Nikonomics - The Economics of Small Business 232 - How to Make Easy Money Using Government Grants with Hector Resendez
Sep 17, 2025
Hector Resendez, founder of an innovative online trade school, discusses how he utilized government grants to turn a small idea into a multi-million dollar venture. He reveals how students can receive up to $10,000 in funding for fast-track courses in trades like HVAC and plumbing. Hector shares his strategies for free student recruitment, partnerships with nonprofits, and the smooth automation of his business, which allows him to work just two hours a day. Plus, he explores the significance of grants like WIOA in empowering vocational education.
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High-Margin Revenue From Grants
- Hector scaled an online trade school to ~$200k/month by leveraging existing government grant payouts per student.
- The model yields SaaS-like margins because course cost is low while grants pay high per-student rates.
Finding WIOA In A Trailer School
- Hector discovered WIOA funding during COVID after visiting small vocational schools and realized the grant existed but was underused.
- He saw in-person schools running from trailers and thought the model could be delivered online to scale.
Get Students Free Through Nonprofit Partnerships
- Call nonprofits, shelters, and sober-living homes and offer free training plus a laptop to access unlimited qualified leads.
- Use simple outreach and partnerships instead of paid marketing to scale enrollments for grant-funded programs.