
not know they had the ability to do this, to
create change. I think our students walked in wanting to
change or create just for themselves and like what they liked.
And then after this training, these experiences, they're trying to
now figure out what their target audience wants. That's something
(23:32):
that we talk about often. It's like, well, is that
who's your target audience? Who would want to purchase or
engage in that thing? Because even if you just like
pink slippers, how many other people might want pink slippers?
And you should investigate that and you should find community
in what you're trying to get off the ground because
there's there's a niche, there's a group of people who
(23:54):
want to engage what you're with, what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
You just got to find them.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
So I think that they found community, they found their people.
I think through this experience they have understood money way better.
And our families are saying now They're not asking me
for McDonald's because they know I got a budget to keep.
Now they're going to the grocery store with their families
and couponing and saying, Mmmm, we could probably get this
(24:20):
this month, and you know, forego that next month.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You know a lot of people when you start talking
about change, they really can go to extreme. You're talking
about entrepreneurship. Yes, what are people getting wrong about the
fact that you are leading in academic training about entrepreneurship
and why people are making a mistake that it may
not be the right path to teach your kid at
(24:44):
such an early age.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yes, because I think one when you say entrepreneurship, people
automatically think, oh, small business owner, Oh I got to
go create a business. But what we're trying to really
infuse is the entrepreneurial mindset and what it means to
create change.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Be it.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
If you go within a business, you could be an entrepreneur.
There might be a routine, a system that you might innovate,
maybe something that has been antiquated or happening for years
it's not really working anymore, and you go into a
business and recreate that thing. And so I think oftentimes
when we say entrepreneurship, people automatically think I got to
(25:22):
go start a business, rather than I'm expanding my mindset
around how to create and how to innovate something. I
also think that when we say entrepreneurship, people don't assume
that we are getting kids college prepared. They only think
about career readiness. But entrepreneurship is college preparation. It is
(25:43):
balancing your checkbook. It is organization, it is collaboration. It
is making sure that you cross your t's and dot
your eyes. And so we are preparing our students to
be leaders and change makers, not just in their careers,
not just in their communities, but or the for higher
education as well.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
What is an entrepreneurial mindset versus a traditional academic mindset
in the middle school leading into high school.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Yeah, so I believe that an entrepreneurial mindset looks like
pushing the envelope. It looks like asking questions, it looks
like taking action. While traditional education is pretty much sit
and get it is you digest information and you put
it on a test or a piece of paper, and
(26:34):
they say, great, you got it done. While we are
pushing our kids to not only great, you got it done,
but show me, how do you know that thing is
going to work?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
What have you tested?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
What have you what questions have you asked to really
know that this thing is actually going to change. We
are developing curious kids who are not just allowing information
to just come to them. They're questioning what they're receiving.
We asked them the pushback on what we're telling them
so that we can be better. I know that my
(27:06):
teachers had to have their own kind of like cultural
shift around kids, basically being like, doesn't make sense, Like
you're going to have to explain that to me in
a different way, And oftentimes adults are like, what, Like,
that's what I told you.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
You need to do the thing that I told you.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
There's rules and expectations, But we do allow our kids
to say, well, I could do this in a different way.
Here's how I solved the problem, And our teachers are like, okay, cool, Yeah,
you got the same answer and you solved it in
that way.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You know, it's really interesting now when you go through
the process of you know that level, you know, elementary school,
it's really amazing. Now I could really as old as
I am, I could really clearly remember moments in my
life fifth grade. You know, I can remember moments in
my life in the seventh grade. You know clearly instructional habits.
(27:59):
They will told me I should do it this way,
and it stays there because it allows me to say,
this is what these were these key moments at the
Simple View Academy. What are those moments that you are
training that will stay with these young people for the
rest of their lives.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
We often say, like our underlying core value is managing
the pivot because entrepreneurship is unexpected often and our kids
are so used to tradition and here's how the thing happens,
and it should happen this way. And so I think
(28:37):
what they've learned over this year is like, Okay, it
can happen that way, but it could happen this way
as well, and thinking outside of the box. And so
that is really what we are pushing. Whatever they're giving
you in the box doesn't have to be the box.
