As England’s second national lockdown gets underway, it doesn’t seem to have stopped savvy individuals recognising the potential of this tutoring franchise
David Lennon and Suzie Boon attended the October training session before launching their Hampshire-based office shortly afterwards. They are both extremely keen to get going and know how important their tuition service will be right now.
“From our very first conversation with the home office team, we were completely sold by their mission statement of ‘changing the trajectory of students’ lives’,” David stated. “There were various aspects to the franchise model that appealed to us. For me, I particularly connected with their commitment to educating students with crucial life skills, whilst for Suzie it was Tutor Doctor’s investment in truly understanding a child’s learning style and adapting to suit their needs. We also saw the impact that the network has had on students throughout the UK already, and it was a no-brainer.”
Since 2013, following 10 years in Hong Kong, Suzie has been a stay-at-home mum, and David was director for a large UK supermarket. 2020 was the year Suzie had in mind to go back to work when their youngest child started school – when September came around, it was time for them to set the wheels in motion. Franchisees would usually visit Toronto for their training programme, but this year it’s turned virtual as a result of the pandemic. From the moment they logged on, they were blown away with their training.
“We were not sure whether we would receive the same experience as other franchisees who attend the training in person, but we couldn’t have been more wrong,” said Suzie. “It was extremely interactive, with highly informed speakers and real-life stories all bringing a huge dose of Tutor Doctor energy and enthusiasm. We finished with a heap of work to do, but that was balanced with a feeling of excitement.
“We’re most looking forward to physically seeing the results that students are proud of - an improved exam grade, acing a spelling test, reciting something in class or just gaining the confidence to attend school with a smile on their face. We’ll take pride in their achievements and feel extremely grateful to be a small part of their success story.”
The past six months have placed an unprecedented strain on the education sector. When schools were able to go back in September, a sigh of relief was heard in the nation as it indicated that things were slightly returning to normal for many families. As efforts now turn to get children back up to speed with their learning, the duo recognised that they were in the best position to provide a solution.
David added: “Times are tough for many people right now, and we would like to be available to help and support them. The more we can do to come together to help, the better. It’s our role to create opportunities for generations of children, to grow up with the skills and confidence needed to create a positive future for themselves. I’m positive that we’ll be doing our bit to encourage great things!”
The continued growth of Tutor Doctor’s worldwide network is testament to two things: firstly, the ongoing demand for quality and personalised tuition - its online offering saw a 120 per cent increase in demand within weeks of the first lockdown - and secondly, the brand’s ability to pivot with unfolding events and implement profit-making programmes for franchisees.
As the year begins to draw to a close, Tutor Doctor is hoping to end it on a high at the bfa HSBC British Franchise Awards, in which the team have been shortlisted in both a franchisee and franchisor category. The global network is keeping its fingers crossed, and all will be revealed at the virtual awards evening on 30 November.