From Entrepreneur to Educator: The Business of Starting a School | Chris Georgetti

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Entrepreneur DNA

Episode: From Entrepreneur to Educator: The Business of Starting a School
Host: Justin Colby
Guest: Chris Georgetti
Date: October 27, 2025

---

Episode Overview

In this episode, Justin Colby sits down with Chris Georgetti, a specialist in helping entrepreneurs launch accredited and licensed colleges, trade schools, and educational institutions both in the U.S. and globally. The conversation demystifies the complex business of starting a school—from navigating licensing and accreditation to understanding the financial, regulatory, and operational requirements. The episode aims to inspire entrepreneurs who want to make a significant and legitimate impact in education.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Unknown Path to Starting a School

• Licensing vs. Accreditation ([01:22]–[02:15])

  • Many entrepreneurs are unaware of the critical steps to legitimate school creation.
  • “A lot of people, when they start a college or university or even a trade school…they really don't know where to start.” – Chris Georgetti [01:22]
  • State licensing is the first essential step; accreditation comes later.

• Who Should Consider this Path? ([02:38]–[03:21])

  • Entrepreneurial drive, will, desire, and financial backing are necessary.
  • Even fully online colleges require significant investment and state approval.

Online vs. Brick-and-Mortar Institutions

• Trends ([03:38]–[03:45])

  • 70% of new schools are fully online, 30% still pursue brick-and-mortar.
  • There's a profound shift towards virtual but brick-and-mortar remains vital, especially post-COVID.

• Facility Requirements ([04:13]–[05:06])

  • States require a physical location to be secured—even for virtual schools (example: Florida's 26-point requirement).
  • Tax IDs, leases, and local approvals must be in place before application.

The Impact and Value of Accreditation

• Credential Value ([06:21]–[07:13])

  • Accredited programs go beyond "watch and learn" by requiring testing and measureable outcomes.
  • The fulfillment of seeing graduates succeed is highlighted as a major reward.

  “There is no better accomplishment than watching a set of graduates walk across that stage…you know that what you have done means something.” – Chris Georgetti [07:12]

Chris Georgetti's Background and Mentorship

• Origin Story ([08:08]–[09:26])
  • Started as faculty in 1997, rose to campus president and vice president of operations, eventually overseeing schools in Puerto Rico and Florida.
  • Mentorship emphasis:

    “Student comes first. Don’t ever forget it…they come first, last, and always.” – Chris Georgetti [09:08]

Financial Realities and the Business Case

• Startup Costs ([12:10]–[12:54])

  • Large colleges can cost $200M+ (e.g., Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine (OCOM)).
  • An online school typically needs at least $100,000 in capital.
  • Case Example: OCOM – 180,000 sq ft, $85M build, $200M total investment, 190–200 students. ([10:37]–[12:03])

• Licensing & Accreditation Timelines ([13:01]–[13:35])

  • License first, operate for 2 years, then apply for accreditation (another 18–24 months).
  • Accredited schools can access federal (Title IV) funding; license-only schools cannot.

  • "You're talking about being operational for four to five years before you ever get that accreditation grant." – Chris Georgetti [13:35]

For-Profit vs. Non-Profit and Regulatory Nuances

• Who Needs to Comply? ([14:49]–[16:09])

  • State schools don’t follow this process, but for-profits like Grand Canyon University do.
  • Recruiting students in multiple states requires multiple licenses—costs can escalate rapidly.

• Potential Pitfalls ([16:23]–[17:02])

  • Title IV funding is a double-edged sword; bad actors can take advantage, drawing regulatory (and public) backlash.

  • “In the for-profit sector, these are taxpayers. In the state school systems, those are tax users.” – Sam (Chris’ partner, cited by Chris) [16:46]

Portfolio of Schools and Vertical Trends

• Types of Institutions ([17:21]–[20:14])

  • Current client base: heavy emphasis on medical (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine), allied health, and trade (welding, HVAC, Electrical).
  • Pivot Example: Coastal Technical Institute broadened from nursing to include technical trades after new ownership and rebranding.

• Growth in Trades and Allied Health ([20:05]–[20:34])

  • The future is bright for entrepreneur-driven, blue-collar, and allied health education.

Process, Pitfalls, and Due Diligence

• Client Selection & Success Record ([22:46]–[23:14])

  • 100% approval record—achieved by declining clients without proper backing or preparation.