You can recreate the box. Let's figure out how to
recreate the box. And sometimes the box might be bigger
than you. You might need to call on some people
(28:58):
to help you recreate the box.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
But try it.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Okay, cool, one more time? How do we offer an
opportunity to contribute to donation.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Yes, you can visit our website.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
You can put some money in the mail thirty two
sixty four Brookmont Parkway.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Lord Town. What was that address.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
It's thirty two sixty four Brookmont Parkway, Douglas, Still, Georgia,
three one five. And then you could just go to
our website and hit that donation link and put whatever
amount of funds that you can afford to give us
to really help this design continue coming to life and
continue feeding the community that is being serviced by this design.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Nondi head, while you're very courageous, I'd say that because
anybody who thinks out of the box have to come
or have to overcome a lot of naysayers.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Yes, a lot of people. That is not going to work.
Why are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Because you can explain to people with your your dream sometimes,
you know, because people it's very simple as to say
I'm a postman, very simple say I'm a banker or
an engineer, architect. But you said I want to build
the most successful charter school in America.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I know that's correct. You're not trying to limit this
to just to Atlanta or the state of Georgia. You
want to put their charter school a Simple View Academy
or the Simple View Academy on the map. Yes, sir,
is that the goal?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
That is the goal, trying to change the life of
a lot of different people in a lot of different ways.
I've been able to see it in just the year
change the trajectory of eighty kids. So if I can
get eighty to change their mindset and just the year,
how many more can we get?
Speaker 2 (30:39):
So how do you is there a what is that
growth criteria? You have eighty kids? Now what's the next level?
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Yes, so eighty kids this year, next year one hundred
and fifty and every year after that we're adding more
school We value small schools, so we probably will not
get bigger than five hundred just because small classrooms is
how we are able to have these kind of conversations
with students. So right now we're probably at one to
twenty two in a classroom or so, because if we
(31:08):
get any bigger than that, we're not going to be
able to have the opportunities that we've been able to
create the Simple View Academy.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Talking to the founder Nonde Edward, Yes, thank you for
coming on money Making Conversation Masterclass. Thank you, Thank you
for listening to this episode. No I need for you
to do me a favor right now to follow or
subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's free and you can
find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or
(31:35):
wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor,
follow or subscribe Money Making Conversations. Keep winning.
Welcome to my show. I'm Rashon McDonald, a host of
Money Making Conversations Masterclass, where we encourage people to stop
reading other people's success stories and start planning your own. Now,
you don't want to miss an episode, so please take
a moment right now to follow or subscribe to Money
Making Conversations Masterclass. It's free. You can follow me on iHeartRadio, app, Spotify,
(00:20):
Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your podcast. New
Money Making Conversations Masterclass episodes drop daily. I want to
keep you on alert because my guests provide tips on
how you can uplift your community, improve your financial planning, motivation,
or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Now,
let's get this podcast started.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
My guests journey towards educational innovation and community impact took
shape with the founder of The Simple View Academy SVA.
The Simple View Academy is committed to building a school
culture where students thrive academically and emotionally, just bridging the
gap between education and entrepreneurship and shaping future leaders of tomorrow.
(01:01):
Welcome to the Money Making Conversation master Class and why how.
Speaker 1 (01:06):
You doing ND I'm Okay, thank you for you know. Edward,
that's fancy, fancy dancy last name there.
Speaker 3 (01:11):
Yes, my dad is Haitian songradulations.
Speaker 1 (01:15):
You had that foreign flavor working over here.
Speaker 3 (01:18):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
Charter schools, Yes, I have another friend. He has a Utopia.
Speaker 1 (01:25):
Yeah, he's somebody I mentored when we were with Steve Harvey.
I'm very proud of his charter school and they're growing.
But I never asked this question. I've interviewed him several
times on my show A Tezius And how do you
start a charter school?
Speaker 3 (01:41):
Yes, starting a charter stu school is pretty complicated. There
are two pathways in the state of Georgia. So I'll
start by saying every state is different the way they
do charter schools. In Georgia, you're either locally approved by
your local school district or state approved by the State
of Georgia. So you have to petition for your chart,
which is basically a big kind of dissertation of your data,
(02:06):
the research, the community interest for your charter school, and
you go before a group of people, usually the Board
of Education, and you petition for it. You bring your board,
which is the people who govern and hold you responsible
for what happens within the school, and then you guys
kind of try to convince them to allow you to
(02:26):
come into their system, either the traditional public school or
the state side. We are a state approved school. We
petitioned our local school districts, but they denied us. And
then we went before the State of Georgia and the
State Charter School Commission and they said, yeah, let's bring
an entrepreneurship focused school into our fold. And we got
(02:49):
approved in July twenty twenty four, and then we opened
our doors August twenty twenty five.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
Okay, that's great, Thank you for explaining that to me.
