After more than two decades as a voice systems engineer in corporate America, Denise Caballero, a North Carolina resident, craved more flexibility. In 2007, she took a calculated risk and invested in her first Mathnasium Learning Center in the state’s Research Triangle. This decision gave her the flexibility and life balance she desired, leading to significant personal fulfillment and financial success.
Denise’s passion for mathematics began in high school. As a member of the National Honor Society, she tutored fellow students. She continued to work as a calculus tutor while earning a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Drexel University. Denise ultimately chose to pursue a career in engineering. After receiving her master’s degree at Cornell University, she spent over two decades at AT&T Bell Labs and Cisco Systems in senior management roles. When she desired a career change that would bring her more work-life balance, Denise researched ten franchise opportunities.
“In a sense, I experienced a mid-life crisis while raising three daughters and working in a demanding career with little work-life balance,” she said. “In considering my next career move, I realized that running a math tutoring center would perfectly fit my skills and values.”
Investing In the Mathnasium Franchise Opportunity
Her decision to invest in Mathnasium wasn’t just a business move but a personal and professional re-alignment. Denise knew she had found a company that would allow her to focus on teaching and mentoring without having to develop a curriculum or a business model from scratch.
After opening her first Mathnasium Learning Center in 2007, she quickly began developing her strategy to open a region of centers that would replace her previous earnings. Within months, she launched two centers that became the best-performing in the country. She ultimately went on to open a total of nine Mathnasium Learning Centers.
“I’ve owned nine different centers. I now own two,” she said. “Part of my strategy has been to open, develop, and sell multiple centers over time. I really enjoy opening Mathnasium Learning Centers!”
Founded in 2002, Mathnasium Learning Centers support students in grades pre-K through 12 with curriculum materials and the instruction they need to learn and master math. Families pay monthly membership fees, and instructors create custom learning paths that meet each student’s learning style using Mathnasium’s proprietary curriculum.
Mathnasium reports that 88% of students who regularly attended the math tutoring program for at least six months saw improvement in their grades at school. Mathnasium franchise owners hire local instructors—often retired teachers, college students, and advanced high school students—who are trained in the Mathnasium Method™.
In addition to providing owners with a proven math curriculum, the corporate office helps them open new centers, launch marketing campaigns, and set sales goals. The Mathnasium franchise model is designed to provide comprehensive support to owners, from initial setup to ongoing operations. Today, there over 1,100 Mathnasium Learning Centers around the world in 9 countries, and the company continues to expand both domestically and internationally with the rising demand for math tutoring.
Staffing Mathnasium Learning Centers
When Mathnasium franchisees launch their businesses, they often tutor, hire, engage with clients and manage learning center operations. Most owners hire Math Instructors to work with students and Center Directors to manage day-to-day operations as their centers grow.
When Denise Caballero first started, she worked seven days a week, managing marketing activities and serving as an education director for two centers. Later, her three daughters helped take on some of the tutoring and operational responsibilities.
“This not only eased my workload, but it also provided them with invaluable life experiences,” she said. “Two of my daughters have since pursued Ph.Ds. and the third has become an accomplished elementary school teacher who also develops curriculum.”
Today, Denise owns two centers and has stepped back from day-to-day operations. One of her favorite parts of becoming a Mathnasium franchisee includes developing staff members at all levels and watching them grow professionally. The majority of her employees began working as high school or college students. While they are capable and passionate, many new hires initially struggle with maintaining focus and communicating effectively.
“Investing in developing a strong and committed staff has been key to running strong Mathnasium centers,” she said. “This investment leads to retention, which is crucial to maintaining consistency for Mathnasium students and parents. Watching these young adults grow in confidence and capability has been incredibly rewarding, with many becoming professionals or opening their own centers.”
How to Scale Up as a Multi-Unit Mathnasium Franchise Owner
In the 2009 recession, while many businesses struggled to stay afloat, Denise began expanding her business. In opening two additional Mathnasium centers, she centralized operations, served more students, and set the stage for an exit strategy to support her retirement goals.
“When I opened my third and fourth centers, I did so intending to eventually sell them to recoup some of my investment,” she said. “Owning multiple centers requires a strategic exit plan, and I developed mine early on.
In 2013, she sold her Apex center, achieving a positive return on her initial investment. Apex was a thriving center in prime territory, making the sale a win-win for Denise and the new franchise owner. In 2019, she sold her Leadmine center to a family that already owned a Mathnasium center and was looking to expand.
“It was perfect, as I was beginning to plan for semi-retirement,” she said. “At the same time, I began working with one of my directors on an exit strategy for my remaining three centers.”
Caballero sold her remaining centers to a former general manager, offering him financing to help make the transition smoother.
“Jeff had been with me since before he graduated from college. I watched him get married, have his first child—and now he and his family can prosper from his hard work,” she said.
