Pancakes and a ZNotes Dilemma

Working with the EDUCATE programme, my Wednesdays have turned into insightful “ZNotes days” (as if all the other days aren’t…). But really, being around some amazing entrepreneurs and experts, it is an awesome opportunity to learn new things and re-assess my next steps.

This Wednesday was a fully packed one too, starting with an intense hour-long session with my professor and learning some neat stuff about surfaces. Looking at topology and spaces from an algebraic and geometric perspective is definitely becoming one of my keen mathematical interests.

A quick walk to King’s Cross, next on the day’s agenda was catching up with an old school friend and having the best pancakes in the world – at least for me. They are listed as hotcakes on Granger & Co.’s menu – even the label pancakes doesn’t do it justice obviously. They are super fat, not conventionally shaped and the secret ingredient is ricotta cheese in the batter. So after drenching them with maple syrup and honeycomb butter, the soft gooey centre and crispy outside is just… divine.

A deeply satisfying brunch later, we walked along the bit of the Regent’s Canal that touches King’s Cross for my next meeting at the UCL Hatchery. Unfortunately, the timings didn’t work and getting late for my next meeting, our walk snaked past my 1st year accommodation (memories!) towards the UCL Knowledge Lab. The streets here are adorable; cobbled bicycle paths and boutique stores, reminiscent more of a cute European city than big ole’ London.

The business clinic with my mentor overran but allowed us to hammer away at the ZNotes’ business model and challenge the key assumptions. The concept of ZNotes was born because of the lack of quality resources available to all so putting a paywall anywhere near that makes no sense. Morally, I also don’t feel good charging for education and yet, we are all paying forit in any case. Even beside schools, we invest huge amounts into resources and tutoring services. Based on that, what if ZNotes could provide a more affordable services to students doing international exams? If it’s core functionality of creating, sharing and use of the resources is always & forever free by principle, can we expand our offering and provide features and services at a low price point and compete against the inconsiderate rates of many tutoring agencies? To improve and continue growing this platform while living in the current world economy, we have to have more funding so is it right to approach our userbase to be our patrons?

This dilemma has been going on for quite a while and as my mentor advised, I should just ask you guys! Can ZNotes have a subscription service for a more personalised learning experience (possibly bringing subject experts on) which doesn’t hamper it’s core functionality? Comment below, drop me a message on Discord or email me!

To round this blog post up though, check out this beautiful poem that I spotted at the Brunswick

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