Sylvan Franchisee William Da Silva Continues to Grow in Florida

William Da Silva has spent his whole life immersed in education, first as a student and then as a franchisee owner of several Escolas Fisk language centers in his home country of Brazil. That experience made him the ideal candidate to become a franchisee with Sylvan Learning, and when Da Silva decided to emigrate to the U.S., it didn’t take him long to peg Sylvan as the perfect next step for his new career in the States.

“It was love at first sight,” Da Silva said. “I knew I wanted to find a business that was in the education industry, and when I learned about Sylvan’s programs and business model, especially its flexibility for students and parents, I knew I wanted to get involved.”

In 2017 Da Silva moved to Florida, a state he’d visited many times throughout his 20 years as an educator, thanks to the regular trips to Disney World he took with his students. At the same time, Sylvan was preparing a major expansion throughout the state, providing the perfect opportunity for the seasoned franchise owner to pick up where he’d left off with Escolas Fisk in Brazil.

Early Success

Da Silva knew that opening and growing a business would be difficult without a green card, which would not come quickly, but he says Sylvan’s corporate team made the process as easy as possible for him.

“[Sylvan] has incredible support teams,” Da Silva said. “They helped with everything from real estate and site selection to training, and they were constantly in contact with me, walking me through everything that needed to get done and making sure I had everything I needed.”

That support allowed Da Silva to quickly find success with his new supplemental education business even as he adjusted to living and working in a new country under a visa.

Growth and Expansion

Four years later, Da Silva is still operating with a visa — he expects to qualify for a green card and permanent-resident status before the end of the year — and with Sylvan’s support, he’s opened six learning centers throughout Florida.

According to Georgia Chasen, Sylvan Learning’s VP of franchise development, Da Silva quickly established himself as a model Sylvan owner and has become an inspiring case study for other franchisees.

“Our system is designed to accommodate franchisees who don’t necessarily have a wealth of business ownership experience — we’re really much more interested in the passion for education that a franchisee brings to the business — but when someone like William comes along, someone who has that passion and also has great experience in our industry, that’s a really special opportunity, and William absolutely made the most of it.”

Da Silva says he plans to continue making the most of his opportunity with Sylvan, with plans for new units throughout Florida.

“As I expand my operation, I’m not just creating new learning opportunities for students and families, I’m also generating great employment opportunities,” he said. “I love this business, and I plan to take it as far as I can.”