Thrive Global: Advice from John McAuliffe, CEO of Sylvan Learning

John McAuliffe, CEO of Sylvan Learning, sat down with Thrive Global to share his journey to becoming the leader of the 750-plus presence franchise and offer advice for the publication’s “Tips from the Top” series. McAuliffe started in the financial space before moving into operations, which allowed him to learn all angles of the business.

When asked what setbacks or challenges have been instrumental to his growth, McAuliffe responded, “Once you have gone through one of these situations that required you to make decisions that impact people's lives, you work hard to put your company in a position to handle these economic downturns as to minimize employee impact going forward.”

“Surrounding yourself with the best people and giving them the tools to succeed are critical. Beyond that, you must have the ability to communicate the vision and strategy of the organization, such that people feel energized by that vision and they understand where they fit into the vision,” McAuliffe added.