  "We have a hundred percent perfect record...because we don't just take everybody. It's not about the money to us." – Chris Georgetti [22:46]

• Timeframes and Requirements ([23:59]–[24:42])

  • 2 months to prepare an application, 4 months for approval (if facility, zoning, and required documents are in order).
  • Potential setbacks even for online schools if building is not zoned correctly ([25:05]–[25:35]).

Industry Risks & Enforcement

• Bad Actors and Regulatory Enforcement ([27:04]–[28:01])
  • Federal crackdowns (e.g., Florida’s “Nightingale investigation” into nursing schools).
  • Importance of reputation and avoiding shortcuts.

Chris' “Secret Sauce” for Success

• Process Discipline ([28:29]–[30:40])

  • Due diligence with clients; clear kickoff calls and accountability.
  • Biweekly calls, detailed timelines, hands-on guidance for two months.
  • Preparing clients for regulatory meetings and celebrating success.

  "That's the secret sauce... We help them with a lot of this, but if they don't understand it, they'll never be able to complete it." – Chris Georgetti [29:11]

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On fulfillment:
  “There is no better accomplishment than watching a set of graduates walk across that stage.” – Chris Georgetti [07:12]

• On student focus:
  “Student comes first. Don’t ever forget it…they come first, last, and always.” – Chris Georgetti [09:08]

• On scalability and cost:
  “An online school, if they have about $100,000, they'll be okay. It's very doable.” – Chris Georgetti [12:36]

• On their perfect record:
  "We have a hundred percent perfect record...because we don't just take everybody. It's not about the money to us." – Chris Georgetti [22:46]

• On why entrepreneurs should care about accreditation:
  “If you really genuinely care about them learning, then do it that way.” – Justin Colby [06:55]

• Advice on process:
  “Set the timelines for each of the items, hold biweekly calls with them. Hold them accountable... Sometimes they need a kick in the ass, you know, to get things done.” – Chris Georgetti [29:24]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Intro to Chris Georgetti and Licensing Basics: [01:01]–[03:45]
• Virtual vs. Brick & Mortar Education: [03:45]–[05:10]
• Licensing Requirements in Florida: [04:13]–[05:06]
• Path from Educator to Accredited School: [06:21]–[07:13]
• Chris’ Background & Student-First Philosophy: [08:08]–[09:26]
• Financials & Real-Life Example (OCOM): [10:08]–[12:03]
• Licensing, Accreditation, and Timelines: [13:01]–[13:35]
• For-Profit vs. Non-Profit, Regulatory Trends: [14:49]–[16:09]
• Scope of Schools and Growth Trends: [17:21]–[20:14]
• Operational Guidance & 100% Approval Record: [22:46]–[23:14]
• Process, Zoning, and Unusual Barriers: [24:42]–[25:35]
• Industry Growth, Enforcement, and Risks: [27:04]–[28:01]
• The “Secret Sauce” for Success: [28:29]–[30:40]

---

Final Thoughts

This episode is a rare behind-the-curtain look into the business of starting accredited education institutions as an entrepreneur. Chris Georgetti’s expertise and unique process illuminate how impactful—and lucrative—education can be when approached with rigor, ethics, and a student-centered philosophy. Whether you’re a domain expert or a business builder, listening to Chris is a masterclass in educational entrepreneurship.

---

Connect with Chris Georgetti:
Facebook & LinkedIn: Search “Chris Georgetti” (spelled G-E-O-R-G-E-T-T-I)

Location: Recorded in Saba Restaurant, Evermore Resort, Orlando

---

Transcript

[A]

What is up, entrepreneur DNA, Family. This is another episode with an incredible guest, but as you can see, I am not in the studio right now. In fact, my guest has gotten us the privilege to be sitting in Saba Restaurant here at the Evermore Resort down in Orlando. It is incredible if you can see it. The Blue Lagoon is phenomenal. Thank you to my guests for putting this all together. Now, to my guests, this is an individual who's very dynamic, and he actually is someone that can help entrepreneurs start real schools, get licensed, get accredited, and make real impact on those who are trying to make impact. Chris Georgetti is in the house.

[B]

Hey, Justin, thanks.

[A]

I appreciate that, my man. I appreciate you. Thank you for this. This is pretty darn incredible, I tell you.

