Let's face it -- school is a lot of work. You have to pay attention in class, read, study, do class work and homework. Then there are all those quizzes and tests. That's a lot of stuff for one person to do.
Now, think about it from a teacher's perspective. All of the class assignments, homework, quizzes and tests have to be planned, created, given and then graded by the teacher. And, he or she isn't just doing it for one student. There could be as many as 30 students – maybe even more – in just one class. Now multiply that by four or five class periods and you have a good idea of the workload your teacher is facing every day.
Adam Ernst also has a good idea of how huge a teacher's workload can be. That's why he developed starQuiz and starPlanIt. The starQuiz software helps teachers give and grade quizzes and tests. The tests can include multiple choice, true or false, short answer, fill in the blank, matching and even essay questions. His other software product, starPlanIt, makes handling lesson plans simple and convenient.
Teachers and professors all around the world are using these products - and they're impressed. In fact, this year starQuiz won the REALbasic Design Award for Best Educational Software. That's quite an accomplishment for a software developer. It's even more amazing when you find out that Adam started developing the software when he was 12 years old!
We recently had a chance to ask Adam some questions and here's what he had to say:
Express: How old were you when you founded cosmicsoft?
Adam Ernst:I founded cosmicsoft in 2000, when I was about 12 years old. To help start my business, I received a $500 grant from the Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Express: How did you get the idea?
Adam Ernst: My mother is a teacher, and she spends quite a bit of time grading tests and quizzes. This inspired me to write software for teachers that would cut down on the amount of time needed to grade tests. I was convinced to turn it into a business with the help of the Institute for Entrepreneurship.
Express: We've read that you started writing computer code in third grade -- were you learning this in school or did you teach yourself?
Adam Ernst: While I've taken a few computer courses in high school, I've taught myself to program most of the languages I know -- including AppleSoft BASIC, which I learned in the third grade.
Express: Did you write the code for starQuiz and all the other software cosmicsoft offers?
Adam Ernst: I've written almost all the code for all my products. As with any large project, I get some of the computer code from the Internet -- legally, of course. There are about 39,000 lines of code in starQuiz.
"It might seem challenging at first, but it gets easier as you learn from your mistakes. And the benefits are the best any job can offer!"
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Express: How many people work for the company now? Is it just you or do you have a group of employees that help?
Adam Ernst: Currently, I do everything with the business -- including marketing, developing and filling orders.
Express: What is your role in the company today?
Adam Ernst: I still develop new versions of the software. Version 3.0, a major upgrade, will be available in about a month. [*editor's note - Because we interviewed Adam in July, the new upgrade may already be available as you read this.]
Express: What's an average day like for you during the school year?
Adam Ernst: I usually spend about one or two hours a day developing software during the school year. During the summer, I can spend five to six hours a day working.
Express: How did you learn how to run a company?
Adam Ernst: I've attended conferences run by The Institute for Entrepreneurship, a Milwaukee-based organization that helps kids start their own businesses. Mostly, however, it's something that comes as you get experience dealing with customers.
Express: What's the most surprising thing you learned about running a company?
Adam Ernst: The geographic distribution of customers is amazing. I've had customers from 25 countries on five continents. With the Internet, international commerce is common.
Express: What's the best part of running a company?
Adam Ernst: Running your own business gives you lots of flexibility to set your own hours, choose what you want to work on, and manage each aspect of what your company produces. It's rewarding to see your product used to help make teachers' jobs easier.
Express: What's the worst part of running a company?
Adam Ernst: Doing taxes is even more difficult than you might anticipate. Paying isn't so bad, but categorizing and calculating each deduction is.
Express: What's the worst mistake you made when you were getting started?
Adam Ernst: Since I was learning to program as I developed the first versions of my software, there were plenty of software bugs and problems that came up in the first few versions.
Express: How much money is the company making?
Adam Ernst: So far, cumulative revenues have been $26,000 and a profit of $13,000.
Express: Your main product is starQuiz. How many teachers are using this product?
Adam Ernst: There are about 350 users of starQuiz. In addition, about 29 schools or colleges are using starQuiz on their campuses; they purchased licenses for the entire staff.
Express: What other products does cosmicsoft offer?
Adam Ernst: I also offer planbook software for teachers that helps them track plans and the state educational standards they fulfill automatically.
Express: Besides the United States, where else have you sold your products?
Adam Ernst: Besides the U.S., I've sold to 24 other countries. The biggest out-of-country areas have been Canada, the U.K., France, Australia and Russia. In the U.S., California has the most customers by far.
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Eyes on the Prize
"There's nothing I'd rather be doing than running my business." These are the words of a true entrepreneur. If the idea of being your own boss sounds almost too good to be true, it's not. We promise. One of the reasons behind Adam's success is that his business is rooted in a personal interest. He turned a hobby -- computer programming - into a bona fide, moneymaking business. And you can, too.
Think about what your interests are and what you're good at doing. Then brainstorm about how you could turn your hobby into a business. For example, say you're really good at chores around the house - organizing the closets, doing the laundry, washing the car, etc. These are all services you could offer for a fee to neighbors and friends. Other things to consider are lawn care, housesitting, pet sitting, childcare, bike repair, tutoring, coaching, baking and even dog walking. Be creative, make a plan, get help from your parents or another mentor and start your own business!
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Express: How do teachers generally learn about starQuiz?
Adam Ernst: It seems to be entirely based on word-of-mouth and the Internet; I've done very little advertising. In the near future, I will be starting an advertising campaign targeting teachers and school districts in California.
Express: What's the plan for the future?
Adam Ernst: I plan to continue to develop the software, adding new features and perhaps introducing some new software products that can help in other areas of education. Someday, I might take the business full-time, but first I have to concentrate on college.
Express: Where do you plan to go to college? Will you major in computer science?
Adam Ernst: I haven't decided where to go to college yet. I plan to major in computer science/engineering.
Express: Besides running your own company, what else do you do?
Adam Ernst: I play the piano, play sports [basketball and badminton] with my brothers, and walk the family dog [a border collie named Rascal]. I get calls from people who need help with their computers sometimes. School is also important to me -- I spend plenty of time reading or doing class work during the school year.
Express: What are your hobbies? Favorite book? Favorite film?
Adam Ernst: I enjoy computer programming as a hobby, but I also play the piano. I found "1984" by George Orwell to be a great book and it probably qualifies as my current favorite, although I haven't done extensive reading yet. I don't watch many movies at all, so I don't have a favorite film.
Express: If the company could take care of itself for a few weeks, what would be your dream vacation?
Adam Ernst: Actually, right now, I wouldn't want to take a vacation; there's nothing I'd rather be doing than running my business!
Express: What advice do you have for other young people interested in starting their own business?
Adam Ernst: It might seem challenging at first, but it gets easier as you learn from your mistakes. And the benefits are the best any job can offer!
