FRANKIE CENA: PORTFOLIO.YVR Business & Entrepreneurs Magazine | Volume 2 | Issue 5 | 2024

FRANKIE CENA: FOSTERING DEBATE TALENT (FDT) ACADEMY

FDT Academy is dedicated to helping young people develop the skills to argue effectively for their beliefs, discover their passion for Debate, and cultivate the ability to view issues from multiple perspectives.

By joining the academy, students become part of a community of driven public speakers committed to working hard, honing their skills, and excelling in Debate competitions worldwide.

With over 350 active students and more than 3,000 alumni from around the globe, FDT Academy is the premier Debate and Speech institution in British Columbia.

The academy stands out for its students, many of whom have become members of both the Canadian National Debate Team and the Canadian National Speech Team. Over 40 FDT students have earned spots on these prestigious national teams, setting an unprecedented record in Canada.

Students at FDT Academy gain a competitive edge in their university applications, with numerous alumni going on to attend top-tier universities, including Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and Cambridge. FDT's comprehensive approach to training equips students with the skills necessary to succeed in any field.

MEET FRANKIE

Debate has been a lifelong passion for Frankie Cena, the founder of FDT Academy, beginning with his first competition in 8th grade. By grade 12, he started volunteering as a Debate coach at their high school, a role they continued for five years.

During this time, the school became a prominent force in the Debate world, and the founder witnessed many young lives transformed through the power of Debate. Frankie quickly recognized a significant gap in the availability of Speech and Debate opportunities, with coaching typically reserved for private schools and their students. By volunteering in a public school, he was able to provide opportunities to students who otherwise might not have had any.

This insight led to the creation of FDT Academy, with the mission to make Debate more accessible to all students.

Since its founding in 2016, FDT Academy has remained committed to offering students the same enriching experiences that the founder's first group of students had, learning about important issues, travelling globally, building confidence, and developing invaluable skills. The academy's dynamic team of instructors, many of whom are former students, works tirelessly to ensure that every student achieves their full potential. The goal is for each student to leave FDT Academy more confident, articulate, and prepared to engage meaningfully.

IN HIS WORDS

"My earliest memories of entrepreneurship come from when I was a kid. I think a lot about the Tooth Fairy, and I remember always wanting to wheel and deal with them, collect my money and negotiate for more money, as we did not have a ton of money growing up. When my parents divorced, they had to sell the house at a loss, which meant I lived in financial circumstances I did not expect.

"I shared a bedroom with my dad and sister and then lived in cooperative housing with my mother.

"I remember, for my birthdays, I never asked for things; I asked for cash. Ever since I was little, I asked my entire family for money instead of gifts because I wanted to choose what to do with the money, whether saving up for something big or buying little things of my choosing."

"When I was 16, I started volunteering as a debate coach at a local high school. When I was hired for my first job as a full-time debate coach at a private school, I had a eureka moment: I could start a company solely dedicated to debate. I saw a gap and an untapped industry and knew I could fill it.

"As a high school debate coach, I pursued that passion and turned it into a full-time job, a business, and, eventually, a whole new industry. I founded one of the world's first public speaking and debating schools.

"My entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering determination brought me to where I am today. I am the proud owner of Fostering Debate Talent Academy and a 30 Under 30 winner. We now teach over 400 students from around the world, from grades K-12, with 20 instructors, five full-time staff, and every title in every competition.

"Through the academy, I cultivate a sense of confidence and self-worth in my students. Drawing from my own experiences as a kid, I make sure the students know that their wins and losses do not define them but should motivate them to overcome obstacles.

"I am a self-made entrepreneur and proud of my journey. I continue to work on becoming a better teacher and person every day.

"Through the academy, I cultivate a sense of confidence and self-worth in my students. Drawing from my own experiences as a kid, I make sure the students know that their wins and losses do not define them but should motivate them to overcome obstacles.

"I am a self-made entrepreneur and proud of my journey. I continue to work on becoming a better teacher and person every day.

"My journey has been wild. I did not think I would be an entrepreneur, I thought I would be a lawyer, then a politician, and eventually the Prime Minister of Canada. That was always the plan.

"I went to university, went to business school, and was planning to go to law school when I decided to pursue debate as a full-time job. I employed my sister and mom full-time, and now we have a company that has been incorporated since 2018. So, the journey was definitely unexpected.

