Interview With Business Coach & Motivational Speaker Sarika Singh

Meet beauty with brains Sarika Singh, who recently joined our platform as a Business Coach & Motivational Speaker.

She is the owner of Sydney-based education hub, Pre Uni College Digital, and was named a finalist in three categories for the prestigious AusMumpreneur Awards namely, AusMumpreneur of the Year, Business Excellence Award and Business Pivot Award. She won a Silver Award in the Business Pivot category. Presented by The Women’s Business School, the awards celebrate and recognise Australian mums in business achieving outstanding success in areas such as product development, customer service and digital innovation. The awards are designed to recognise the growing number of women who successfully balance motherhood and business. Amid nurturing her own children, Sarika remains committed to all of Australia’s future generations with diverse and noteworthy academic offerings from not only one but three education businesses she has launched. Originating as an educator from India, Sarika’s story is one of true assimilation and prosperity. Here is an interview with her:

1. You are the founder of three academic businesses – Pre Uni College Digital, Writers Club and Speakers Club. What was the motivation to start these endeavors?

My love of teaching was perhaps the first biggest motivator. I began a primary school in India when I was 21-years old after earning my MBA and then moved to Australia at 24 where I received a Master’s in Education and a degree in Early Childhood Development. My time in education had introduced me to some severe gaps in our academic system and even today, we see Australia’s children struggling to meet the mark with standardised tests and school entrance exams. I desired to see a paradigm shift – one where there is great focus on not only math and literacy, but on application of concepts, creative problem solving, test taking skills, time management strategies and more. Pre Uni College Digital, Writers Club and Speakers Club were the result. I aspired to advance the capabilities of the next generation of leaders and designed our programs to employ more well-rounded approaches to formal education that would give children the competencies needed to compete in evolving job markets. Today, students in our preparation courses for Selective School, NAPLAN, and OC examinations boast an over 90% success rate.

2. Given the expansion of today’s online education platforms, what sets you apart from other industry competitors?

Other online educational institutions and tutoring services focus on learning/regurgitating curriculums and teach with a “one size fits all” approach. They also offer little encouragement or incentive for parents to get involved in their children’s learning. At Pre Uni College Digital our courses are interactive and can be personalised for each student’s needs and capabilities. We are so confident in our teaching protocols and educators that we even invite parents to sit with their children in virtual classrooms so that they too feel confident in how we teach. Our classes are never streams of pre-recorded lectures and all classes are led by licensed and experienced teachers. They all have at least four years of classroom experience, and some have over 30 years behind them. This is not always the case in virtual classroom settings as many may be led by under-qualified university students or adjunct teachers. We support students and parents further by offering a host of online services such as 24-hour tutoring support and a Parent Portal where all a student’s marks, notes, and progress can be found.

3. What are some challenges you face being a ‘mumpreneur’ and how do you overcome them?

One of the hardest challenges is keeping tabs on your projects as well as those of your children. As a mother, I too am responsible for making sure my children meet their academic deadlines as well as see that I am an involved and present parent. This can be a struggle as it means balancing two different workloads and commitments. Ultimately, creating systems at home and in business are key when wanting to maintain structure and fluidity. This can seem a bit contradictory, but the more you can streamline things the more you can remain present in your family and work interactions. Delegation is another big strategy for me. Whenever possible, I suggest outsourcing tasks and clearing more time to be an active parent, self-care proponent or a combination of both! This significantly helps to keep your work and home life in perspective.

4. How would winning these awards help your business and the communities you serve at large?

To develop a sustainable business, one must often think of ways to improve and innovate their services and offerings. Winning this award would provide the visibility needed to expand our reach and enroll more future leaders across the country. This can then help us develop more resources and enhance technology needs to give students, staff, and parents an experience they can always value. Winning the award would also give further credibility and recognition to all the tremendous work put worth by our staff who did not waiver even in the face of the COVID-19 health crisis. Additionally, we would be able to further support our charitable endeavors. At Pre Uni College Digital we hold the belief that every child in the world should have the same educational opportunities. As such, we have supported a local school in Rajasthan, India for the last 10 years. We have provided their staff with free teacher trainings during the shutdowns so they could provide quality teaching from home, and have donated essential items such as laptops, water coolers and air conditioners.

5. What advice would you give to someone thinking about starting a business for the first time?

I would greatly emphasise that a first-time business owner spend time working on the business rather than simply being in the business. This means taking time to set up versatile systems that allow you to focus on what is most important for growth. I would also advise the ongoing study of good leadership. A good leader stays calm during a crisis and remains laser-focused on their end goal. Managing your own work, employees, and making sure a team works cohesively can easily get overwhelming. A leader then, must be someone who establishes a clear vision and guides their team towards that vision with empowerment, compassion, and composure.