There are so many ways to get an education these days, and itseems that only the unoriginal go to college. Don't get me wrong, Igo to college and so does Ball State junior Adam Forney, but Forneyhas found another way to learn -- he started a cheerleadingbusiness.
He doesn't recommend starting a cheerleading business toeveryone though. He is actually a trained professional. Forney, anAnderson native, majors in business administration, which coversthe "owning" aspect of his venture, and he was a Ball State lifter,accounting for the "cheering" part. Forney's business partner, MarkJ. Branch, approached him a little more than a year ago with anoffer he flipped for: they would teach people how to cheer andtumble.
Branch, a former Anderson University student who also tumbles,only decided to start the business after seeing Forney cheer. Now,for two bits, four bits, six bits or a dollar, you can haveCheerTactix -- that's the corporation's name -- come teach you tostand up and holler.
That's right, I said corporation. This isn't just a dorm-roomdealer, CheerTactix comes complete with stock shares and a staff.Forney and Branch now have six people working for them. At onepoint, they had eight.
The staff travels to camps, schools and gymnastics academiesacross Indiana to teach their skill. Forney says he has learned alot over the course of this experience.
"This has been more valuable than paying thousands of dollarsfor college," he said. "I've dealt with the IRS, I've donequarterlies, I've done 1120s."
Now, if you don't know what an 1120 is, then Forney's point ismade. He thinks there is no substitute for real-worldexperience.
But with all the things Forney has done with CheerTactix(including stealing some customers from leading cheeringorganizations such as UCA) there are a few things he does not planto do.
First, he doesn't plan to become rich from this idea. Forneysays he might continue with CheerTactix for awhile, but can't sayhow long.
Secondly, he is not going to quit school for this.
Mark Twain once said, "I have never let my schooling interferewith my education."
Well, Forney twists that statement around: he has never let hiseducation interfere with his schooling.
So, while Ball State -- or any university for that matter --cannot possibly offer you everything you need, it can come prettydarn close. After all, would there be a CheerTactix had Forney notbeen a Ball State lifter?
It's doubtful.
You see, a select few people -- LeBron James notwithstanding --attain fame and fortune without spending a day on a college campus.And honestly, not a lot of people attain fame and fortune even witha college degree.
But I suppose if "Papa John" Schnatter can do it, so can AdamForney. And so can you.
Write to Jay at jdkenworthy@bsu.edu
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