"That said, it was not an easy journey. There was no formula to emulate or a company to mirror. I had to trust my instincts and slowly grow my company. I needed to foster genuine, loyal connections with my students, their parents, teachers, and others I met along the way. It was vital that they trusted my vision in creating FDT and joined me on the journey.

"My first private lessons with a few students were in the basement of my home, but that loyalty is how I have kept growing.

"We now teach students from all around the world through virtual classes that took off during the pandemic. We have two physical buildings in Vancouver where we teach in-person classes and host tournaments."

"We now teach students from all around the world through virtual classes that took off during the pandemic. We have two physical buildings in Vancouver where we teach in-person classes and host tournaments."

"All my instructors were past students, and many of my current students showed interest in working for me. My family works with me, and that is what keeps me going.

"It is incredibly rewarding to witness shy children transform into confident, self-assured speakers who go on to change the world. As a coach, I have the privilege of seeing young people genuinely come into their own. We travel the globe, achieve championship victories, and celebrate their remarkable growth, it is deeply fulfilling.

"That was my initial motivation to work hard at whatever I do, which is why I still work hard for my company. I did not want my background to stop me from achieving my dreams. As a kid, I was in an international boys' choir, did musical theatre, was on the student council, joined the debate team, and earned a full-ride scholarship to university.

"I think back, and there are a few key moments when I knew this would work. I think the first was being paid an hourly wage for coaching debate, and I was like, "Oh my God, I can make this much money doing this?"

Then, my aunt, who I love dearly and my hairdresser at the time, would talk with me about the business. She said there might be something here and that I had to figure out how to make this work and turn it into a company, not just a job. Chats like that helped me think of the bigger picture.

"Getting our first office space, reaching our first 100-student mark, and receiving my first investment were all moments where I thought this could be it.

"Because we grew quickly, I had to develop game plans immediately. I got a whole team together, assigned specific roles, and the pieces came together. We took on investors, hired an Operations Director to elevate everything, ensured that instructors were super happy, and kept constantly developing programming. Ultimately, we focused on delivering a fantastic product. When I was coaching by myself with just five students, the product was excellent, and we wanted to maintain that level of quality as we scaled up.

"Being able to employ my mom and sister full-time has been pivotal. It is my favourite part to celebrate in my business. While my life is extremely busy, and I do not take any days off, I do it because I love it and am thankful for the life I live.

"I have also had to keep hiring new instructors, local, international, and online. I have had to relocate to new buildings, create new materials, develop branding, and keep up with marketing and sales.

"Our push to the next level was incorporating virtual classes into our program. That opened up an entirely new market of clients who could now enjoy our program from anywhere in the world."

"We have become a one-stop shop for everything: public speaking and debate. FDT Academy operates on a hybrid model: in-person and online group classes, private coaching, and on-demand courses. We also facilitate everything for tournaments, including travel, flights, accommodations, registration, and coaching. That means we constantly communicate with instructors, parents, and students to ensure they have everything they need for success. We connect students with elite coaches and offer comprehensive communication, debate, and public speaking training.

"Our model is unique because we have different packages for different needs. Some students come for just a week-long debate camp in the summer; some join for the school term, some are granted bursaries, and some participate with VIP packages.

"I always say: Find your voice; it matters! Our goal at FDT is to help young people argue effectively for their beliefs, discover their passion for debate, and develop the ability to see issues from multiple angles. By joining the academy, they become part of a community of public speakers motivated to work hard, hone their skills, and succeed at debate competitions worldwide.

"Currently, we have 350 active students and 3,000 alumni globally, and hold the unparalleled distinction in BC of producing over 40 members for the Canadian National Debate and Speech Teams.

"Our students achieve national recognition and strengthen their university applications, often gaining acceptance to prestigious institutions such as Harvard, Oxford, Stanford, and Cambridge.

"FDT Academy is poised for exponential growth, ready to double our student base and revolutionize the world of debate education.

"With a goal of reaching 1,000 students by the end of 2025, we aim to expand globally, inspiring the next generation of communicators and making debate a recognized and celebrated sport worldwide. I invite you to join us as we take debate education to unprecedented heights!"