What Is the Discovery Phase?and Why It?s the First Step to Starting Your EIKAIWA Business

If you?re an English teacher ready to teach on your own, the Discovery Phase is the best place to begin. It's the first step in your business planning process.

What Is the Discovery Phase?

Think of it as your Entrepreneurial GPS. Before you decide where to go, you need to know where you are.

The Discovery Phase is all about:

• Understanding the market (See This Post for more information)
• Identifying your ideal customers (See this Post for Information on Niches)
• Analyzing your competitors
• Reflecting on your own strengths and weaknesses

This phase lays the foundation for everything that comes next in your business plan; your strategy, your implementation plan, and your launch.

Why It Matters

Skipping this step is like trying to teach a class without knowing your students. You might have great content, but if it doesn?t meet a real need that they have, it won?t stick.

By doing your homework now, you?ll:

• Spot opportunities others miss
• Avoid common pitfalls
• Build a business that is more likely to succeed

What You?ll Be Doing

Here?s what the Discovery Phase includes:

• Market Assessment: What?s happening in the English Education in Japan?
• Customer Assessment: What do your students really need?
• Competitor Assessment: Who else is out there?and what can you do better?
• Self Assessment: What are your strengths? Where can you improve?

Each of these gives you a clearer picture of where you fit in the market and how you can utilize your strengths to ensure your success.

New or Experienced? This Still Applies

Whether you?re starting from scratch or already running your own EIKAIWA, this process works for both. The only difference? New businesses focus on understanding the market you will be entering. Existing ones focus on how they?re performing in that market.

Final Thoughts

The Discovery Phase isn?t just a one-time thing. Smart businesses revisit it regularly to stay on track and stay competitive.

Ready to dig in and start creating your business plan? Does it sound a little overwhelming? No worries, sign up for the Start Your Own Online Business course?designed specifically for English teachers?and let's do it together. We'll provide the Roadmap for you and walk you through each step of the process.

Check out the Niche Finder - For EIKAIWA series for help with identifying your ideal customers