I feel that the drive to make change and help others is what kept me going!
Q & A With Stephanie Belsher, Founder of Safety Tree
What services does Safety Tree offer?
Safety and Life Skills Training for Youth
What services does Safety Tree offer?
How did you come up with the idea to start Safety and Life Skills Training for Youth, and what purpose did you intend to serve with the concept?
Having worked with children and youth my whole life, and after returning from a 9 year stint in Japan, I went back to working in Early Childhood Education. I quickly became bored because I didn’t have much freedom, financially or time-wise, or control over the curriculum.
With $500 to spare, I started brainstorming ideas of how I could leave my job, but still work in education. The children in Japan were very independent and I didn’t see the same number of children here in Canada developing the types of skills and confidence to make logical choices at such a young age. So, I started looking at ways that I could help youth here in Canada.
Which milestones have marked meeting benchmarks towards the fulfillment of your personal goals/ the company's vision and goals?
Provide quality, inclusive educational training to enable youth to be confident and responsible at home and in the community. We have won Top Choice Awards in many of the areas where we deliver our programs, and we have taught over 20 000 students to date. We have continually strengthened company performance, enhanced customer satisfaction and increased revenue.
Which steps have you taken for the company to achieve the level of consumer trust that has been nationally recognized?
We provide top-notch customer service and are reachable by phone, email and live chat.
We publish reviews and testimonials of real customers' experiences and act upon any feedback given.
What part of your education or other experiences do you feel was the most helpful in preparing you for success?
It has definitely helped to be a Registered Early Childhood Educator, and so has working abroad. Working with people from around the globe and travelling really gives you different perspectives and makes you grow as a person. I feel that the drive to make change and help others is what kept me going! :)
Which strategies have you found the most effective in growing your audience/ bringing awareness of your service to a larger consumer group?
Word of mouth has got to be right up there with social media.
https://www.facebook.com/safetytreecanada
https://twitter.com/Safety__Tree
https://www.instagram.com/safetytreecanada/
Which partnerships, if any, have been the most constructive in bringing your goals closer to becoming a reality?
The amazing educators at Safety Tree make it all happen. I am grateful to be blessed with a group of hard working contractors that love children and what they do!
We have developed many partnerships over the years, and currently, our programs run through many School Boards, Townships, Aboriginal Community Centres, Autism Ontario, Local Community Groups and more.
Are there any challenges that made it difficult to continue operation and that you managed to overcome? What was your approach to get past these?
COVID-19 knocked us down and forced us to go to online learning and virtual classrooms. This actually turned out really well for us as we were able to reach a different clientele and became able to provide options for students that might not be able to do the full day of in-person learning due to location, learning styles etc.
How do you balance work, passions/hobbies, and relationships?
HAHA! I have been up since 3:30am trying to go through the gazillion emails! It has improved over the last few years, as we have added more automation. I really need to do better in this area, and I assume most entrepreneurs might say the same.
What are your future plans to build on your personal/ company achievements and fulfill your vision for success/ what developments can your audience or clientele look forward to expecting next?
Our biggest challenge I see ,moving into the future, is finding qualified staff that are a good fit for our team, as we continue to grow.
What can our clients look forward to? Hmm.. something is coming down the pipes, which we are hoping to launch in the new year. We are super pumped!
What advice would you like to give readers that hope to achieve success in your field?
Have a good work ethic, focus on your strengths, be confident, ask for help, and enjoy the ride!
Is there anything else you would like to share with Winner Magazine readers?
Building a business is never easy but it is worth it!
We thank Stephanie for sharing these insights and experiences with Winner Magazine's readers. If you are looking for Safety Education Services, either in-person in Southern Ontario, or virtually from any location, we would recommend reaching out to Stephanie at Safety Tree!
