And Rubin is living out his business’ “Write well, open doors!” mantra as he found an underserved market and entrepreneurial opportunity through writing.
He’s sharing his knowledge through his online curriculum featuring a collection of assignments, videos and quizzes focused on writing and speaking.
“I listened to the market and followed where it said it should go,” Rubin said. “The longer you stay in the (entrepreneurial) game, the more interesting things happen.”
A former television news reporter, Rubin worked for the family’s public relations firm, Rubin Communications Group in Virginia Beach, for eight years while growing his own business on the side. Earlier this year, he left the firm to pursue his company, known simply as Rubin.
“For a long time, it was just me — a man and a dream,” he said.
Founded in 2017, the company provides Emerge, a digital platform that teaches effective writing and speaking skills. Rubin has three employees: Austin Makohon, software developer, and Mac Walsh and Alexis Kruemcke, training and implementation specialists.
It all started after he saw how popular — more than 1 million views worth — his templates were on a blog he did years earlier. The blog grew into his first book, “Wait, How Do I Write This Email?” in 2015. The go-to manual of more than 100 templates includes step-by-step guidance to write emails, resumes, cover letters, LinkedIn profiles and thank-you notes.
Two other books followed: “Wait, How Do I Promote My Business?” in 2017; and “Wait, How Do I Lead My Team?” in 2018. And from the books, the business developed and the online curriculum followed.
To date, Emerge is used to teach communication skills to more than 100,000 students in middle, high school and colleges in 35 states. The program, with an annual subscription, has about 140 school partners throughout the U.S. and beyond and continues to grow steadily, he said.
Locally, the Virginia Beach Advanced Technology Center has signed up for Rubin’s program. Michigan State, the University of Alabama, George Mason University and, most recently, VinUniversity, a private English-speaking college in Hanoi, Vietnam, have registered for Emerge.
Rubin said he provides lessons for email and phone etiquette and networking skills in large cities, small towns and everywhere in between.
“Essentially, we’re a library of 20-minute assignments,” he said.
They include how to write an email subject line, how to leave a voicemail and how to sign your name in cursive.
“It sounds crazy but these skills are not being taught or students simply don’t know them,” he said. “What was, in another era so commonplace, these skills are being lost and students can’t communicate effectively in basic ways to pursue opportunities they want.”
Tricia Jacobs, director of Career and Technical Education and Workforce Development for Alexandria City Public Schools, said Emerge fits perfectly for her 65 teachers teaching students in grades six through 12 workplace readiness skills.
“It goes across all our program areas and it’s something I can use as a common thread,” Jacobs said. “When you find a product that covers that, you’ve struck gold.”
Rubin pointed out that communication skills were further worsened by the pandemic.
“I believe in this. I’m very passionate about it and I think it’s so important,” Rubin said.
For more information, visit rubineducation.com.
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