My thought process is there's local in their state, YEP,
a local person, a local school district. If they approved you,
it would almost seem like you're their acknowledging.
Speaker 1 (03:10):
They are not providing a skill set that you expect
them to provide for their school. Correct. I wouldn't assume
the students.
Speaker 3 (03:18):
What I would assume is that they want some type
of innovation, maybe a smaller setting for a subpopulation of students.
And yes, there might be some interest in the design
of the school. Every charter school has some sort of niche,
which is why it is an innovative school. So, for
the simple view, our niche is entrepreneurship and financial literacy
through a project based learning model.
Speaker 1 (03:39):
Now, entrepreneurship, let's talk about that. You know, everybody wants
to be a business owner, people of color, having a
clear understanding that there's life beyond the forty hour week
job correct or manual label jobs, which you know we
see at the forefront. That's what we see. We see.
We don't see education beyond high school most of the
(04:00):
There's a certain core students who do see it, but
the majority of students just want to jump out. Yep.
You have eighty students currently at your Let's walk on
the sixth through the twelfth grade.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
Correct, Currently we just have six and seventh graders, seven,
and we grow every grade, every grade level we add.
Speaker 4 (04:16):
Every year after that.
Speaker 1 (04:17):
Okay, So you started in twenty four, we started in
two twenty five. Okay, cool, you were chartered in twenty
twenty four, correct, And then you started in twenty twenty five, correct,
And then.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
So every year you're adding another grade level. So you
sixth through the seventh grade, correct right now?
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Okay, next year will be six through eight.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
The ultimate goal is six through twelve, correct, Okay? Cool.
Just want to make sure we get the story the
simple view correct as view with the you eat correct
and why is that good question?
Speaker 3 (04:47):
View means to be seen and that is really big
to me and the families that we service. Our core
values also are spelled out with view voice A Buntu
and empowerment are our core values. Voice because we really
value our student in our community.
Speaker 1 (05:02):
Voice.
Speaker 3 (05:02):
A boom too means I am because we are. So
we have a community feel we have to work together
and then ease empowerment because we really truly believe that
our young people know where they want to go, have
passion driven work that they want to do, and we
just need to be the guidance to get them.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Boom to A boom too sounds like one of them dances.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
It comes from African culture.
Speaker 1 (05:24):
But when I hear that boot, I just say that,
you know those dances those little kids get out there
go They always make those kids dance those little dances.
They just be with these carves. Let's be two of
them out there, maybe three at the.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Moment, just running from side of the state, this side
of the state, that side of state. So it's a
very emotional addition to the to to your pillows.
Speaker 1 (05:43):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (05:43):
So, because we serve as middle schoolers and as soon
to be high schoolers, they need a lot of support
socially and emotionally, and so our design has to be
driven around keeping them safe emotionally as they journey through entrepreneurship.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
It's hard.
Speaker 3 (05:57):
Entrepreneurship is not a truly state career choice. You have
to be pretty mentally stable and mostly stable to actually
be successful.
Speaker 1 (06:06):
Well, I agree, I you know I was. You know,
I left IBM, which is a classic forty hour week
job for one k retirement type package and vacation days
and you know, a consistent check right help benefits. Correct,
(06:28):
that's very safe. But what we learned is those type
of jobs don't carry you to the finish line like
they used to. Yes, but entrepreneurship and people need to
understand this. Now, you don't get paid overtime be an entrepreneur.
It's a lot of work you don't And so eighty
(06:48):
hour week is a norm for an entrepreneur. Yes, now
you made this big decision. You're spelled mcgred. They born
and raised in Atlanta, Join went to Jersey Village in Houston, Texas. Correct,
got academic training and then went up to Brooklyn. Yep,
So you've had some nice, big markets outside of Atlanta. Yes, sir,
what made you by Frandy to be so bold? Because
(07:12):
it so bold, boy, because you're telling people that the
educational system that they're providing in this particular city can
be better through your vision. Yes, sir, talk to us
about that.
