Easy Does It. For Sustainers, success is alright, I guess-as long as it's accomplished in relative comfort.
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Michelle Paster's education business has no debt, morecustomers than it can handle and a hands-on owner whose concern forquality requires her to do virtually everything herself.
"I strongly believe that working with kids who havelearning difficulties makes a tremendous impact on theirlives," says the 29-year-old former teacher.
To make an impact on as many kids as possible, Paster left herjob with the public schools to start LearningWorks Inc. in NewtonCentre, Massachusetts, last August. Now she devotes herself fulltime to teaching, training and consulting students, teachers,school districts and parents on the subject of kids with learningdifficulties. "It's very rewarding," Paster says ofher work. "And when you're successful with a kid, it'sa great feeling."
Paster's approach to entrepreneurship is that of aSustainer, one of five entrepreneurial types described by anationwide study of small-business owners performed by YankelovichPartners for Pitney Bowes Inc. Representing just 15 percent of thesample, Sustainers were the smallest group. They'recharacterized by their conservative style and balanced approach towork and personal life-and are also the least interested inlong-term growth and the most risk-averse of the types.
LearningWorks is Paster's first foray into business, and shewas curious to see if she fit a type and whether the surveyors hadany recommendations to offer. So far, everything has worked outperfectly, although Paster isn't sure the model fits her quiteso well. "The Sustainer does characterize me...to apoint," she says. Like a true Sus-tainer, she has no debt.Also like a Sustainer, growth is not on the top of her wish list.She also feels her need to control everything that goes on atLearningWorks marks her as a Sustainer.
But Paster is no technophobe. Her start-up has a Web site, atwww.learningworksinc.com. Noris she completely growth-averse. "I would like toexpand," she says. "I'd like to publish books underthe name LearningWorks, and I do see more than onelocation."
At the moment, Paster's prospects for growth would appearexcellent. Her business is fully booked and has a waiting list. Buthiring employees is going to have to wait until she can find peoplewhose ideas, philosophy and ability to relate to students match herown, she says.
Meanwhile, Paster has been able to apply some of thesurveyors' recommendations in her business. For instance, sherecently, reluctantly, handed over the job of preparing herone-person payroll to an outside service. "I try to let peopledo things," she says. "I'm not so good at it, butI'm learning, and I'm defi-nitely better than when Istarted."
