Incubating a new business from scratch is an investment of time,
energy, resources, dedication and love. According to Dun and
Bradstreet research, businesses with fewer than 20 employees have a
37-percent chance of surviving the first four years of business.
Not great odds, but with a good idea, an adventurous spirit and
some strategic planning, a new business is born.
Incubating a new business from scratch is an investment of time, energy, resources, dedication and love. According to Dun and Bradstreet research, businesses with fewer than 20 employees have a 37-percent chance of surviving the first four years of business. Not great odds, but with a good idea, an adventurous spirit and some strategic planning, a new business is born.
“I like being involved in exciting things,” said Donald Boys, president and director of the Board for Breakthrough Learning Systems, a new Aromas company that has developed a unique, portable, user-friendly language learning system. “I like high stakes and rolling the dice.”
After two years of planning and collaborating with a creative and knowledgeable team, the company’s new product is set to roll out next week, and they have four other products in development. Their first sale was to The Adult Literacy Program of San Benito County. They will use the Breakthrough System, which has been customized to the agricultural industry, in their literacy program for the employees of the “Pride of San Juan.”
“I was inspired by Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol.’ Remember the Ghost of Christmas Present in the 1950s movie adaptation?” Boys said. “He opens his ermine robe to reveal two emaciated children, one was ‘ignorance’ and one was ‘want.’ We’ve been talking about ignorance since that book was written in 1846. Everyone wants to learn. I find bringing technology to the literacy problem really exciting.”
The Breakthrough Learning System is an illustrated booklet and CD combination that is customized to the user’s language learning needs. Key phrases one would use in his or her daily life and job are written in English and Spanish, presented with a corresponding picture in the booklet and the spoken phrase in both languages.
“I wanted to use existing, inexpensive portable and personal technology to help people acquire another language,” Boys said. “There is a real digital divide; the vast majority of the world has no access to computers and the Internet, and they need to be able to read to use it. We do see a world market for this learning system, but we decided to start locally, right here with the field workers in area. They may not have time to go to night school or they may find classroom learning intimidating. With our system and an inexpensive portable CD player, they can use our program to learn anywhere.”
“We use a mirrored language system, which is the way children learn a language, by hearing and repeating,” said Ruben Lopez, a founding member of the company and a local educator for more than 35 years.
As the executive vice president of public sector sales and marketing, Lopez says he envisions the learning system helping people communicate effectively.
“I’ve taught every grade level and been a principal for many years; I have seen the needs in the classroom from personal experience. The Breakthrough Learning System has many applications. I’m working on adapting the program for use in parent-teacher interviews; I can see it being used to help DMV employees communicate with Spanish-speaking customers; we can use it to teach common phases to our front line soldiers in Iraq.”
One application, which uses a smaller MP3 player and a small headset, is being adapted to help officers with the Hollister Sheriff’s Department communicate with Spanish-only speakers who they may need to question or collect evidence from.
“The applications are limitless,” Lopez said.
Breakthrough Learning Systems is looking for investment money to heighten the expansion within the first year by hiring more staff and developing more programs. The company anticipates making a profit of $2 million in their first year. The Breakthrough Learning System will retail for less than $20.
“We’re using a combination of new and the old, and using the digital player technology in a new way,” Boys said. “I feel everyone likes learning. If we can make it easy and convenient for them to learn, the sky’s the limit!”
Valerie Brockbank can be reached at [email protected].