Most recently, she partnered with another Mathnasium owner to help double sales at the Cary Park center she once owned. When that owner retired, she sold her interest in Cary Park back to Denise. Two directors at Cary Park then asked Denise to invest in a new center with them. The trio spent 2023 searching for a territory, and one of the directors ultimately opened a center in East Lexington, Kentucky, while the other continued to run Cary Park with Denise.
“Both are young math majors with a passion for education,” she said. “One just got married and the other just got engaged. They are incredible directors who love working with students.”
Today, Denise enjoys the fruits of her labor and mentorship. She checks in with her team and occasionally tutors students.
“I’m so grateful that I did it. There was the 2009 recession and the pandemic, and I tell business owners that they have to be willing to be resilient and stay positive when things aren’t going well,” she said. “I’ve mentored hundreds of owners from all different backgrounds. The successful ones are the ones who put their heart into it and are open to coaching. They do it for the right reasons.”
Leveraging Mathnasium’s Corporate Expertise
Mathnasium franchise owners receive support from the corporate office every step of the way. Every new owner gets a Franchise Business Consultant (FBC) who serves as their personal business coach. They help new owners follow the Mathnasium business model, define sales goals, troubleshoot problems, and answer questions.
The corporate office provides owners with a turnkey operation, from integrated QuickBooks systems to marketing materials and online training modules for directors and other staff. Every owner comes in with their own strengths and weaknesses, and Mathnasium provides the support to help owners better train staff, reach out to schools, and manage their businesses.
“It’s very easy to do the billing, the recording, and the training,” she said. “The business model allows you to support your employees every step of the way, right through director’s training. There are tons of marketing materials. It makes it much easier for a new owner to talk to schools, focus on teaching with excellence, or train staff.”
For Denise Caballero, Mathnasium franchise ownership allowed her to reap personal and financial rewards. Her former students still call her “Miss Denise,” and she’s enjoyed owning a business that allowed her to make a difference in children’s lives and her community.
“Joinig the Mathnasium franchise has been a truly rewarding journey for me,” she said. “I believe anyone with passion can run a Mathnasium successfully. I’ve seen business-minded individuals hire math experts to complement their skills; just as I, more of a math person, hired others with business experience to support me until I developed those skills myself.”
Is the Mathnasium Franchise System Right for You?
The most recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) math test results show continued declines in student performance, emphasizing the need for supplemental math instruction. For example, the most recent eighth-grade math scores reported in 2022 show that 40% of American students performed below the “Basic” proficiency level. Students’ average math scores have fallen 14 points compared to a decade ago. As a result, the global private tutoring market, which includes math tutoring, is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of around 6.8% through 2030.
While you don’t need business experience or advanced math expertise to operate a Mathnasium successfully, you must be passionate about building relationships and serving children, families, and your community.
- In exchange for their franchise fees, Mathnasium Learning Center owners enjoy protected territories and access to Mathnasium’s proprietary assessments, curriculum, and methodology.
- Franchisees also benefit from Mathnasium’s online and onsite training, including a final three-day in-person training in Los Angeles, where you’ll apply what you’ve learned in previous training.
- The corporate office assigns Mathnasium Learning Center owners a field support specialist to help launch their businesses. Once an owner is up and running, a franchise business consultant serves as a private business coach, checking in and helping guide owners as they grow.
Mathnasium center owners must meet financial requirements, including a minimum net cash of $112,000 and a net worth of $149,110.
Here are some additional investment requirements:
- Initial Franchise Fee: $49,000 (Teachers receive 25% off the initial franchise fee.)
- Total Startup Investment: $112,936 to $149,616
- Royalty: 10% of gross monthly receipts
- Monthly marketing fees: 2% of gross receipts plus $250/month
Many owners have been successful following the Mathnasium Method™. According to Item 19 of the company’s 2024 Franchise Disclosure Document, median gross receipts for franchise owners in 2023 were $304,252, up nearly 14% from 2022. The top 25% of Mathnasium franchise owners reported median gross receipts of $546,973 in 2023.
Not only are Mathnasium franchise owners making money, but they experience a great deal of fulfillment doing it. According to a recent Franchise Business Review survey, owners continue to give their corporate leadership high marks.
- 91% agreed they enjoyed operating their business
- 90% agreed they were supportive of the Mathnasium brand
- 89% agreed they enjoyed being a part of the organization
In 2024, Mathnasium was also recognized on Franchise Business Review’s Top Education Franchises, Rock Star Franchise Owners, Top 200, and Recession-Proof Franchises lists.
For more information about franchising with Mathnasium, call 888-763-2604 or visit mathnasiumfranchise.com.
Source: Richards, S. (2024, September 13). From Engineer to Entrepreneur: Denise Caballero Opened Nine Mathnasium Learning Centers. Retrieved October 10, 2024, from Franchise Business Review website: https://franchisebusinessreview.com/post/from-engineering-to-entrepreneurship-denise-caballero-opened-nine-mathnasium-learning-centers/
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