Forums IMPORTANT: PLEASE READ PhotoReading, Memory Optimizer Becoming an Instructor

What does it take to become an instructor. Are all instructors employees of Learning Strategies Corp or are there independanct contractors who may teach also?

Try a search using Pete b/c he did post the requirements not too long ago. I was amazed at the cost as well as the certification. I was considering it till i read that post. Whew!

I was thinking about that too and I COULD NOT BELIEVE the requirements. Given the fact that you would be marketing yourself on your own anyway I think that the requirements are just a little bit unreasonable. I was thinking of becomming certified and teaching a small class in the local library one night a week or something but that idea is totally shot down.

I know a guy that got certified in Russian Kettlebell Training by Pavel Tsatsouline (who now writes for Muscle Media Magazine and who used to train SPETSNAZ, the Russian Military) for $1,200 and is making approximately $75 per day training people part time. Granted that's not alot of money but the requirements were reasonable and possible for him to attain and he's got an extra source of income. He told me when he markets himself people have no idea what a Kettlebell is or who Pavel is and when he gets a client it's because of his attitude and his BODY- he has to prove himself. He doesn't even know why he paid the money to get certified since it's him that has to convince the person to train with him. Now, if he had such a hard time with something as simple as personal training- would it be that much different marketing Photoreading?

I used to sell life insurance and my wife currently does and it's not the NAME that sells, it's the person. I ran my own personal training business for 1 year and couldn't make a go at it. I was making great progress with the people I was training but I KNEW these people didn't need me. All they needed was a little motivation. If they took the time to read all the books I read and try all the programs and diets I did then they would be able to do everything for themselves.

In my first month of Photoreading I made more progress than I could have ever hoped for and FINALLY found what could really make a difference in people's lives. If someone can photoread- they can teach themselves ANYTHING in a matter of months, not years- personal training, financial training, any career, any topic, anything. And guess what? I could never come up with enough money to pay for the certification (and don't give me the Tony Robbin's reply- "you can do anything you decide to..." Comming up with $250 for a course or $750 for a seminar is ONE thing but $10,000-$20,000 is another) and I could never get 10-30 people signed up and "HIRE" a trainer to come in and blah, blah, blah etc etc. But I definately COULD teach 5-10 people each month in the little town I live in and make myself a modest amount of extra money for my efforts and teach something that will enable these people that learn it to teach THEMSELVES anything- which I think is more important than teaching them investment methods, personally training them, teaching them the guitar or teaching them martial arts because I've done all that. I always felt bad taking someone's money when I knew if they just "READ" they could do it themselves.

Oh well. No big deal really. Just a passing thought anyway. I'll just use Photoreading for myself and find some other way to contribute.

I just wanted to apologize for my negative tone on the above post. It's not really negative but it does sound critical of the instructor certification program and I don't feel that way. I realize they have to prevent "lookie-loo's" and "dabblers" from becoming instructors and holding baked seminars and giving Photoreading a bad name. I was just saying that the average person with a job and family would have a hard time in becomming one and the marketing requirements (having to have so many people at the first class, having to basically do this full time, etc.) will prevent some GOOD people from taking this path. It almost seems as if they only want business people to go for it, those that will market hard and bring in the numbers while neglecting those that maybe want to go for more of a one on one approach. It's just not flexible, that's all.

Thanks for the info. I saw the requirements. Too bad it doesn't say what you get in return for your efforts. For instance, amount of training, exclusive territory, informercial leads, etc...

Perhaps $10,000 - $20,000 would be absorbed by the class of 20-30 people each paying $750 for the course?

It looks like they really only want full time photoreading instructors who are going to be able to regularly bring in new clients.

I've been a software developer for sometime and I've seen Microsoft and a number of other software companies create entirely new income streams while increasing the growth of their product using certification programs. Its also a way to help their independant Instructors become more successful(it gives them additional courses to teach).

Microsoft has several levels of certification. First, your basic skills as a user of the product are certified. After basic skill certification there's an advanced certification of skills. Finally, there's instructor certification. I know Photoreading is not that complex but there are differing skill levels.

A Certification program could be a way of growing a larger audience of skilled users and generating more income at the same time.

I wonder of someone from Learning Strategies can respond....

I don't think all of those requirements are still in effect. That post was made almost a year ago.

I just took the seminar in June and my instructor, Lynette Ayres, said the instructor certification course was $2500. But she didn't mention any other requirements, so I don't know for sure.

Maybe Pete will tell us if the requirements are still the same.

That sounds better. All my ranting and raving was for nothing- maybe.

I do not know what we charge. I do know we reduced the charge a little this year, and that we are bringing it back up.

Lynette's $2500 was for the class we were organizing then, but that did not include any of the certification costs or any of the materials costs or any of the marketing costs.

We do it, if we are lucky, on a breakeven basis hoping to make a profit on future product sales. Unfortunately, good instructors are generally lousy marketing people.