As you know, I run the Calgary Language Nerds.
My primary two responsibilities are marketing and running day-to-day operations. However, I do teach a few classes myself every day. One of my students prefers textbook-style learning supplemented with relevant audio/visual material. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find any books that aligns well with his learning needs.
Therefore, I decided that I would create customized lesson materials for him. I’ve quickly learned that this is problematic because:
I don’t particularly enjoy designing lesson materials (worksheets, PPTs, etc.)
I don’t enough time to create high-quality lesson materials for this student’s needs
As a result, I’m doing a sub-par job teaching this student.
This situation is my fault. I’ve learned that I need ensure a strong alignment between student expectations and the services I offer at my business prior to accepting their payment. I feel a little dumb because setting clear expectations is one of the foundations of running a business. I’ve known this for a long time, and yet here I am falling short of the ideal.
But that’s life I suppose, right? Sometimes we make elementary mistakes without meaning to.
As the saying goes, live and learn.