Did you Ask your Mother?: Permission Click, the future of permission slips

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Permission Click

  • Tell us about your business/for purpose organization (how long have you been in business, what is your specialty, products or services, how many employees you have, etc.):
    • Permission Click is a Canadian-based education technology startup simplifying the lives of teachers, students and parents. We deliver digital permission slips, forms, payment collection and fundraising.  Basically, total event management for schools and clubs running events with kids.  Our innovative platform allows teachers to create permission slips using existing or individualized templates, and send those permission slips directly to parents. Parents then can provide permission and provide payment directly to teachers with ease. We’re PCI-compliant and secured by Stripe, and our platform keeps a record of all transactions that take place through the site so both parents and schools and track what’s been paid. This makes us a great tool not just for schools and teachers but also for sports teams, clubs and parent-teacher organizations as it essentially eliminates the chance of money or checks being misplaced or stolen.We are about 2 years old now and have 10 employees.
  • What makes your company/organization leaders in your industry?
    • Permission Click is a leader in the educational technology industry because we’re revolutionizing one of the simplest and longest-running staples in schools: the permission slip. It helps that we were one of the first players into the space.  Our team includes privacy and security experts, senior developers, and a core understanding of grass roots operations of clubs and schools.  Our founding team brought backgrounds including Chartered Accounting, education, and experienced business leadership.
  • Who or what has influenced you (book, movie, person, other company/for purpose organization)?
    • For me, it’s never been one single thing.  Both of my grandparents owned their own businesses and I’d say watching that from a young age helped shape what I saw for accessible opportunities in the world beyond the standard career type of gig.  Solving the pain of paperwork and permission slips in schools is so relatable because we’ve all been through it.  It’s so easy to be motivated to build something great that fills a pain you’ve felt personally.
  • What key qualities do you look for in your employees/team?
    • Self-starting is number one.  When you’re growing from the ground up it’s all about wearing a few hats, and more importantly, being stretched and learning new things because nobody else on the team knows them, they need to be done, so there it is!Hard work is another.  It’s important to know that everyone on the team is ‘leaving it all out on the field’ every day.  Going the extra mile to ensure customer commitments are met, and the little things are looked after.
  • Words of advice for others growing their business/for purpose organization?
    • Find like-minded others to share the highs and lows with.  Starting your own business is not always sunshine and rainbows, so having a group of other people going through same thing can really be an important support system to lean on. Many communities have a startup ecosystem or local chamber of commerce that can be tapped into where you’ll find people and stories you can relate to.I’d also advise giving back.  In the same way mentors help and impact you, it’s worth taking some time to turn around and support another working along the path to growing their business who might not be as far down the pipe as you are.

-Chris Johnson, CEO

You can visit Permission Click’s website at:

www.permissionclick.com