[B]

Oh, it's a beautiful facility. I mean, I have to say, thanks to Rob, the GM here at Saba.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For setting us up. And. And honestly, it's just a. It's an incredible place. If you could look out there and see that lagoon.

[A]

That's it.

[B]

That's where you want to be today, not in here. Amen.

[A]

Amen. Well, listen, you do something really incredible. I think there's a lot of us that do want to make impact. I'm an educator myself in the real estate space. You know, obviously, this podcast creates a lot of value, makes a lot of impact. But talk about what you do, because I actually think what you do, how you do it, is actually not even a none. It's an unknown resource to the majority of the public.

[B]

Yeah. You know, licensing and accreditation is. Is really something to go hand in hand. Right. A lot of. A lot of people, when they start a college or university or even a trade school, they. They really don't know where to start. Yeah. They. They may be someone who's a great electrician, someone who's a great nurse, someone who's great in business, and they think, I really want to teach people. I want to teach people what I know.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where do I start? Well, the states around the country all say you have to start with us. It's licensing. You have to be state licensed. And, you know, it's not an easy task to take your idea and take it all the way to fruition and get a state license.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So that's what we really do. A lot of our clients are just those. They're entrepreneurs who think, I'm going to start something so I can teach people what I know.

[A]

Yeah. And so who. Who, like, obviously, as someone. I'm an educator. I'm not a licensed educator. I'm not accredited. But as someone goes into this field or is listening to this episode, like what should they be thinking? Like, if this is the right voyage, should they be going down the path of being licensed? Should they be getting credited? What is the avatar and who. How would you be talking to? The avatar?

[B]

Yeah. I think for most people. Right. If they have that idea, if they have that drive and that will and desire and the financial backing. Yeah. It's not a cheap venture to start a college or university.

[A]

No doubt.

[B]

Even if you do it full online, it's still not cheap. Right. Is. Is to really decide, can I impact others? Can I show people what I know well enough by either myself or faculty to be able to be successful in this industry, whatever that industry may be. Yeah. And I really believe that if they, if they have that drive and that wherewithal, they can make it happen. But they need someone to teach them how to get licensed. That's the key.

[A]

Are you doing mostly. I would guess, by the way, this is a total guess, mostly virtual colleges at this point? Or are people actually starting brick and mortar, going to a classroom or. Or is the predominant, you know, clientele that you work with, are they doing more of the virtual type of.

[B]

It's probably about a 70, 30 split. Virtual, full online.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

To brick and mortar.

[A]

No kidding.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That just seemed, I think today's world, there's so much to be done online. I'm thinking, oh man. Because when you talk about the financial cost, I know what it costs to run my education. It is all virtual and is not licensed and not accredited. And I know my cost. So for someone to go. Do they. So let's talk. Walk through the. The brick and mortar. Do they have to have the location already set before they can get licensed? Is that something they can work on while getting licensed and accredited? Like, what does that look like?

[B]

So every state's a little bit different. But let's take Florida for example.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

Florida has what's called the Commission for Independent Education and that is the licensing body in Florida that licenses colleges, schools, trade schools, what have you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Florida has about 26 requirements that are definitely. They're, they're. How should I put it? You don't get to guess like you, you have to know what you're doing in these 26 requirements and demonstrate to the commission that. That these items are all handled.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And from, from a location standpoint. Yes. You need that location identified because you have to submit tax IDs. You have to submit. Cos you have to submit leases or purchase it all has to be in place when that application is submitted.

[A]

Yeah. And then in terms of. And you do this in all 50 states.

[B]

Yes. Around the world.

[A]

Around the world.

[B]

Yeah. We have talked about it.

[A]

You've traveled. I mean, you're. You're out there. You're going. Yeah.

[B]

We have them in Dubai, uae, Abu Dhabi. I mean, wherever you. Wherever there's a Ministry of Education, if it requires you to be licensed, people call and we get them licensed.

[A]

I think there's something really valuable for all of my entrepreneurs who are educators. I think this is something that you need to find Chris, and I'm happy to make an introduction. His information will be here. You're also on Facebook, I'm assuming, in LinkedIn. Correct. Georgetti is not an easy last name to spell. So let's get it.

[B]

It's not even easy to say.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, no doubt. So, Chris Georget. How do you spell your last name? So everyone can find you, George with.

[B]

A TTI There you E, O, R, G, T, T, I.

