There’s a crisis facing schools across the globe: classroom sizes are getting larger, and students aren’t receiving the level of personalized attention that they need. With more kids falling through the cracks at a time when getting into the top high schools and colleges is more competitive than ever before, demand in the supplemental education segment of the franchising industry is at an all-time high. But families aren’t looking for any help they can get – they want to make sure that their children are receiving one-on-one attention.
That’s where Tutor Doctor’s business model comes into play. For nearly two decades, the Toronto-based brand has been providing individualized tutoring services to students across the globe. That’s why the concept is expanding at a rapid rate –Tutor Doctor locations are consistently opening their doors all over the world. And according to President Frank Milner, the trend has been consistent since the brand rolled out a cutting-edge digital marketing strategy in 2007.
“We had leads coming in left, right and center. What was supposed to be a three-month campaign turned into a one-month campaign because we had so much interest. I knew then and there that we had tapped into something pretty special from a business opportunity perspective,” he said. “All over the world, there are kids who are falling through the cracks. They’re struggling in school, and as classroom sizes continue to get bigger every year, they’re not receiving the one-on-one attention that they need and deserve. That’s why demand for Tutor Doctor is consistently climbing – families aren’t necessarily openly talking about their students’ problems in school, but they’re miserable, and they need the help and support that we offer.”
Major player
With over 300 franchisees operating in 500 territories—100 of which were launched in 2017 alone –Tutor Doctor has solidified itself as a major player in the supplemental education franchising space. What’s more, the brand’s business model is second to none. Rather than focusing on a standard curriculum, tutors customize their lesson plans and strategies depending on the specific child with whom they’re working. And while franchisees are establishing a strong presence and overseeing back of the house operations, their teams of tutors are out in the field working with students one-on-one in their homes.
According to Scott Thompson, Tutor Doctor’s Vice President of Global Franchise Development, it’s that simple business model that continues to attract entrepreneurs to the brand. “There are a lot of attributes behind our business model that are sound. When you look at Tutor Doctor from an investment standpoint, our franchisees don’t have to deal with a lot of the headaches that come with other concepts. For example, they don’t have to spend a lot of money or time on a build-out, equipment or personnel. This is a business that you can start from home while you’re working another job. That’s one of the biggest benefits of our executive model,” said Thompson. “We also equip our franchisees with the tools and resources that they need to get started. Our digital marketing strategy is locked and loaded from day one, helping our owners get their businesses off the ground quickly.”
In addition to a strong digital marketing strategy, Tutor Doctor provides its franchisees with the technology they need to succeed as business owners. Every one of the brand’s franchisees has access to their own website that leverages the power behind Tutor Doctor’s URL, ensuring that brand awareness remains consistent across its entire system. The brand also has a cloud-based platform that manages the business by tracking key metrics, students, tutors and programs to ensure that every match between a tutor and a student is the best possible one.
Tutor Doctor is consistently making improvements to its business model in an effort to streamline operations for local owners. That means that the brand’s franchisees can get out from behind a desk and engage their local communities to boost their bottom lines.
“The beauty of Tutor Doctor is that we can go anywhere. Our business model isn’t curriculum based – we have one available for our franchisees, but it’s not the foundation of our brand. There’s no limitation as to where we can open up because students across the globe are all working on their own homework with different pain points that require our help,” said Milner. “We’re dealing with students’ classroom struggles in a way that no other brand is. We’re taking what challenges them in a one-on-35 type of environment and personally tailoring a program for their specific needs. That then leads to a shift in the classroom, and our students are seeing their grades rise within a matter of a couple of months. That then instills a level of confidence and high self-esteem that’s truly invaluable for the rest of their educational and professional lives.”
Great tutors
Tutor Doctor is looking for a specific kind of franchisee as it aims to bring those feelings of confidence and high self-esteem to more students across the world. Owners who find the most success with the brand have a strong desire to build and grow a business. They also want to make a difference in the lives of students and feel passionate about Tutor Doctor’s mission. Beyond that altruistic attitude, the brand is looking to work with franchisees who have the ability to create an environment that attracts great tutors and clients. And the best Tutor Doctor franchisees are passionate about local marketing – they’re committed to establishing a strong presence in their local communities.
Franchisees who sign on to join Tutor Doctor and become a part of one of the fastest growing supplemental education brands in the industry can expect their initial investment for a local territory franchise to range from $68,500 to $96,700, with startup costs for regional territory franchises falling between $73,500 and $101,700.
“There’s a lot of runway in front of us,” he said. “Today, we have a presence in 500 markets. But as we continue to build momentum in our existing markets while also expanding in new territories, we’re looking to grow that number to 1,500 over the next five years. Tutor Doctor isn’t just a domestic company—we’re focused on growing in communities across the globe. Our goal is to make Tutor Doctor a worldwide household name. The need for our services is strong all over the world, and we fully plan to capitalize on our growth potential going forward.”
AT A GLANCE
Name of franchise: Tutor Doctor
Established: 2000
Number of franchised outlets: 551
Location of units: Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Ireland, Mexico, South Africa, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Nigeria, Tunisia
Investment range: $68,500-$101,700
Minimum required capital: $62,500 – $107,200
URL: http://www.tutordoctoropportunity.com
Contact: opportunity@tutordoctor.com
