A retired business owner and CEO, Betz joined other SCORE volunteer counselors in evaluating Clay’s idea and helping him develop a sound business plan and financial projections. They also advised him on key decisions about putting the game idea in front of the right people, raising money to fund production, and managing expenses and cash flow. Clay reports that Diploma Dogs is “making a dent” in the market for educational games. Though currently available in only a quarter of Wal-Mart’s stores, the game has sold more than 10,000 copies in two years. Clay hopes that both Wal-Mart and Target soon will carry Diploma Dogs nationally. He also is negotiating with an educational supplier to sell the classroom version of the game to school districts across the country.
In addition, Clay is working on plans to turn Diploma Dogs’ cuddly game characters into other products targeted to young learners.
While Clay expects to continue his “day job” as a principal for some time, he is very optimistic about the future of Diploma Dogs. A lot of credit, he says, goes to Charlie Betz and SCORE.
“Charlie is always very giving with his time,” Clay says. “He will stop at any moment to answer a question or listen to an idea. It just blows me away that there’s so much help available from SCORE, and that they are all willing to do so much for free.”
In fact, Clay has already made plans for after he “graduates” as a business owner.
“At some point, I’d like to be a SCORE counselor and help other people with their ideas,” he says. “It would be a way to reciprocate for all the time that Charlie and the other counselors have given me.”
Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."
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