Speaker 4 (07:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (07:22):
So, going through all the different realms of education, teaching, leading,
seeing other people's vision out, I just said, there's got
to be a way to do this that is different
because I've seen brilliant, beautiful black and brown children not
get fulfill through their educational experience from K through twelve,
(07:43):
And so I said, how do.
Speaker 4 (07:44):
I flip this on his head?
Speaker 3 (07:46):
And one of the biggest things I needed to do
was come back home. I was in Brooklyn at the time.
I was a part of somebody else's mission, and I
was just like, I can do this better. So my
support system, my village is here in Georgia. So I
came back home. I started in a fellowship program which
supported me in understanding the nuances of education as a business.
(08:07):
Because I think people think that I'm just a school
teacher or a school leader opening a school, but there
is a serious business side to opening a school that
people don't understand until they're in it. After talking to
a few people and understanding what they wanted from a school,
I said, cool, let's see what this is all about.
(08:28):
And I started a summer program. So we really started
as a summer camp that then turned into a charter school.
Our families in our summer camp program were like, how
do we do.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
This every day?
Speaker 3 (08:36):
This has been an amazing experience, but I want my
student to be able to do this every day.
Speaker 4 (08:41):
And so I said, okay, let's start a charter school.
Speaker 1 (08:45):
Now again, I'm digging deep into this hole because our
teachers at Autopia Academy, you know, he was already up
and running. Yes, I'm getting you like year two correct,
this is year one literally and you want so because
I really got to delve into your mind because I'm
very impressed, because because it's very courageous. So how do
(09:12):
you recruit students? Yeah?
Speaker 3 (09:14):
Outside, we are outside tabling at an event or something
community focused. Every weekend we posted up Thanksgiving time, Christmas time,
Easter in front of public SAMs at the mall places.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Those people usually just walk by, they bother me.
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Yeah, and it's a lot of that.
Speaker 3 (09:35):
But I think when you sell tell people do you
want something different? For your student, When you tell them
that they can create wealth for themselves and their families,
I think it tunes to the ear a bit differently,
especially for our people who are looking for outlets and access.
As such, entrepreneurship is the way to economic mobility. It
(09:57):
is the way to create for yourself. It is the
way to bridge community. And so when I have those
type of conversations with families, they're like, Yeah, I wish
that I had this type of education, So I want
my child to be able to experience this as well.
Speaker 2 (10:11):
What has been the most profound statement a parent has
made to you about the simple view?
Speaker 1 (10:17):
A simple view?
Speaker 3 (10:19):
I think what has been really amazing is the things
that students are learning.
Speaker 4 (10:24):
In the classroom.
Speaker 3 (10:25):
They're telling their families, and then their families are coming
to ask about how to do that thing. So, for example,
we talked about how to fund your business or how
to fund your nonprofit, and we talked about grants and
getting grants.
Speaker 1 (10:36):
To help your writers, right, and so we talked about
this and what you need in order to have a
good grant.
Speaker 3 (10:45):
Somebody went home and told their family about it, and
then their mom reached out to me and was like, Okay,
my daughter came home and told me about grant writing
and I need I want to start a business and
so I need some help.
Speaker 1 (10:55):
Now you get me excited. I'm not saying I wasn't excited,
but that grant writing, Yeah, that is like the most
in demand skill set. Yes, in this country.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
Yes it is because everybody wants a grant, but nobody
knows how to facilitate the process correctly.
Speaker 1 (11:13):
Do you have a course over that you're teaching for
grant rights.
Speaker 3 (11:16):
So it's embedded into our entrepreneurship program. And so one
really cool thing about our school is that all of
our courses intersect in some way. We have an interdisciplinary model.
So you're not just learning math and math class, you're
also learning financial literacy and math class. You're learning business
and social studies. And so we hit them in different
functions through all of their classes. And so in entrepreneurship,
(11:40):
we were talking about how they're going to build their
businesses and what they might need, and so that was
a portion of the curriculum to tell them here are
the different outlets. We talked about credit as well, and
how you get a loan from the bank, and how
you have to have a good credit score, and how
you get a good credit score, because all of those
things matter, and so telling them now because they have
(12:01):
to start making the choices now. Some of their families
have already given them cash app cards and things like that,
and I'm like, okay, but what are you doing with
that cash ap card? Are you saving your money? Are
you investing your money? How are you getting more money?