[A]

That's it. So make sure to reach out, because I think there's a large, larger audience that I have that they do educate. And I think this is something that I think most of us would actually look at contemplating because it creates a uniqueness within the education realm. So in. In my world, I'm in the real estate education realm that I could get people to understand. You are getting an actual. Whether it's a certificate or a degree, something from the education. And you have to test through it.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

I think mostly on the online education space in my world, Internet marketers, it's, here's some videos, here's some documents. Watch and learn and go from there. Right. There's no tests. There's no proving that you actually understood the concept that you write. Yeah. And I think there's a big value to that, especially if you care about the success of the student. Talk to that. Because I think that's. That's a really big reason for these entrepreneurs to realize, like, if you really genuinely care about them learning, then do it that way.

[B]

Yeah. And I would agree with that. And I would tell you that being a former campus president and running schools over the years, there is no. There is no better accomplishment than watching a set of graduates walk across that stage.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

That is. That is whenever you know that what you have done means something.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Because you hear that family in the audience. For a lot of those students, that's the only student who ever went to college.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

You know?

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And. And they're sitting there going, you know what? I did it. But more importantly, their family's watching him saying, that's my son or daughter.

[A]

That's right. That's a proud moment. I remember I, I went to ucla. Very much a brick mortar. Very, very much. Not cheap.

[B]

No.

[A]

But there was that moment.

[B]

Right.

[A]

You know, your family's there and vice versa. You get to say, oh, I did that. My family's watching Y. I think that's a really impactful thing. And it's a shame that Covid kind of made almost everything virtual. It does sound like there's a quarter of your clientele that actually do a brick and mortar talk. Talk to me how you got into this. I think this is a unique space. How did you get involved in. In helping these entrepreneurs become licensed and accredited? How does that origin story start for you?

[B]

Yeah, I, I started as a faculty member.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Way back in 1997 in Pittsburgh. Just decided that I wanted to teach.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Computer hardware, you know, breakdowns, rebuilds, things like that. And the school was looking for someone just in that space. They had a program that was definitely all built around computer hardware. So started there, moved up to be a dean, then eventually a vice president of operations, became a campus president. Years after that, I, I. My old company was bought by a conglomerate, and the conglomerate was based in Puerto Rico in Florida. And I took over all the Puerto Rican and Florida schools as the vice president of operations. And just over time, Right. Yeah, you learn it. And yeah, I was fortunate to have amazing mentors. I really was.

[A]

What's one of the best things that some of your mentors have ever taught you? Within business, within the vertical that you're.

[B]

In, Student comes first.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Don't ever forget it. That's. That's why you're there. I mean, if you're going to create an institution, if you're going to run something that's based around students, remember that they come first. Yeah. And I even go a little bit further. I say they come first, last, and always. That's it.

[A]

But, well, they listen. It could be as business oriented and less emotional. They're the ones that keep the lights on.

[B]

Yes, they do.

[A]

It could be more emotional and say, I want to make a true impact on someone, make sure everything I got goes into that person so I can get them to the next level, whatever that is, whatever industry they're in, whatever they're trying to achieve. That heartfelt part Al also plays in that's where I lean. I. I think, you know, education is an interesting spot because it pays the bills, but it also does a whole lot of good for the individual trying to make it. Give me some example universities that you've. You've popped up and got licensed here. In the recent. I'm. I'm sure there's a lot. But in the recent, you know, history.

[B]

Yeah. We've done over two with. Worked with over 200 colleges and universities in 10 years.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

And gotten over 500 license approvals of various types.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Whether it's an annual license, a new provisional license, program modifications, program changes, new programs over. Over almost 500.

[A]

There's a lot to this.

[B]

There's a ton.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And people don't realize it right at.

[A]

All when you just said all these different things. I'm like, this is way beyond what I was con.

[B]

So expecting one of the schools that's a really a. It's a school that everybody should see is okom, stands for Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine. It's based over here, about 20 minutes away from us in Horizon West. And it is a 86 million dollar just juggernaut. They teach just osteopathic medicine, doctorate program. And the founding dean, Dr. Hasty, he's incredible. Yeah. Like the vision that he had to take Dr. Patel, who is the owner, to take his dream of creating this and making it something that has now got its second full class with a waiting list of two to three years to get in. A dream turned into reality. It's been incredible.

[A]

And that facilities that, that college specifically, how big is that? How many students?

