Bowers launches second business to put kids on path to literacy

The idea for a business often comes from a problem that needs solving. Such was the case for Rick Bowers, owner of Reading Connections in Hobart.

“The story started 32 years ago when my son, Aaron, was in second grade," Bowers said. "He was failing miserably at reading and on a good day could read only a few words. My wife, Mary, was a teacher at his school and she said that his problem was common and that about 15 percent of students fail at reading.” 

Bowers met with the superintendent of schools for the district and was told that the school considered an 85 percent success rate to be a good rate. Because Bowers did not, he started investigating reading programs and found one in Oshkosh that taught students how to process the basics of word decoding to increase fluency.

“As an engineer that made sense to me," Bowers said. "My wife followed that example, created her own materials and taught him to read. By the time he entered third grade, he was reading at or above level.”

For the next 10 years, students with reading problems were diverted to his wife’s classroom. However, when a principal heard that she wasn’t using the school’s approved materials, he told her to stop. It was at that point, about 21 years ago, that the Bowers created the nonprofit business, Reading Connections.

Over the years, the Bowers estimate that more than 3,000 students have learned to read fluently at Reading Connections. Typically, there are two, 30-minute sessions a week in addition to recommended home practice. In less than six months, results showed that there were substantial gains in word comprehension, spelling and fluency.

“When a child fails to learn to read words quickly and automatically, that child fails to learn to read,” Bowers said. “When a child’s brain is occupied attempting to decode words, the child’s brain does not have the ability/capacity to comprehend what is read.  Word fluency must become automatic in order for comprehension to occur.”

While the majority of the students have been children, Bowers says that there are also benefits for older and adult students who want to increase literacy levels and obtain greater fluency and comprehension, teachers who want to be able to assist students who haven’t learned to read through traditional school methods, and businesses and industries who want to upgrade employees’ reading and spelling abilities.

For those unable to attend classes, Bowers recently embarked on a second business called MAYDAY Reading Solutions, LLC.

“A year ago I retired from my engineering job and decided to devote my efforts towards making Reading Connections, Inc. more of a success," Bowers said. "This included starting the second company. Over the past seven years, my wife and I created 362 educational videos that guide a student through their reading learning experience.”

Bowers said that these videos open his teaching methods to the world. He and his wife are using social media and other non-bricks-and-mortar approaches to market the products. He has attended Green Bay SCORE seminars and learned from other entrepreneurs. Mary wrote her master's thesis on this innovative way of teaching. They are working on a business plan for the new business.

“The financial projections are the hardest part," Bowers said. "It is hard to look in a crystal ball and say that this is what the numbers will look like.”

Once the business plan is complete, the couple will be going to lenders for funding and also are considering crowdfunding. They are beta testing the videos that run from 20 to 40 minutes each, and are excited by the increased number of people who will be reached. Bowers said both businesses are extremely gratifying.

“When our clients first come in, some have to be almost dragged into one of the offices,” he said. “But then, in as little as three to four weeks, you can start to see a difference in them and the realization that, ‘I can read!’”

Tina Dettman-Bielefeldt is co-owner of DB Commercial Real Estate in Green Bay and past district director for SCORE, Wisconsin.