Zero to One. Could TMI be a ‘0 to 1’ company?

Is TMI what defines as a ‘0 to 1’ company in his great book Zero to One? Peter and his partners have formed seven 0 to 1 companies, and Peter has invested in others such as .

Peter Thiel was the founder of the “Paypal Mafia”. The most successful of these may be a 21st Century Henry Ford. He is , founder of three billion dollar companies, Tesla, SpaceX, and Solar City.

We believe TMI may be a ‘0 to 1’ company. Here’s why.

TMI has a product that is way over 10X better than the existing Standard Math Curriculum (SMC) programs. TMI’s programs are dramatically superior in three ways; pedagogy and content and delivery.

TMI’s programs succeed, where all other standard math curriculum (SMC) programs are failing as testified to by many ‘graduates’ and educational statistics. Over a hundred students have proven this including IVY Tech Corporate College students and ISU School of Technology students.

The SMC programs taught in our high schools and community colleges are why many U.S. students are failing or avoiding STEM subjects in Universities everywhere in the U.S. where international students are succeeding.

It is a national disgrace for the U.S. and ultimately threatens our economic and, thus, national security. Trump is right. Common Core is a disaster.

Here is an analysis of TMI from a Peter Thiel, Zero to One, perspective. We believe this is very important to understand what TMI has done and is planning to do in the future.

Frankly, I personally would not invest in any company that could not conduct this kind of analysis. You may wish to read another paper, 021C, I have written which summarizes Thiel’s concepts.

021C is a “Zero to One Company”.

Ultimately, it all boils down to Seven Questions that MUST BE ANSWERED.

Read on for the answers for TMI.

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Seven Questions any successful ‘0 to 1’ company must answer affirmatively according to Peter Thiel. (pp 153-4)

1. The Engineering Question

Can you create breakthrough technology instead of incremental improvement?

Yes. The Triad Math Six Tier Program is unique and really works for virtually all students. None of the current Standard Math Curriculum (SMC) programs achieve this. It is much more than a 10X improvement over the existing SMC being promoted and taught today. All existing math textbooks, and graphical calculators, are obsolete just as slide-rules and log tables and trig tables are obsolete. A multi-billion dollar industry is obsolete and anachronistic, but it won’t go down without a fight to survive. That is why TMI requires a long term plan to fulfill its mission.

TMI utilizes the Internet and other technologies to deliver this program automatically at very low marginal cost and, thus, have much price flexibility. This program is easily scalable with very modest additional capital investment.

2. The Timing Question

Is now the right time to start your particular business?

Yes. Virtually everyone realizes the current Standard Math Curriculum (SMC) programs are failing the vast majority of our students. International math test scores prove this. Also, the lack of U.S. born STEM majors, mostly due to math deficiencies, also demonstrates this.

Everyone believes a solution is needed, but no one else has any idea how to achieve it. Khan Academy probably comes the closest. Yet its math program is deficient in several ways and follows the SMC.

The Triad Math Program is quite unique in its emphasis and use of modern technologies starting with the TI 30Xa calculator in Tiers 1 – 3, and Wolfram Alpha, WA, in Tiers 4 – 6. WA truly revolutionizes the way math problems are solved and how math can and should be taught and learned and practiced.

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3. The Monopoly Question

Are you starting with a big share of a small market?

Yes. Our goal is to become a major player in the homeschool market where parents are the teachers and have the freedom to do what is best for their children. This relatively small market “flanks” the public school market.

We also believe we can gain a monopoly position in training STEM students how to use the Free Hundred Million Dollar Tool, Wolfram Alpha, to solve all STEM math Calculus and Differential Equations and Linear Algebra problems.

We teach any STEM Student how to master this fantastic tool for only $15. This includes 15 Online Tutorial Video Lessons with a 240 Page PDF Notebook with notes and exercises, and a Forum for questions and interactions with fellow students.

Since there are hundreds of thousands of STEM students, this is a very good market to go after immediately. We intend to mount a national PR campaign and establish the TMI brand as a leader in math education.

Also, this is a good way to “flank” into the public school market. This product does not compete with any existing SMC courses and is not subject to any State Standards or any Standardized Tests.

4. The People Question

Do you have the right team?

Yes. So far this has been a small team effort. Dr. Hane has developed the curriculum utilizing the technologies developed by his son Chris’s company IT Solutions, and his other son, Bryan, for the delivery and maintenance of the Learning Management System, CRM, and the marketing system, Red Oak Cart, ROC.

Debbie Goodman is the operations manager and handles customer service, marketing and sales initiatives and processes with Craig.

TMI is now expanding this team, particularly in the marketing and sales arena, plus the development of the coaches.

Eventually when the time is right we will be recruiting a top level executive team including COO and CFO, and ultimately CEO.

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5. The Distribution Question

Do you have a way to not just create, but deliver your product?

Yes, via our proprietary LMS, CRM, and ROC. And, we have a complete product and several modern marketing processes, which are evolving rapidly. By the way, these delivery and marketing systems cost us over one million dollars to develop over the last decade.

6. The Durability Question

Will your market position be defensible 10 to 20 years into the future?

We believe so. If we can scale and achieve a monopoly position in home school math, and then expand into other subject areas and dominate public schools.

Of course, we will continually add content and improve our delivery system. For example, right now we use Flash videos. In the near future, we will probably “upgrade” to mp4 with HTML 5 delivery.

We currently deliver from our own servers. Sometime in the future as our client base grows we will migrate to a cloud delivery service like .

Once, a company establishes a brand, and a leadership position, it is very easy to maintain the lead. Once, the initial costs of creation are amortized the marginal delivery costs are near zero. This presents a very serious barrier to any potential competitors.

That is why Thiel insists a 0 to 1 company must create a monopoly position.

7. The Secret Question

Have you identified a unique opportunity that others don’t see?

Yes.

Any child can be taught math that meets his or her needs successfully, easily and inexpensively, by utilizing SPIKE pedagogy, TMI content, and the Triad of Effective Math Education.

This is the “Truth that very few people believe”. Thanks Peter Thiel for the inspiration to ask, and answer, this question.

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