[B]

About it's. It's about 180,000 square feet.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Right now they've. They've taken their second cohort and they can only do by. By coca regulation or the accrediting body. By their regulation, they can only put in about 95 students per year.

[A]

Oh, wow.

[B]

So they only have about 190. Right around 200 students in that building. Yeah. And it is phenomenal. You walk through there, you're just blown away.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

That is incredible. And it's a. So you said 85 million. Is that.

[B]

That was the build.

[A]

No kidding.

[B]

Yeah. But he buying the. Buying the land, the purchase. It was about a $200 million project. Geez. Yeah.

[A]

That is some financial. You definitely got hold of your finance back. Yeah. So is there, you know, is there this business side? Let's talk about the business side of that. I mean you got to have back. I mean that's a very expensive backing. But even on the smaller side, you got to have some sort of financial means. To be able to really get this going.

[B]

Yeah. I would tell you that student schools that start with straight online programs, if they have about 100,000, they'll be.

[A]

Okay. Okay. In a hundred thousand students or no, no cash. Yeah. Okay.

[B]

That's their backing. If they can put a hundred thousand in a, in a company bank account.

[A]

Very dual.

[B]

It's going to be the institution they can start an online school.

[A]

Oh, there you go. That's. That's very doable.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Online schools, what have you seen come through recently that you got accredited and licensed and you have to get licensed before you get accredited.

[B]

Right. You were telling you that. Yeah. You have to operate for about two. Every accreditor is a little different. However, most accreditors have a two year rule.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Some have a one year rule, but most have two.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So you have to operate for two years, which means in essence you have to get your license.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Operate for two years and then you can apply for accreditation. And that takes you about 18 to 24 months. Wow. To go through that full process. So you're talking about being operational for four to five years before you ever get that accreditation grant.

[A]

Oh, wow. It's in the accreditation gives what amount of value? Right. So if you're a licensed college, are you able still to give degrees or what is the accreditation actually give value of?

[B]

So the accreditation is, in my opinion, accreditation is valuable, but in all honesty, it's about what you want to do with your school.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

If you want to be able to have access to Title 4 funding from the federal government, you, you have to be accredited. Yeah. You have to be.

[A]

Sounds normal.

[B]

That's the, that's the. Just the way it works. Right. But if you're happy as a cash pay school. Yeah. You don't ever have to get accredited. There are no rules that say you have to. Some states do have a rule where if you want to operate as an institution, you have to get accredited after so many years. But Florida is not one of those.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

There are a couple types of schools like a, like a medical school, an allied health school that if you are going to operate that after a period of time, you must be accredited. But that's a board of nursing decision.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

It's not a state of Florida decision.

[A]

Are there any schools that I would maybe be aware of in like a traditional education format that, that go through this type of process?

[B]

Or is that a state schools like a UCLA or a ucf? University of Central Florida? Those are state schools. And my partner Sam, who in coincidentally created the Commission for independent education 45 years ago, and he was the executive director for the first 43. Sam always says to people that want to get into this space because this is for profit.

[A]

Yeah, yeah.

[B]

It's not. Not for profit.

[A]

Well, that's. I was thinking about University of Phoenix or I'm sorry, Grand.

[B]

Grand Canyon.

[A]

Grand Canyon.

[B]

It's a for profit right?

[A]

In Phoenix.

[B]

Yes, yes.

[A]

That's the school. In my head, I was like, this sounds a lot more familiar. They would go through this type of.

[B]

Thing for profit in their various states that they operate in.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

See, with every online institution, if you want to recruit students from another state, you're supposed to get licensed in that state, unless that state does not have a specific rule about online education. Okay. So. And if you're going to get accredited, they all ask you, do you have a license everywhere where you recruit? So, you know, you really have to think about long term, the accreditation and what I really want to get out of this. Because if I, if I really want to be able to recruit students from 50 states, that means these accreditors might require that I'm licensed in 50 states. Now take a hundred thousand times 50.

[A]

Yeah, it gets there.

[B]

It's.

[A]

So would a Grand Canyon be accredited?

[B]

They are accredited.

[A]

They don't have to, though.

[B]

Technically they wouldn't have to if they didn't want to. They can get a state license in every state, recruit their students, but they wouldn't have access to title four.

[A]

And that's the funding.

[B]

And that's where, that's where these schools really start to generate tons of revenue and where some of the bad blood for for profit education comes from. Right. If you have some bad actors like you do in every, every industry.

