How to Play Chess for Beginners - Class 101 - All Ages

About Me

I live in Brighton in the United Kingdom by the seaside and hold dual British / American citizenship. I hold a BSc in Computer Science from the University of Brighton.

Whilst studying I founded an events company which had become a successful global business by the time I graduated and which, to this day, supplies some of the best entertainment to corporate events, VIPs and high profile parties around the world.

Building on from there I founded an archery tag company which operates throughout the UK, and a bubble performer franchise which I created when my daughter was born as I wanted to add something fun that I could do with her.

I have been a professional performer for over fourteen years and travelled the world performing bubble, fire and stilt shows. From corporate events to kids’ parties for the rich and famous, I have performed for them all. I founded and have run a global corporate entertainment agency (for over 20 years) and know exactly what it takes to create shows for any event and how to deliver them perfectly. I have also taught archery for PE classes in schools to pupils in every year group. Finally, I am a certified English as a Foreign Language tutor and have been teaching students all over the world from ages 8+ to adults, completely online.

These businesses have provided me with the expert knowledge and experience to teach my ‘How Money Works’, ‘Business 101 for Teenagers’ and investment classes. In fact, my experience as a performer working in the entertainment sector means that I am able to teach not only bubble magic, poi and staff spinning but also card magic – all fun classes which my students really enjoy.

Business and Finance Skills
In my Business 101 class I cover what it means to build and own a business, how to take an idea and make money from it, and specifically how to understand the financial aspect of owning and running a business.

My Finance and Money classes teach students what money is and how it works, investment options and opportunities, the difference between credit and debit cards, financial understanding and how to use credit and loans responsibly. I also teach students everything they need to know about buying a house, including how to start saving for a property and what to do as a house owner.

Circus and Magic Skills
The bubble classes I teach focus on everything to do with bubbles. Starting with how to make the perfect bubble mix to making the perfect bubbles and bubble toys. Once we complete this stage, I teach a range of bubble tricks and explain in detail how and why they work.

In my card magic classes I cover the basic history of card magic and how to shuffle and hold the cards. We cover beginner coin and card tricks and move on to learning how to force a card. We explore different ways of using these tricks and how to talk when performing.

In my poi and staff spinning classes I teach students how to perform professionally with this equipment. We begin with simple moves and work up to creating a dynamic show for my students to impress their friends and family. Students are also given access to The Book of Staff Spinning which I published at the age of 21.

Life Skills
My life skills classes cover a range of topics including career options and the value of a university education, how to speak confidently in public, travel safety and how to plan the trip of a lifetime.
I also offer mentoring for boys and what to expect during puberty and how to deal with the challenges that brings. The mentoring class is designed to support single parent families who may be in need of an ‘older brother’ or trustworthy male role model.

Language and Games
The English Language classes I teach focus on all levels and aspects of learning English. We use different topics to explore new vocabulary, pronunciation, and conversation skills.

I also run classes in how to play Chequers and Chess.

The main philosophy on which my teaching is based is that learning should be fun and relevant to the student. "If you have fun at work you never work a day in your life" is a motto I use daily! I absolutely love teaching people how to achieve this.

I look forward to teaching you.