And so we have those type of conversations with our
kids because we have to prepare them for what comes
after twelfth grade, which we hope is that they create
(12:25):
something for the community in which they're serving that only
betters us.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Right, It's important that you say that very clearly when
I think about let everybody know what I'm talking to.
Non diad whah. She's founded the Simple View Academy SPA.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
She's a native of Atlanta, Georgia. You know, she wanted
to change the perspective of education for black and brown kids.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
Yes, sir, And if you see outside publics see you outside,
you know Sam's or whatever. She's recruiting to.
Speaker 2 (13:03):
Promote an academic training session for entrepreneurship and emotionally charge
your child to be a leader in difficult circumstances. Yep,
that's important. Yes, I think about my life. Everything is
learned on the job. On the job of learning good
and bad.
Speaker 4 (13:22):
Correct.
Speaker 1 (13:22):
You know what I'm saying. If you can avoid a mistake,
whye experience?
Speaker 4 (13:25):
Correct?
Speaker 1 (13:26):
How do you do that?
Speaker 3 (13:28):
A lot of sharing of our lives and the different
circumstances that we've been through. Majority of my teachers are
entrepreneurs so that they can talk from experience. So I
looked for a certain caliber person to lead this type
of learning for our students. Because while you might be
a great math teacher, do you know how to help
(13:48):
a student navigate a budget gap and what to do
to bridge that. So, for instance, we had our marketplace
for our students.
Speaker 4 (13:57):
This was the first ever. So some of our students were.
Speaker 3 (14:00):
Super prepared because they come from entrepreneurship families, and some
of them don't come from families who practice entrepreneurship, and
so we had to bridge that gap for them, which
is like, okay, so if you're going to spend thirty
dollars to get whatever supplies and you're only selling five
of these things for five dollars, are you going to
make back your money?
Speaker 4 (14:20):
No, you're going to be five dollars short.
Speaker 3 (14:22):
So are you really going to sell for five dollars
or do you need to sell for ten so you
actually make a profit to actually put back in your business.
So these are the type of conversations that we're having
the students so that they can see their learning in
real time and really be prepared to take the next
step with their business.
Speaker 1 (14:37):
Please don't go anywhere. We'll be right back with more
Money Making Conversations Masterclass. I need for you to do
me a favor right now to follow or subscribe to
Money Making Conversation. It's free and you can find it
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get your podcasts. Please do me that favor, follow or
(14:58):
subscribe money Making Conversations. Welcome back to Money Making Conversation
master Class, hosted by me Rashaan McDonald. Money Making Conversation
master Class continues online at Moneymaking Conversations dot com and
follow money Making Conversations master Class on Facebook, X and Instagram.
(15:19):
You know, I really appreciate you coming on my show
because I like to be educated too, and the process
of doing that you know, like I said, you started idea,
what inspired you or what mentors had you had on
the sidelines, Because this is a great idea, but there
has to be a support system. Yes, what was your
(15:40):
support system?
Speaker 4 (15:41):
Yeah?
Speaker 3 (15:41):
So I come from a family of entrepreneurs, I'm truly correct.
And my mom's from New York but Barbados, So.
Speaker 1 (15:52):
That's a Rihanna's country, correct.
Speaker 4 (15:55):
And so I was the only true traditional.
Speaker 3 (16:00):
Child in my family, you know, going through primary school,
secondary college, master's degree, getting the job. My brother engaged
in entrepreneurship very early too as well. So I come
from a family of entrepreneurs. So I've been able to
see them go through the ups and downs of their
business journey along the way.
Speaker 4 (16:19):
Of course, I have.
Speaker 3 (16:21):
Developed relationships with amazing educators who helped me put the
instructional design together because while I have this great idea,
I do need people to be like, you're not going
to reach that standard if you do that activity, or
you're gonna have to push students here to bridge their learning.
So the Georgia Charter School Association has been an amazing
(16:43):
support system. The State Charter School Commission, my authorizers have
been amazing support systems to helping us understand the legality
of charter school, how to make sure that our money
goes in the ways that it needs to for our students.