[A]

Every industry.

[B]

But, but some of them start to recruit students.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And they don't give them their money's worth. They don't put the student first.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

Put profits first.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And you know, Sam always says in the for profit sector, these are taxpayers. In the state school systems, those are tax users. So the owners of for profit schools, those are taxpayers.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And we need to really be thankful that they pay those taxes.

[A]

Amen.

[B]

Not use estates. Money.

[A]

Amen. No, I like that. All right, so you have a lot of schools right now. Talk to us about your current schools you currently have. What kind of verticals are they in? And talk to us a little bit more about what you guys currently hold.

[B]

Yeah. So the, the key is with like Orlando College of Osteopathic Medicine, we call them OCOM for short. We have a couple different schools doing D.O. programs. We have one that's applying right now in Naples. We're working on their application, getting it ready for submission to the cie. We have another Lincoln Memorial University. They're based in Tennessee, but they have a location in Tampa. And they're doing a D.O. building over in Orange park, right around the Jacksonville area.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Those are going to be enormous schools. They're going to be just like okon, really big, you know, big facilities. 150, 200,000 square feet. Wow. Just. And they're top notch facilities. I mean, really, you think about MD schools? These doctor of Osteopathic medical schools. To me, they blow them away.

[A]

Really?

[B]

Yeah. They do it right. They really do. Because osteopathic medicine is much different than an M.D.

[A]

Oh, yeah.

[B]

So they do it right. They prep the students to take care of patients.

[A]

Is it. Is it mostly medical? Is that kind of the book of.

[B]

So we have a lot of nursing, a lot of nursing schools, a lot of allied health schools. Um, and then in a kind of pivots one, One school that pivots in the middle is Coastal Technical Institute, which is located down in Palm Bay. They had, they, they came in, the owners came in. The prior owner had passed away.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And the school was going to close.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And these owners came in. They. I knew them personally. They're good friends of mine. I made this. I made the connection for them to look at the school. They bought it and what they've done is take a pivot from nursing. When it was Brevard Nursing Academy and they made it Coastal Technical Institute, they bought a brand new building, refurbished the whole thing. It's now welding H Vac Electrical along with the Allied health. So by rebranding the institution, they've now expanded the institution. So rebrand equals expand.

[A]

Do they need to do anything when they rebrand? Do you have to go get new licenses or any accreditation program applications?

[B]

Okay, again, those are some of those, you know, 500 that we've gotten.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

On those approvals. Yes. They got to get new applications in. Got to get those approved, write those new programs before they can ever advertise them. Like that's a. No. No. When you.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Some of these schools advertise and they never get the approval from IDEAL and they, they get a really, really bad slap on the hand from the cie.

[A]

So, and so what is the cie?

[B]

CIE is the Commission for Independent Education. It is the state licensing body here in Florida. Florida.

[A]

Okay. And then what do you Think this, where do you think this is going over the next two years, three years?

[B]

You know, I think you're going to see a lot of blue collar allied health trade programs start to become the norm of the offerings.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Because look, those are the entrepreneurs.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Right. A lot of those people, they understand what they do and they do it really well. And they're going to, they're going to try to bring their ideas and their ways of doing things to fruition and teach others. And so I think, I think you're going to see those allied health programs, truck driving schools are huge now.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

In Florida we have a lot of CDL schools that are applying and getting approved. You know, your regular everyday bachelor, master, doctorate schools. Those are always going to be around. We have a lot of those. Arnova University, Schiller International University. I could go on Daytona College. I mean, you just keep naming them. Yeah. They're clients of ours.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And. And we love to work with those people because those people understand education. Yeah. We also love to work with the entrepreneurs because they don't understand everything they need to. And so they stay on with us for what we call operational guidance.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So in those first couple years, after we get them their license, we help them.

[A]

You hold their hand a little bit longer.

[B]

Yeah. And we're fortunate because I've done it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'll tell you, in 2017, when our President, Rehem, she came in, she like took our business and really perfected it because Mike and I were really good at what we did and what we knew. But Rehem put the, the beauty.

[A]

Sure.

[B]

The application, she made everything crystal clear for the regulator to be able to look at, analyze, pick out what they needed and. And made the approvals a lot smoother. Yeah. And then in 2023, when Sam retired from the CIE, to me, that was my. I would call it my shining star moment. Okay. To have who is widely considered the godfather of education, pick up the phone and call you and say, I'm coming to work with you.

