Why Educators Make Great Franchisees

by Andrea Mundie

Back to School is around the corner and this month we discuss how educators can look to franchising to supplement, replace or improve their income and job satisfaction.

By the Numbers

• According to the National Center for Education statistics, a report updated in May of 2021 cited that women comprised 76% of the nation’s public school educators.

• As of June 30, 2022, salary. com reported the National Average teacher salary at $54,990.

• Franchise Insights reported in July 2021 that women’s interest in franchising was suppressed during the initial pandemic year (2020) but has been recovering since.

• In the first half of 2021, women represented half of all franchise prospects.

• Research by Guidant Financial estimated that women account for approximately 31% of all small businesses and franchise ownership in the U.S.

With all of this data and the cost of living increasing faster than income, it is no surprise that franchising is an appealing option for educators.

Closing the Wage Gap

Another reason women may be looking to start a new business could be due to earning less on average than men for the same work. Franchising and entrepreneurship become more appealing for those looking to close the wage gap and take control of their financial future.

Being a teacher can be one of the most rewarding professions out there. The ability to transform lives through knowledge, to make connections and find ways for those who learn differently to understand and flourish and to make lifelong impactful memories for others is no small feat. But in many parts of the nation, the salary is not attractive enough to support new teachers joining the force, and it is not sustainable as a single source of income. With various opinions on how the education system should function, the stress, lack of recognition and, at times, respect and gratitude, also make teaching one of the most challenging professions.

Leveraging Teaching Skills in Entrepreneurship

What many educators don’t realize is that teaching is a skill that, for those who have honed it, can be taken to many different places and leveraged. I’ve learned this firsthand. When I finished college with an arts degree, I was uncertain about my next steps and took a second degree program to obtain a Bachelor of Education. At the time, the only job available was in a highcrime, low-income neighborhood in Vancouver, Canada. I took the job and enjoyed the children and the challenge of managing the classroom and the learning needs. But I knew teaching was not my calling. I had always maintained other forms of employment throughout the five or so years I taught either full or part-time.

When I finally made the leap to entrepreneurship, I quickly realized how transferable teaching skills were. Ultimately, teaching is about communication and ensuring those who need to understand concepts, do. In business, this is marketing, training and communications. Running a classroom and the various skills and learning styles and transitions is similar to operations management. With good organization and systems, things run effectively. I believe teaching was foundational to my skill-set in business and to my former role as a CEO.

Teaching provides flexibility. Part-time options or on-call positions are available, and time off (though unpaid) is more abundant than in most professions. The benefit is time to run another business.

Before diving into entrepreneurship, here are a few reasons why franchising is the best option when you want to keep your teaching job:

• There are absentee or semi-absentee models and you can interview current franchisees to clearly understand the time commitment. Keep in mind that no successful business is truly absentee.

• Franchising offers a support network of other franchisees and also the franchisor. You are not alone.

• A proven business model reduces your risk and should net a faster ROI.

Here are some of the Education related franchises that caught my interest. Many of these were founded by women.

Young Rembrandts

Afterschool art program for kids 3-12 years old. A home-based business that operates classes at host locations such as schools, community centers, etc.

Founder: Bette Fetter 102 locations Investment: Approx. $40,000 https://www.youngrembrandtsfranchise.com/why-young-rembrandts/young-rembrandts-faqs/

British Swim School

A learn-to-swim and water survival swim school that utilizes pools in other spaces like gyms, hotels and condo buildings.

Founder: Rita Goldberg 215+ swim schools Investment: about $93,700- $125,850 https://britishswimschoolfranchise.com/about/

Code Wiz

‘Unlock your child’s inner genius’. A learn-to-code franchise.

Founder: Ruth Agbaji 14 units Investment: $93,800-$168,200 https://codewizfranchise.com

Challenge Island

An enrichment program where engineering meets education.

Founder: Sharon Estroff 150+ units Investment: $50,000-$60,000 https://challenge-island.com/ own-a-franchise/

Tutor Doctor

“Every child can learn but not every child learns the same way.” A work-from-home tutoring model.

Founder: John Hooi 700+ units Investment: $73,295-$100,995 (single license) https://www.tutordoctorfranchise.com/?utm_source=consumer_link&utm_medium=website_link

Lastly, educators are natural leaders, an important part of entrepreneurship. As you explore which opportunity is right for you, remember the top traits of great educators that cross over into business:

• Organization

• Empathy

• Communication

• Understanding that people need different ways to understand the same concepts.

• Patience

The International Franchise Association (franchise.org) is a great resource for industry statistics and resources.

How can you get started? The Million Dollar Mentor program. https://www.pillarsoffranchising.