Family that has been involved along this journey. I tell
(17:03):
people as soon as they enter our doors or as
soon as they interact with something with the simple view,
they're my cousin because they're a part of our family.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
They're part of our village.
Speaker 3 (17:12):
So we've had many people come along the journey and
help us out. Some of our key partners right now
are the one hundred Black Men of North Metro Atlanta
and Douglasville because our students come from Cobb and Fulton
County along with Douglasville and Paulding County. Some state institutions
like Spelling College, Moorhouse Clark, Atlanta, the whole auc Center
(17:36):
has been really helpful.
Speaker 4 (17:37):
There are so many partners.
Speaker 3 (17:38):
AUBUNTU wouldn't be a part of our core values if
community wasn't at the center.
Speaker 1 (17:44):
Okay, it's all balls down the money, some of it.
How do you fund your charter school?
Speaker 4 (17:50):
Good question.
Speaker 3 (17:51):
So every because we are a public school, every student
we get in allotment for.
Speaker 4 (17:57):
Who enrolls in our school.
Speaker 1 (17:58):
So every.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
Nottment, So charter school gets funded thirty three percent less
than the traditional public school, and so oftentimes you'll see
charter schools fundraising or going for grants because we have
to make up the difference in some way, shape or form,
because we're still held to the same exact standards as
a traditional public school system. So every student who comes
(18:22):
in and if they have a need an IEP five
or four specialized service, we have to meet them because
it is our duty and is the law to be
a public school. So every student comes in with an
allotment and we put that in our budget, and then
we figure out how we make up the difference.
Speaker 1 (18:39):
Through donations, fundraisers and stuff like that. If one wants
to make a donation, where would they go?
Speaker 3 (18:45):
They should visit our website, the simple view academy dot
org and hit our donation button link and put the
money in our pocket.
Speaker 1 (18:53):
And how is that distributed for food for the kids?
Close with great questions, academics.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
Yes, so transportation and nutrition are our biggest expenses. Of
of course teachers are top expense, and so oftentimes the
money that is donated to us, we make sure that
we have enough to cover our teachers and our educators,
and then the rest goes for like enrichment. We just
(19:24):
had a fashion show where we had kids dress up
and go down the hallway and we had them kind
of strut their stuff.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
We had a field trip.
Speaker 1 (19:34):
But on social media, I'm sure.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
There's videos that the children gotta gotta promote what.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
You doing that you know, that's thank you for pushing
me there.
Speaker 3 (19:45):
Oftentimes I'm so in it with them that I don't
even look at my phone or take pictures.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
Unique story. Yeah, and I think that social media will
be very friendly and passionate about your story. Yeah, because
you know you're rep sending a educational format that's non traditional. Yes,
but needed, you know, we know, you know, with the
just with the purpose of AI and social media. Being
(20:11):
a person like when I grew up, I didn't have that,
you know, so being able to go out there and
say I want to be successful by myself.
Speaker 2 (20:19):
I used to pay for that. Pay for a radio commercial,
pay for a TV commercial. If you're smart, you pay
for none of that. You can start your YouTube channel,
you can start your social media. People will pay you
for your creative being an influencer. So I know one
of my employees. He has over three hundred thousand TikTok followers.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
Wow.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
Okay, And so that's that's a person I've hired that
has developed that skill set outside of a traditional job
format that he also works, so he has his own
outside revenue opportunity or career opportunity he has as an entrepreneur.
But also he falls under that traditional for they are
weekend for So that's the that's the that's the people
(21:00):
we have.
Speaker 1 (21:00):
Now, that's a kid.
Speaker 2 (21:01):
So if I push you to do anything, post yes,
tell your story. Tell your story on LinkedIn too, because
you're talking about entrepreneurship, you're talking about future business leaders.
Speaker 1 (21:11):
That can fall under the whole world of LinkedIn. Yeah, okay.
So why are we waiting so late to teach kids
about money?
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Great question, And I don't have the answer to that.
