The Top 4 Reasons Why Now is the Time To Open a Sylvan Learning

Courtney Wells , franchise development manager for Sylvan Learning , knows that this leading supplemental and enrichment education brand of 40+ years is built to last. Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of personalized education for students in grades K–12, with more than 750 points of presence worldwide, continues to exhibit impressive growth year after year. The need for education never ends and is always changing, and Sylvan recognizes this by hiring certified teachers that not only instruct but inspire, using interactive technology and developing Personalized Tutoring programs via Sylvan Method™ .

The need for supplemental education and new learning techniques is at peak demand, so there is also a demand for more Sylvan centers and franchisees. See below for the top four reasons to invest in Sylvan Learning.

For the last three school years, children have had to adjust their idea of a “classroom” and how to learn. Sylvan Learning has felt this impact and realizes the need for children to receive more support in this critical time, whether they are ahead or behind.

Adjusting to the unexpected and being able to pivot to the needs of students at a moment’s notice has been key in Sylvan’s business model. For example, in the 2020–21 academic year, Sylvan Learning partnered with proactive schools to provide support for learning loss remediation and delivered high-dosage summer tutoring to help students start the new school year on the right foot.

“We've done quite a bit of research to understand how kids are struggling in school right now,” said Wells. “Kids not having the ability to be in the classroom anymore and having to rely solely on being at home and receiving online learning has powered the demand in the supplemental education space.”

She emphasized the gratification that comes when a franchisee can really dig deep into a community and find ways to support children who don’t have the same resources they did pre-COVID.

With the natural and necessary state of education changing constantly, students will need additional support. Sylvan Learning is always finding new, state-of-the-art ways to aid in the learning process. For a potential franchisee, this business model guarantees where there will be consistent business growth as well as consistent business change — both exciting factors.

“We're always changing and trying to find ways to be the ultimate convenience provider for families,” said Wells. “It really just makes sense to be able to start something new and figure out if something's going to be a good fit.”

Sylvan is one of the largest private employer of certified K-12 teachers and guarantees the best in certified teachers and interactive technology, so every child feels fully engaged and gets the exact instruction they need.

Wells noted that many of Sylvan’s franchisees have applied for small business loans or worked with a partner to “really make sure that they're capitalizing what they currently have and leveraging all of the finances that they currently have.”

There is also the option to take a partnership with family, friends or colleagues who work in the same field.

“It gives you the ability to partner with people who have the same mindset that you do,” said Wells, “That's really been a great way for funding options — utilizing multiple people's financials to be able to start this new business.”

There is also the common option of borrowing from family members who believe in Sylvan Learning’s mission and want to support children’s learning.

“If you have a family member just sitting there and really waiting for the opportunity to use their money for good — for something that's going to make them feel good, Sylvan certainly is that opportunity that gives you the ability to help children and give them the confidence that they're needing to be able to raise their hand in the classroom,” said Wells. “So, partnering with a family member is always a great way to be able to get into the Sylvan franchise if you don't have all of the money in the bank at the time.”

The evidence is in the numbers: The franchise has opened 23 brick-and-mortar locations across the U.S. and Canada this year. They’ve also welcomed 55 new franchisees to the Sylvan family. Wells said there is certainly “no slowing down” and, while there have been setbacks from the pandemic, Sylvan Learning was able to develop a plan and transition in just seven days.

“We transitioned something that we had been doing for about 40 years in-person to a completely online format,” said Wells. “And it was really because of the efforts that we've been taking to stay ahead of not just the competitors that we currently work with, but also, we want to make sure that we're the ultimate convenience provider for parents.”

Wells stressed that there is always a program for every student at Sylvan, whether it be enrichment programs or STEM opportunities for kids who want to get ahead. The goal is to reach any parent and any child regardless of their situation.

With approximately 10,000 teachers across the U.S. ready to help students, Sylvan Learning ensures students are on track to achieve their goals year after year. As of the end of August 2021, Sylvan Learning has partnered with more than 170,000 students and continues to serve more as the new school year continues.