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Hello !
I haven't posted here in years. Today I'd like to thank MJ De Marco publicly and tell you my entrepreneur story.
I'm Benjamin Stevens, belgian speech therapist installed in France since 2002.
For the last 6 years I developed a book to teach kids how to read with humour. My goal was to create the best and most exciting french reading method on earth
The book is based on my speech therapist experience and techniques I developped. It is also based on the researchs done in neuroscience.
My project took me many more years than expected and I have to say MJ's book and videos truly helped me. They helped me stay motivated during the toughest times.
In 2018 I went through depression and anxiety because things weren't going the way I wanted. Deep inside the flame was still burning but challenges were so big.
You're probably wandering why it took me so long to finish a book? Well at first (2014) my brother was my business partner on this project (he's a 3D specialist and runs a succesful belgian 3D animation company www.miysis.be) but things went wrong and it took years to get the visuals for my book. My brother was so busy with his customers that he had little time for my project which I understand.
In 2019 I decided to stop that business with him and it was so painful for each of us. He didn't talk to me for 18 months. Our all family truly suffered because of this.
I found an illustrator here in France, started a new company and kept working on my project.
In late February I visited the printing company while my book was being printed.
In early March I received the first 3000 copies at my place.
At that stage I absolutely didn't know if my book was going to be well received by the public, teachers and speech therapists.
I started selling my book on my website www.apili.fr and on Amazon.fr
Two weeks later covid 19 arrived and I stopped working as a speech therapist to work full time on my Apili project. That truly was a blessing for me.
I started advertising my book on Facebook mostly and Apili quickly became number 1 on Amazon in the pedagogy and learning category.
Since early March I sold more than 4000 copies and am actually selling between 50 and 100 a day. I don't know how things are going to evolve but I'm really happy when I read people's comments on Amazon and on my website.
I sent books to more than 15 different countries because french speaking people live every where in the world. Two days ago I was contacted by teachers in Louisiana who teach french to kids in french immersion. They might choose my method for the 20.000 children in french immersion in Louisiana.
A french / spanish teacher asked me to do a spanish version of my method.
I'm now working on the second book with writing and phonic exercises. I'm also selling posters and working on a desk blotter for kids to write on... I have so many product ideas and people are asking me other products to help their kids. Teachers and speech therapist say it's the best french method to learn how to read.
I wanted to share this with you. It took me many years to go through this project and the rewards are so much worth it. I quit my speech therapist regular job and I work on my project full time (and more)
I'd like to have an app developped with voice recognition and so on. I also hope to create an english version. If anyone knows an english speaking linguist I'm interested
I read quite a few "entrepreneur" books and "the millionaire fastlane " is the one that had the deepest inpact on me. I read it many times and had hundreds of posts it in it
Since I read that book many years ago I knew I wanted to help kids on a larger scale.
I wrote a few emails to MJ De Marco through the years and he always replied to me. That was just amazing for me.
When I got the first copies of my book I sent MJ an email asking him if I could send him copy. Again he kindly replied to me and said he would be honoured to get a copy
I don't know if he got it yet but I wanted to thank him so much for writing "the Milionaire fastlane" and "unscripted ".
If you read this far and that you're working on a project please never give up ! Everything is possible even when people tell you it's not. Try to test your market first and don't lose your time if there is no market for your idea/product. I took many years to finish my book but I knew I wasn't wasting my time. I knew the market for my book and future products was huge.
Never lose hope and keep dreaming.
Thank you MJ and thanks for reading.
Benjamin
I haven't posted here in years. Today I'd like to thank MJ De Marco publicly and tell you my entrepreneur story.
I'm Benjamin Stevens, belgian speech therapist installed in France since 2002.
For the last 6 years I developed a book to teach kids how to read with humour. My goal was to create the best and most exciting french reading method on earth
The book is based on my speech therapist experience and techniques I developped. It is also based on the researchs done in neuroscience. My project took me many more years than expected and I have to say MJ's book and videos truly helped me. They helped me stay motivated during the toughest times.
In 2018 I went through depression and anxiety because things weren't going the way I wanted. Deep inside the flame was still burning but challenges were so big.
You're probably wandering why it took me so long to finish a book? Well at first (2014) my brother was my business partner on this project (he's a 3D specialist and runs a succesful belgian 3D animation company www.miysis.be) but things went wrong and it took years to get the visuals for my book. My brother was so busy with his customers that he had little time for my project which I understand.
In 2019 I decided to stop that business with him and it was so painful for each of us. He didn't talk to me for 18 months. Our all family truly suffered because of this.
I found an illustrator here in France, started a new company and kept working on my project.
In late February I visited the printing company while my book was being printed.
In early March I received the first 3000 copies at my place.
At that stage I absolutely didn't know if my book was going to be well received by the public, teachers and speech therapists.
I started selling my book on my website www.apili.fr and on Amazon.fr
Two weeks later covid 19 arrived and I stopped working as a speech therapist to work full time on my Apili project. That truly was a blessing for me.
I started advertising my book on Facebook mostly and Apili quickly became number 1 on Amazon in the pedagogy and learning category.
Since early March I sold more than 4000 copies and am actually selling between 50 and 100 a day. I don't know how things are going to evolve but I'm really happy when I read people's comments on Amazon and on my website.
I sent books to more than 15 different countries because french speaking people live every where in the world. Two days ago I was contacted by teachers in Louisiana who teach french to kids in french immersion. They might choose my method for the 20.000 children in french immersion in Louisiana.
A french / spanish teacher asked me to do a spanish version of my method.
I'm now working on the second book with writing and phonic exercises. I'm also selling posters and working on a desk blotter for kids to write on... I have so many product ideas and people are asking me other products to help their kids. Teachers and speech therapist say it's the best french method to learn how to read.
I wanted to share this with you. It took me many years to go through this project and the rewards are so much worth it. I quit my speech therapist regular job and I work on my project full time (and more)
I'd like to have an app developped with voice recognition and so on. I also hope to create an english version. If anyone knows an english speaking linguist I'm interested
I read quite a few "entrepreneur" books and "the millionaire fastlane " is the one that had the deepest inpact on me. I read it many times and had hundreds of posts it in it
Since I read that book many years ago I knew I wanted to help kids on a larger scale.
I wrote a few emails to MJ De Marco through the years and he always replied to me. That was just amazing for me.
When I got the first copies of my book I sent MJ an email asking him if I could send him copy. Again he kindly replied to me and said he would be honoured to get a copy
I don't know if he got it yet but I wanted to thank him so much for writing "the Milionaire fastlane" and "unscripted ".
If you read this far and that you're working on a project please never give up ! Everything is possible even when people tell you it's not. Try to test your market first and don't lose your time if there is no market for your idea/product. I took many years to finish my book but I knew I wasn't wasting my time. I knew the market for my book and future products was huge.
Never lose hope and keep dreaming.
Thank you MJ and thanks for reading.
Benjamin
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