Business coach and trainer, TriciaBiz has launched an online business school, Business Lab Africa with the aim of helping entrepreneurs in Africa succeed in business. The school, which offers a new approach to learning, is subscription-based and is geared towards providing quality content at a price MSMEs can afford.
According to its management, not only is BLA easily accessible via mobile or web, it also offers knowledge that is practical, qualitative and locally relevant. Courses on the BLA curriculum, are taught by business experts from around the world covering a wide range of business subject areas including Marketing, Sales, Global Expansion, Business Structure and Processes, Business Models and more.
Speaking on the operations of the platform, Lead Trainer of the school, Tricia Ikponmwonba said that BLA’s faculty consists of trainers with deep business knowledge, having consulted and trained for several Fortune 100 companies and taught a combined pool of over 1 million entrepreneurs through their online and in-class courses/workshops. She revealed that the school has trained over twenty thousand people in Nigeria, Ghana, Rwanda, United States, United Kingdom and the UAE.
“At BLA, we are poised towards our simple goal; helping entrepreneurs succeed in business. To achieve this, we have adapted a blended learning model where we make use of several methods that simplifies the entire process.
“One of our methods is instructor learning which is achieved via recorded videos addressing specific sub-topics under the subject area for the month, Live classes with experts to answer burning questions you might have and “worksheets/templates for guidance,” she said.
The school also uses peer-to-peer learning in its online community where fellow learners can teach each other ideas that have worked for them and build on the belief that to teach is to learn twice and most importantly the use of case studies.
Ikponmwonba said that BLA boasts of differentiating factors from other learning platforms which includes using content that is curated specifically for the African market, the use of recorded videos and live classes for access to the experts and for further learning through Q and A.
“We also have a support system consisting of community coaches who are on ground to respond to any questions learners have which can be communicated in the comment section of each lesson,” s/he said.
By 2022, BLA hopes to have empowered 100,000 entrepreneurs with the much-needed tools to succeed. Entrepreneurs who were present at the launch include: Funke Bucknor, CEO Zapphaire Events; Jimi Tewe, CEO The Jimi Tewe Company and Gbubemi Fregene, Head Chef at Chef Fregz.