I don't know why. It doesn't make sense to me
at all, which is why we teach our kids about
money when they enter our doors. I think we are
waiting way too late to teach kids about money. I
know that when I went to college, when I got
my first refund check, I was at the cab buying
up stuff at the party, buying things that I shouldn't
(21:42):
have been buying instead of my books and making sure
that I had my rent to pay, and thinking about
our next generation. The economy is just getting tougher and tougher,
and so to not teach our students about how to
manage their money or how to get money is irresponsible
at this point.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
At a Simple View Academy, what are results are early
results have you seen since launching the school?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Yeah, so what's been really incredible is that our students
when we first tested, had our first diagnostic tests, were
below state averages. In month six, which is probably like
midway through the school year, we saw twenty to thirty
percent gains in math and reading, which is pretty significant.
Our students entered in not really knowing how to do
(22:31):
on gray level math or on Gray level reading, and
by the time we got them to January, they were
able to do it. So knowing that it kind of
just propelled us forward and got us excited about what
we could do next, which was get them to marketplace
and get them to the expo. And they did that
all themselves with their math skills and their writing skills.
Speaker 4 (22:52):
So it's been amazing, you know.
Speaker 1 (22:54):
At the Simple View Academy viewer spelled v U E
because when you look, I want to make sure you
find it.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
Entrepreneurship, teachers, child entrepreneurship. How does that alter their perspective
about their future?
Speaker 3 (23:09):
Many of our students are saying now that they did
not know they had the ability to do this, to
create change. I think our students walked in wanting to
change or create just for themselves and like what they liked.
And then after this training, these experiences, they're trying to
now figure out what their target audience wants. That's something
(23:32):
that we talk about often. It's like, well, is that
who's your target audience? Who would want to purchase or
engage in that thing? Because even if you just like
pink slippers, how many other people might want pink slippers?
And you should investigate that and you should find community
in what you're trying to get off the ground because
there's there's a niche, there's a group of people who
(23:54):
want to engage what you're with, what you're doing.
Speaker 4 (23:57):
You just got to find them.
Speaker 3 (23:59):
So I think that they found community, they found their people.
I think through this experience they have understood money way better.
And our families are saying now They're not asking me
for McDonald's because they know I got a budget to keep.
Now they're going to the grocery store with their families
and couponing and saying, Mmmm, we could probably get this
(24:20):
this month, and you know, forego that next month.
Speaker 1 (24:23):
You know a lot of people when you start talking
about change, they really can go to extreme. You're talking
about entrepreneurship. Yes, what are people getting wrong about the
fact that you are leading in academic training about entrepreneurship
and why people are making a mistake that it may
not be the right path to teach your kid at
(24:44):
such an early age.
Speaker 3 (24:45):
Yes, because I think one when you say entrepreneurship, people
automatically think, oh, small business owner, Oh I got to
go create a business. But what we're trying to really
infuse is the entrepreneurial mindset and what it means to
create change.
Speaker 4 (25:00):
Be it.
Speaker 3 (25:01):
If you go within a business, you could be an entrepreneur.
There might be a routine, a system that you might innovate,
maybe something that has been antiquated or happening for years
it's not really working anymore, and you go into a
business and recreate that thing. And so I think oftentimes
when we say entrepreneurship, people automatically think I got to
(25:22):
go start a business, rather than I'm expanding my mindset
around how to create and how to innovate something. I
also think that when we say entrepreneurship, people don't assume
that we are getting kids college prepared. They only think
about career readiness. But entrepreneurship is college preparation. It is
(25:43):
balancing your checkbook. It is organization, it is collaboration. It
is making sure that you cross your t's and dot
your eyes. And so we are preparing our students to
be leaders and change makers, not just in their careers,
not just in their communities, but or the for higher
education as well.
Speaker 2 (26:02):
What is an entrepreneurial mindset versus a traditional academic mindset
in the middle school leading into high school.
Speaker 3 (26:12):
Yeah, so I believe that an entrepreneurial mindset looks like
pushing the envelope. It looks like asking questions, it looks
like taking action. While traditional education is pretty much sit
and get it is you digest information and you put
it on a test or a piece of paper, and
(26:34):
they say, great, you got it done. While we are
pushing our kids to not only great, you got it done,
but show me, how do you know that thing is
going to work?
Speaker 4 (26:44):
What have you tested?
Speaker 3 (26:45):
What have you what questions have you asked to really
know that this thing is actually going to change. We
are developing curious kids who are not just allowing information
to just come to them. They're questioning what they're receiving.
