Meet Iqbal Ahmad today—the founder and CEO of the pioneering online institution, Britannia School of Academics.
Ahmad has a rich, fifteen-year background in education and corporate training. He’s known for providing excellence and innovation in education, and that has earned him the esteemed title of Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA).
Today, our focus is on his business project, aimed at promoting educators’ professional development. So, without further ado, let’s begin.
The Birth of Britannia School of Academics
The initial business idea came to Ahmad during the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. People started massively shifting toward remote work and online learning sources. Ahmad saw an opportunity in this growing trend.
“I came up with this idea during the lockdown of 2020,” he recalls. “It was very clear to me that there was going to be a massive shift to online learning, which also presented a great opportunity to provide training for teachers and trainers working from home, as they now had more time to spend on their continuous professional development,” shares Ahmad.
“The school is unique in the sense that it has something to offer education professionals of any designation, including teachers, trainers, teaching assistants, advisors, counselors, assessors, quality assurance, managers, and so on,” he explains.
Overcoming Challenges
From the birth of an idea to its implementation, there is a long way to go. Difficulties are part of the journey. This is also the case with Ahmad and his digital academy.
Establishing the Britannia School of Academics was fraught with financial challenges. “Being short of finance was certainly the biggest challenge,” he admits.
“Launching a digital training company requires a fair amount of investment, as there are a significant amount of resources that need to be prepared before launch,” explains Ahmad.
“There were doubts about whether everything would work out as intended. I financed this project mainly through personal debt, so I had put myself in a very dangerous position should the project fail for any reason,” shares Ahmad.
In addition, in order for it to function perfectly, all the details of the platform had to be worked out to the end. Developing the curriculum and choosing the best delivery method was challenging, too.
Ahmad’s unwavering determination and belief in his vision carried him through all obstacles.
Ahmad’s Professional Achievements
Ahmad holds numerous postgraduate qualifications, including CIMA (Chartered Institute of Management Accountants) and MBA (Master of Business Administration). Moreover, he has a number of teaching qualifications, including a Level 5 Diploma in Education and Training and a Postgraduate Certificate in Learning and Teaching.
All this turned out to be the necessary prelude to the next step in his career: the creation of the Britannia School of Academics. The success of his venture has not been delayed for a minute. This is something he is especially proud of.
“I consider my most significant achievement to be attaining a high level of success in a short period. “In just a few years, I have launched a successful digital training company, Britannia School of Academics,” he says.
This swift business growth has given Ahmad the courage and confidence to create more and make bold plans for large-scale expansion.
Achieving these goals showcases his commitment to advancing educational standards and his sincere support for professional development in the field of education.
Future Plans
With an eye toward 2024 and beyond, Ahmad has ambitious plans for the Britannia School of Academics.
“We are working on launching an awarding organization as well as other projects,” he reveals. Collaboration agreements with universities are on the table as well.
“None of this was even imaginable a couple of years ago,” admits Ahmad.
As part of Ahmad’s vision for the future, he intends to expand the scope and impact of his organization while continuously improving the resources and opportunities available to educators.
Advice for Starting Entrepreneurs
For startups and timid entrepreneurs, Ahmad offers two main pieces of advice: understand the market by conducting thorough research.
“I strongly advise anyone looking to launch their course to have a very good understanding of the market you wish to serve. You want to know the needs and demands of your potential client and to do extensive market research into your proposed course,” he counsels.
“It’s very easy to get carried away and be optimistic about how successful your course is going to be,” he points out.
So, he recommends businesses rely on search engine optimization and analytics.
“One of the many ways in which market research could be conducted is to use the Keyword Planner on Google Ads to look at some key statistics on how often people search for courses similar to the ones you aim to design and offer.”
Ahmad believes that using such data-driven approaches to develop courses helps ensure that they meet the needs and expectations of the market. Furthermore, Ahmad advises gaining experience and qualifications before creating courses or starting similar businesses.
“If you do not already have that experience, collaborate with someone who does (at least for the first few projects) until you are confident to launch a solo project,” he suggests.
Final Thoughts
Ahmad’s story shows how external circumstances, however harsh and unusual—such as a pandemic, for example—can prove suitable for a successful business to flourish. The formula looks more or less like this: the right time and effort, backed by knowledge of potential clients, thanks to deep analysis and verified data. For Ahmad, this has been a winning strategy so far. We wish him more success in the future!
