Wow, another year has flown by. Why do they seem to go by faster the older one gets? I’ll save that subject for a future blog.
This certainly is a time that people tend to look back. But, since I started this company I’ve always preferred to look ahead. Rearview mirrors are great in cars but not in business. Always best to keep your focus on the road ahead.
That said, 2007 was a challenging year for most businesses. The folks who run Wall Street acted like drunken sailors with money to burn. They burned so much of our money, but of course, not their own. More than ever, people are looking for maximum value and customer service for every dollar they spend. Both are something we’ve been proud to offer since we started, in 1987.
I’ve stayed in business for two decades by watching my pennies and hiring good people. So far so good!
This is a good time to salute the hard work and generosity of our Video Professor team. Recently, they collected over 330 gifts for 110 needy families through the Salvation Army Angel Tree Project, over 850 food items and hundreds of dollars to the Jeffco Action Center, dozens of coats to people in need, plus gift cards and turkeys for holiday dinners. Many of our employees are active volunteers in the community. I’m proud of them all and I fully support their efforts.
As a company we were able to donate to groups like the Fisher House Foundation™, which provides a free place to stay for families of our soldiers recovering from illness and injury at Military hospitals. Also, to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver that makes a difference in the lives of 9,000 terrific kids each and every day. We just presented a check to Jeffco Action Center as well. They tell us that families who used to come in one door to donate food, clothing and shelter, now come in another door to get help themselves. All of these nonprofits have coveted 4-star ratings by Charity Navigator, which analyzes and rates the financial health and efficiency of charities and nonprofits in the U.S.(www.charitynavigator.org
We also donate computer lessons to many nonprofit organizations which include computer education as a part of their programs. We recently helped the New Horizons Independent Living Center in Shreveport, La. Daryn Broussard runs the program there and tells us “The tutorials we received have worked marvelously. Our students report an overall positive experience with the Video Professor products.” We’re glad to have helped you and your clients Daryn.
O.K., lets move on to next year.
I can’t recall ever looking forward to a year like I am 2008. There’s an excitement at our corporate headquarters that’s simply contagious. It’s generated by some of the team who’ve been with me since day one. It’s also fueled by a new generation of leaders and technical wizards who’ve recently joined us.
Video Professor is known for our lessons that teach you everything you need to know about operating your computer. But, when you look at our library of over 50 titles, you’ll also see lessons about online travel, buying and selling on eBay®, online investing and how to connect and actually use all those new digital toys you found under the tree.
We’ve taught a generation how to use their computers. Now we’re teaching them along with new customers how to get the most benefit and value out of their computers. All this technology is designed to make our lives easier, more productive and simply more efficient. You just have to know how.
I know Internet safety is an important issue for the entire family. We’ll be revisiting that subject with a terrific new tutorial being released in just a few days. Definitely content you can use.
Finally, our list of titles is going to increase dramatically from dozens to thousands in 2008. If you can place a “How to” in front of it, we’ll have a tutorial for you. While CD-ROM lessons are still a part of our business, we’ll be making a very strong move to provide lesson material that can be streamed directly to your computer.
It will be easier and faster than ever before to start learning with Video Professor.
2008 promises to be an exciting year. I wish all of you a most happy and prosperous New Year and promise you that whether or not you agree with everything I post on my blogs each week, I will sign my real name to it!
Never hesitate to contact me at ceo@videoprofessor.com.
-John
John W. Scherer