[A]

Yeah. That's awesome.

[B]

That was my moment. That was my moment where I said, I'm doing something well.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

I'm doing something. Doing something well. Because I don't think that man would have ever put his name on a company that he didn't trust. And the beauty of it was we took all those schools in front of Sam.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

For all those years. And I am so proud of the fact that all those schools, all those applications, we've never had one single denial. Wow. We have a hundred percent perfect record 100. 100 essential. No, it's completely true. We have a hundred percent success record in Florida.

[A]

Do you ever turn anyone down and say, this isn't going to be a good.

[B]

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely. And that's one of the reasons we do have 100 success record, because we don't just take everybody.

[A]

That's right.

[B]

It's not about the money to us. It's about making sure that Sam's reputation. I mean, he is the Godfather. Yeah. And. And I. I do not want to put his reputation, mine, rehab, Mike, the staff that we have. I don't want to put anyone's reputation in jeopardy by taking somebody just to take money. Yeah, it's. It's not worth it.

[A]

And so yearly, how many applicants come through?

[B]

Usually we'll see 30 to 50.

[A]

It's a lot more than I would have thought.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[A]

It's also full time. And then out of the 30 to 50, you. You take on what, a handful?

[B]

Maybe, maybe 15 to 20 of them.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. Number one, we have to. We have to analyze, right? Do they have the funding? Do they have the backing? Are they going to be able to go through this process?

[A]

Due diligence.

[B]

And, and once, once Sam and I know that they can. They can do this and they have the wherewithal and the backing, then we say, okay, we can do this for you.

[A]

Okay. But. And. And at that point, you have 100 sex ratio. So you. You were like, this is done. Give us the time allotted. What is the time frame?

[B]

Two months. Takes us two.

[A]

That is it.

[B]

Put an application together.

[A]

Okay, well, for the application.

[B]

Got it. And then four months to get it approved.

[A]

Still short. I'm thinking a year. I'm thinking.

[B]

You know, but that's why people have to have the facility ready. They have to have the various things that are inside of the.

[A]

So you make them get this who ready. So your job is like, let me package it, let me present it, and we're good.

[B]

And then we'll go to that meeting and get your license.

[A]

That's right. Okay. So there's a lot of the work. The entrepreneur, the. The visionary, the person that wants to start this school. They. They got to do a lot of heavy lifting, basically, prior to you really even submitting the application. Yeah, you help them with the application. But they're going to have to make sure whether they have a brick and mortar, all these other things, they've got to.

[B]

You know, it comes all the way, Justin, down to zoning and getting a tax ID right, From the various county or city you're going to be in.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And if you don't even, you know, if you're an entrepreneur and you decide, hey, I, I have office space. I just want to open an online institution. Well, that sounds easy, right? Get yourself an lms, yourself a virtual library, File the business tax id.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And then all of a sudden the city or the county come back and say, oh, your building's not zoned to be an online university.

[A]

Brutal.

[B]

You go, what are you talking about? Nobody's even going to come here.

[A]

Right.

[B]

The zoning matters.

[A]

Even for an online university.

[B]

Yes. Various. There are, there are buildings, There are types of buildings, There are types of locations that will not qualify.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Yeah. And it is a, it's a hang up for some. Of course. They're like, I gotta go find another building now.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Yeah. But you got to make sure that it's going to pass zoning. Yeah. If it doesn't pass zoning and get you a tax id, you don't get approved from the cie. Yeah. You literally have to go find a facility. So you better find a good real estate person. Yeah. That can figure out what buildings qualify as online universities and will be able to generate a tax id.

[A]

Geez. So the next you think this is going to become more and more, I don't know, popular, I guess is the word I want to use. Like, I just think it's such an unknown. Like, when you and I first had our conversation, I just said, God, no one knows about this. This has got to get out there. Because I think there's a lot of people that would love to make a bigger effect on whatever industry that they're in and that there's a real way to do it. I think everyone, you know, doesn't know this. Do you think we're going to start to gain some mass attention to this type of vertical?

[B]

Yeah, I think so, Justin. And I think the biggest thing is a lot of people do it and they don't even know they have to be licensed. Right. There are certain sectors. Real estate's one.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Where you don't have to get a CIE license.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You don't have to get a state license, if you will. And so some people just go and they open up a school and they start teaching. And then all of a sudden the CIE finds out about it. Boom. Cease and desist.

