Getting a nice job, going up the ladder in a company and reaching stability in the job market– this is the path that most young professionals pursue. However, others decide to take a risk by starting a business of their own, in which they can work on what they’re passionate about.
In February 2011, Rubén and Moisés –childhood friends– decided to initiate an independent venture in Caracas, Venezuela. They quit their jobs, got out of their comfort zones and invested their savings. It was time to undertake a new project and dedicate themselves to connect people who want to teach and learn.
An idea is born
Rubén, a Systems Engineer, and Moisés, a Telecommunications Engineer, expressed an interest in technology from a very young age. Rubén identified the demand for personalized classes from the comfort of the home, while working in his previous project that consisted of private lessons on the basics of computers taught in customers’ residences. Moisés, Project Manager in a telecommunications company, agreed that within the market there was a sector that demanded quick and accessible customized assistance.
Teachlr, a project that combines technology with education was then born. An online platform where instructors and institutions could sell or share their knowledge online.
One step at a time
In Rubén’s house the two friends started to set up the new enterprise. Among papers and whiteboards they designed the website, bought the teachlr.com domain, met with knowledgeable experts and began developing the Beta version.
After much research on online education, Rubén and Moisés decided to modify the original idea. Teachlr wouldn’t be only about consultancy, but also about creating a real marketplace, in which instructors could have professional profiles in order to interact with users and be rated by them.
Persistence and trust
After a few months without obtaining financial sponsorship, Moisés and Rubén got the sign they needed. When making the purchase of the dedicated servers, they did not only obtain the instruments, but also their first significant investor, who learned about Teachlr and decided to support the project. Sometime later, the two friends also assembled a team of talented professionals. The enterprise continued to grow and in October 2012, the young team got new offices and finally moved out of Rubén’s house.
Learn by doing
Teachlr is an enterprise whose working force will always receive the influence of current paradigms, while staying open-minded to innovation. We will go side by side with mistakes, confront them with optimism – always looking forward.
Teach. Learn. Connect.
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