We asked them the pushback on what we're telling them
so that we can be better. I know that my
(27:06):
teachers had to have their own kind of like cultural
shift around kids, basically being like, doesn't make sense, Like
you're going to have to explain that to me in
a different way, And oftentimes adults are like, what, Like,
that's what I told you.
Speaker 4 (27:21):
You need to do the thing that I told you.
Speaker 3 (27:23):
There's rules and expectations, But we do allow our kids
to say, well, I could do this in a different way.
Here's how I solved the problem, And our teachers are like, okay, cool, Yeah,
you got the same answer and you solved it in
that way.
Speaker 1 (27:37):
Cool.
Speaker 2 (27:38):
You know, it's really interesting now when you go through
the process of you know that level, you know, elementary school,
it's really amazing. Now I could really as old as
I am, I could really clearly remember moments in my
life fifth grade. You know, I can remember moments in
my life in the seventh grade. You know clearly instructional habits.
(27:59):
They will told me I should do it this way,
and it stays there because it allows me to say,
this is what these were these key moments at the
Simple View Academy. What are those moments that you are
training that will stay with these young people for the
rest of their lives.
Speaker 3 (28:16):
We often say, like our underlying core value is managing
the pivot because entrepreneurship is unexpected often and our kids
are so used to tradition and here's how the thing happens,
and it should happen this way. And so I think
(28:37):
what they've learned over this year is like, Okay, it
can happen that way, but it could happen this way
as well, and thinking outside of the box. And so
that is really what we are pushing. Whatever they're giving
you in the box doesn't have to be the box.
You can recreate the box. Let's figure out how to
recreate the box. And sometimes the box might be bigger
than you. You might need to call on some people
(28:58):
to help you recreate the box.
Speaker 4 (29:00):
But try it.
Speaker 1 (29:02):
Okay, cool, one more time? How do we offer an
opportunity to contribute to donation.
Speaker 4 (29:10):
Yes, you can visit our website.
Speaker 3 (29:12):
You can put some money in the mail thirty two
sixty four Brookmont Parkway.
Speaker 1 (29:17):
Lord Town. What was that address.
Speaker 3 (29:20):
It's thirty two sixty four Brookmont Parkway, Douglas, Still, Georgia,
three one five. And then you could just go to
our website and hit that donation link and put whatever
amount of funds that you can afford to give us
to really help this design continue coming to life and
continue feeding the community that is being serviced by this design.
Speaker 2 (29:41):
Nondi head, while you're very courageous, I'd say that because
anybody who thinks out of the box have to come
or have to overcome a lot of naysayers.
Speaker 1 (29:51):
Yes, a lot of people. That is not going to work.
Why are you doing that?
Speaker 2 (29:56):
Because you can explain to people with your your dream sometimes,
you know, because people it's very simple as to say
I'm a postman, very simple say I'm a banker or
an engineer, architect. But you said I want to build
the most successful charter school in America.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
I know that's correct. You're not trying to limit this
to just to Atlanta or the state of Georgia. You
want to put their charter school a Simple View Academy
or the Simple View Academy on the map. Yes, sir,
is that the goal?
Speaker 3 (30:23):
That is the goal, trying to change the life of
a lot of different people in a lot of different ways.
I've been able to see it in just the year
change the trajectory of eighty kids. So if I can
get eighty to change their mindset and just the year,
how many more can we get?
Speaker 2 (30:39):
So how do you is there a what is that
growth criteria? You have eighty kids? Now what's the next level?
Speaker 3 (30:46):
Yes, so eighty kids this year, next year one hundred
and fifty and every year after that we're adding more
school We value small schools, so we probably will not
get bigger than five hundred just because small classrooms is
how we are able to have these kind of conversations
with students. So right now we're probably at one to
twenty two in a classroom or so, because if we
(31:08):
get any bigger than that, we're not going to be
able to have the opportunities that we've been able to
create the Simple View Academy.
Speaker 1 (31:15):
Talking to the founder Nonde Edward, Yes, thank you for
coming on money Making Conversation Masterclass. Thank you, Thank you
for listening to this episode. No I need for you
to do me a favor right now to follow or
subscribe to Money Making Conversation. It's free and you can
find it on the iHeartRadio app, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or
(31:35):
wherever you get your podcasts. Please do me that favor,
follow or subscribe Money Making Conversations. Keep winning.
Host
Rushion McDonald
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