[A]

And what happens with the person that is like, like, do you see people's colleges fail or fall apart or do anything like that? Or is that very rare for you and far between? Well, once they get licensed once they get accredited, like again, they're sad actors. Right.

[B]

And, and right now, Florida just went through a federal raid. Nursing schools have gotten a bad rap here in Florida. There are a lot of great nursing schools here in the state, but there are some that probably shouldn't operate. Sure. And the feds came in, they did a raid last year. It was part of what's called a Nightingale investigation. And they just issued a press release that There are about 12 to 15 people in Florida and Pennsylvania that have been operating and taking federal funds. Wire fraud, I mean, a lot of things. And see, when that breaks, a lot of people go, all those for profit schools are terrible.

[A]

Right.

[B]

And what. And instead of, instead of going, wait a minute, maybe there's another side to this. What about all those good schools? That's right. You know, they don't look at that. They just read the bad press, of course. And they label them, of course. But Florida has over 900 licensed institutions in it. Wow.

[A]

And you have two to three. How many of those killed?

[B]

We've gotten around the world. We've done about over 200. And in Florida, right around probably 1 30, 140.

[A]

Wow.

[B]

Over the years. Yeah.

[A]

So, Chris, this is incredibly interesting. I think kind of where my mind goes is like, same entrepreneur question, what would be the secret sauce to success in the online educational world?

[B]

I think the first thing is to perform your due diligence. If you're a consultant, when, when people call you give them a solid overview, you know, tell them what's going to be needed, Tell them what's expected. Don't give them everything. You can't. It's just, it's good sales too. Right. You don't, you don't give them everything.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

But you really do make sure that they understand what's going to be required of them. And then once you go through the negotiation phase, you get that contract signed, turn around, hold an immediate kickoff call, and go through every single item in great detail.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

Make sure that those people understand. Okay. Over the next two months, this is what I'm going to have to do.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And we're going to help you along the way. We're not just going to say, do it all, send it to us and we package it up. Yeah, that's not how we do things. Yeah, we help them with a lot of this, but if they don't understand it, they'll never be able to complete it.

[A]

Right.

[B]

In two months, once that happens, that kickoff call, set the timelines for each of the items, hold Biweekly calls with them. Hold them accountable. Yeah. Sometimes they need a kick in the ass. You know, they get things done because they're just. They're busy. Look, I get it. They're busy with whatever they're doing in their specialty.

[A]

Yeah, for sure.

[B]

So give them that little boost. Give them a push, gently but firmly. And then once you get that license and all those materials ready, perfect it. Put it together so that the CIE or whatever regulator is going to review it, can quickly go through it and identify the areas that they need to see, make it easy, give it to them. And once they see it, they're always going to come back and ask for something. Yeah, that's the way it works. Sure. But give it right back to them quickly.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

And within four or five months, you're going to be on a meeting, you're going to be at the podium. More importantly, prep them before they get to that podium. Tell them what's expected of them, and then when they get that license, celebrate with them. That's it. That's the secret sauce. And you would think that that's an easy thing to comprehend, but I know we're the only people that have done it to perfection.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it must not be that easy.

[A]

No, it is not. If it was that easy, everyone would do it.

[B]

I think so.

[A]

That's. That's the thing. This has been incredibly informative since the first time we talked. I'm like, dude, this is really incredible because I would argue, I don't think there's a lot of people out there listening and watching this that even knows this exists. So, again, Chris Georgetti, Facebook, LinkedIn. George, Eddie E. Ti great guy. We're here at SEBA, here at the Evermore Resort because of you. I really appreciate you coming on this episode and. And sharing a little bit more in aligning more on what it can be, what can be done in the education space.

[B]

And Justin, I got to tell you, just to wrap it on from my end, there is not a better state to do business in. The Commission for Independent Education is probably the best regulatory body out of all 50 states. Yeah, they just, they understand it. Sam built a machine at the CIE and they have continued to operate at a high level. And we're very fortunate that we're able to take our clients in front of them and give them good schools to approve.

[A]

Chris, I appreciate you, brother.

[B]

Thanks.

[A]

Thank you for coming on.

[B]

You bet, man. Thank you.

[A]

Yeah. If this was good and you think there's someone out there that probably should hear this, and watch this. Please share this with two of your friends. We will see you on the next episode of the Entrepreneur DNA.