Elite Chess - A side hustle turned thriving business where teaching chess became a community staple

Elite Chess, founded by Jeff Deoreo, is a chess instruction business that started as a side hustle. It serves kids and families looking to improve their chess skills through in-person and online classes. Jeff initially began teaching chess at summer camps before realizing he could provide value directly to his local community.

Why It Works

The business capitalizes on community engagement, grassroots marketing through charity events, and a unique value proposition of personalized coaching. Jeff’s approach to building relationships and showing progress keeps families invested in the program.

Revenue & Traction

From a modest start of $17 an hour, Elite Chess has grown to serve over 200 students weekly, with online classes pricing set at around $17-$25 per hour.

Founding Story

Jeff started Elite Chess after teaching at summer camps and realizing he could do it independently. He began by hosting charity chess tournaments to build his reputation and audience. Over time, he expanded his offerings based on the needs of the families he served, leading to a growing base of loyal students.

Business Playbook

1. Find 10 potential customers for Elite Chess - A side hustle turned thriving business where teaching chess became a community staple and interview them about their pain points. 2. Create a simple prototype or mockup based on the feedback gathered. 3. Test your prototype with 5 of the interviewed customers to validate your solution. 4. Develop a minimum viable product with core features only. 5. Launch to a small group of early adopters and collect testimonials.

Additional Information

Jeff utilizes tools like JotForm for information collection and Stripe for payment processing. He emphasizes the importance of showing progress to students with charts and rewarding achievements to reduce churn rates. His marketing primarily relies on word-of-mouth and community events rather than paid advertising.