Helen Leonard is the Founder and Director of Administration of The Paragon School, which serves students with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger’s Syndrome. She holds a BS in Education from Vanderbilt University and a Masters in Education from Bank Street College, along with certification in Exceptional Student Education. Her advice to new entrepreneurs centers around commitment, asking questions, a positive outlook, and belief in yourself and the contributions of your business or organization.
What was the catalyst for starting The Paragon School?
The Paragon School was founded out of the need for a specialized program in Central Florida, which would serve higher functioning students affected by autism or Asperger’s Syndrome. My older son was in need of this type of a program and none existed, so at the urging of his former school’s director, I opened the program in 2007.
What challenges did you face when you first started the school?
The biggest challenge was figuring out all of the steps needed to open a school and having all of these steps accomplished by just two people (myself and another teacher). Securing insurance for a school as an unproven entity was also challenging. One of the more obvious challenges that is likely to effect any entrepreneur is fear! Self-doubt about being able to open or be successful in your own business can prevent you from doing it if you focus on it- Stay positive!
How do you find/attract students?
The majority of our first year students (my son included) came from a local charter school, which serves moderately to severely affected students with autism. The students who had made tremendous progress academically, behaviorally, and socially, and were ready to leave the more restrictive program joined our school in the opening year. There were 13 students from that school and 5 students who came from other special needs programs or public school programs.
Today we advertise in a local special needs publication and receive most of our calls through word-of-mouth. We have grown to 40 students and have a waiting list for our middle and high school classes.
How do you keep up with trends and best practices in your field?
Our staff regularly attends educational and or autism related conferences. We have staff book club and read current books on educational methods and discuss them during staff meetings. Some of our teachers are enrolled in programs to earn additional degrees in the education field, behavior, and counseling.
We are currently undergoing the process of accreditation through Florida Council of Independent Schools, which outlines many standards for our program to meet for best practices.
What research methods do you use when you need to make a business decision?
I ask my husband! Literally. And my Board of Directors. My background is in education, not in business, so I rely on the help of those with business and finance backgrounds for these decisions. I ask tons of questions, and I pray for constant guidance! Our school also belongs to a group of other private schools serving special needs students. These schools have been in business anywhere from a few years longer than our program to several decades. The directors of these programs are always willing to give advice.
When problems arise, how do you work to resolve them?
One of the biggest problems in any organization is communication of day to day happenings and communication/developing an understanding of the school’s mission. I have found that holding weekly meetings with all staff in attendance keeps most people up to date and prevents many problems from arising. If there is a serious issue or something of a private nature, I consult the members of our Board of Directors.
What have been some of your greatest accomplishments?
We have had students become happy well-adjusted members of our school who gave their previous schools constant trouble and their parents constant heartache. Having these students adjust in a positive manner has changed the entire nature of their families, and this is the best contribution that we could ever hope to make!
Do you have any advice for new entrepreneurs, particularly women?
Drink a lot of Starbucks! While this is true, the serious answer is that you need to pick something that you can commit to and remain committed to. There will be sacrifices and times when you want to quit. Ironically, by opening a school to help my son, I have greatly limited the time that I can spend with both of my sons being a mother. However, the purpose of the school and goal of giving my oldest son his best possible outcome (which will in turn give my younger son a better outcome with less responsibility for his brother when my husband and I are gone), allows me to continue on this path despite the current sacrifices.
Whatever business you choose, make sure that you love it or that your heart or a bigger purpose is invested in it as it will consume all of your waking and most of what formerly were your sleeping hours. If you are trying to find an idea to turn into a business, look for a problem and try to think of a service or product to alleviate that problem. You do not have to reinvent the wheel and create a novel invention. You may be able to create a more specialized version of a business or product that is already in existence.
