About ten years ago, I founded Farayaneh, a programming institute in Miandorud, a small city in Mazandaran province, Iran. At that time, programming education was not well known in the region, and many families had limited understanding of its learning path and career opportunities.
Over the years, managing a programming institute in a small city has taught me valuable lessons about education, entrepreneurship, cultural development, and building social trust. Some of these experiences were challenging, while others became unexpected opportunities that are often less visible in larger cities.
Challenges of Working in a Small City
1. Lack of Awareness about Programming
In the early years, programming was an unfamiliar concept for many people in the region. The local economy was mainly based on agriculture, and most individuals had little exposure to technology. Even educated people often misunderstood programming as something related to lesson planning rather than software development.
Even years later, when Python became more widely known, many had only heard that “Python has a bright future,” without understanding the actual learning path or required skills. As a result, a significant part of our early work focused on introducing and explaining this field.
2. Building Trust and Preference for Bigger Cities
One of the biggest challenges was trust. Many families believed that high-quality education was only available in larger cities.
As a result, even without evaluating our institute, they often preferred sending their children to nearby cities for education. We first had to challenge this perception and demonstrate that quality education is not limited to big cities. This trust was built gradually through consistency, student outcomes, and real-life results.
3. Limited Access to Qualified Instructors
Finding experienced instructors was another major challenge. Most professionals worked in larger cities, and commuting to a small city was not attractive for them.
To maintain quality, we often had to offer higher compensation than standard conditions, which reduced our financial margins but ensured the quality of education remained a priority.
4. Lack of Suitable Educational Space
At the beginning, there were very few suitable commercial or educational spaces available. The first classrooms were held in a simple industrial-like environment, divided by handmade partitions. Despite its simplicity, this space became the foundation for building a more professional learning environment in later years.
5. Unrealistic Expectations About Learning
Some students and families expected programming to lead to quick income within a few months. One of our key responsibilities was to clarify that programming requires long-term learning, practice, and problem-solving skills.
This misconception existed everywhere, but it was more pronounced in smaller cities due to the lack of local role models in the field.
6. Limited Market Size and Slow Growth
In small cities, the number of potential learners is limited. Unlike large cities where thousands may enroll in a course, growth here is gradual and based on patience, consistency, and trust.
Even in some terms, we ran classes with only a few students. However, maintaining quality and continuity was always the priority.
Opportunities and Advantages
1. Lower Startup Costs
Starting an educational business in a small city requires significantly lower initial investment. Rent, equipment, and operational costs are all more affordable, allowing gradual growth from a simple setup.
2. Being a Pioneer in the Region
At the time of founding Farayaneh, there were no specialized programming institutes in the region. Even today, it remains the only dedicated programming institute in Miandorud.
Although this initially required significant effort in awareness-building, it eventually helped establish the institute as a recognized educational center in the region.
3. Strong Word-of-Mouth Growth
In small communities, people trust personal experiences more than formal advertising. Therefore, student satisfaction and word-of-mouth became the most important growth drivers.
4. Visibility of Student Success
Student achievements are quickly noticed in small cities. When one of our students entered the job market, it rapidly influenced other families and increased interest in programming education.
5. High Student Loyalty
Once trust is established, students tend to continue their entire learning journey within the same institute. This long-term engagement supports both educational depth and institutional stability.
Final Reflection
Looking back at the journey of Farayaneh, I do not see it merely as an educational institute. I see it as the experience of building an educational system from scratch in a small city, where many infrastructures did not exist at the beginning but were gradually created over time.
