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Transforming Education: How John Foster's Middle School MBA Is Teaching Kids Real-World Business Skills
In this episode of the Freedom Nation Podcast, host Jeff Kikel talks with John Foster, the founder of Middle School MBA, a unique program that provides middle school students with an executive MBA-level education. John shares how his extensive experience in business and his passion for teaching led him to create a program that equips young students with advanced business, economics, and entrepreneurship skills. Listen in as John explains how his curriculum is changing the way students think about business and education, and how it’s being implemented in schools around the world.
Key Takeaways:
• From Industry to Education: John Foster describes his journey from a 33-year career in industry, where he built and ran plants, to developing a curriculum that teaches middle school students advanced business concepts. His work with Junior Achievement inspired him to create his own educational program, Middle School MBA.
• Innovative Approach to Teaching: Middle School MBA combines business, economics, and entrepreneurship into a cohesive curriculum that is taught through teachers in small groups. The program is designed to be scalable and is currently being used in schools, homeschools, and summer camps around the world.
• Real-World Applications for Students: John discusses how the curriculum engages students by having them participate in realistic business activities, such as negotiating, optimizing a factory, and understanding the laws of supply and demand. These exercises not only teach important business concepts but also help students develop critical life skills.
• Global Impact: In addition to its core program, Middle School MBA is working on an ultra-low-cost version to be implemented in schools in Africa and Asia. John’s vision is to provide the best business education to students worldwide, regardless of their economic background.
• Empowering the Next Generation: The program not only prepares students for potential careers in business but also strengthens family bonds by giving parents and children a common language and understanding of business concepts. It’s changing the way students approach their education and their future.
About the Guest:
John Rock Foster: the mind of an entrepreneur, soul of a teacher. Author, executive, angel investor, and lifelong student of markets, John’s career failed its way through process engineering, operations, business management, M&A, and corporate strategy; finally failing big enough to exit. He now teaches kids the lowdown on business and entrepreneurship, hoping they will fail bigger and sooner. Middle School MBA has pioneered this space, learning to teach the most advanced concepts to the youngest kids in a way that fascinates and excites them. It is the future of business and economics for kids!
Links:
www.MiddleSchoolMBA.com
Fast Five Questions:
1. If you woke up and your business was gone, you have $500, a laptop, a place to live, and food, what would you do first? "The first thing I'm going to do, what I did this morning, is go out and hike up the mountain, come back, take a shower, and then start seeing where to go. But honestly, I don't think that could happen to me because I have so many relationships that are set, things that are prepaid, and a life that would be very difficult for someone to disrupt just by stealing the stuff you can see."
2. What is the biggest mistake that you have made in business? "The biggest mistake was getting into something I didn't understand. When I first started, I needed a web designer, and this dude conned me out of a lot of money because I didn't know what I was doing."
3. What is a book that you would recommend? "The Perennial Seller by Ryan Holiday”
4. What is a tool that you use every day that you would recommend? "I'm on my laptop all the time, but I don't have a specific favorite tool.”
5. What is your definition of freedom? "Freedom is nobody telling you what you have to do, nobody compelling you to do something you don't want to do. While you're never 100% there, it’s about how closely you can approach being free and managing it when you get it."
About Jeff:
Jeff spent the early part of his career working for others. Jeff had started 5 businesses that failed before he had his first success. Since that time he has learned the principles of a successful business and has been able to build and grow multiple seven-figure businesses. Jeff lives in the Austin area and is actively working in his community and supporting the growth of small businesses. He is a board member of the Incubator.Edu program at Vista Ridge High School and is on the board of directors of the Leander Educational Excellence Foundation
Connect with the Freedom Nation podcast at https://freedom-nation-podcast.captivate.fm/
Connect with Jeff:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/freedomnationpodcast/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JeffKikel
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffkikel/
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