At Mathnasium, the power of learning math goes far beyond the numbers.
Entrepreneur. com | Mathnasium Learning Centers SPOTLIGHT
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It’s one thing to go to work in the morning and come home at night and not think twice about anything you’ve done during the day. It’s something different altogether when you own a business and you’re passionate about the work—specifically how it improves people’s lives.
No one knows this better than Mathnasium franchise owners. Founded in 2002 and franchising since 2003, Mathnasium is a math-only learning center helps teach children the skills to succeed in math. But it’s not about simply passing a math test or a class—Mathnasium gives children the confidence to achieve their academic potential.
At Mathnasium, that passion for helping people realize success is contagious, and it trickles down from top leadership to every franchisee. Take it from former public-school teacher Ranette Williams Haynes, who opened a Mathnasium center in Clermont, Fla., in 2016. “My passions stem from a love of helping others and being an encourager,” she says. “As an educator, I love to sow into the life of others, assist students in being successful, help them learn new concepts, realize that they can achieve their goals, and build their confidence.”
While working in the public school system, Haynes says she quickly realized that each child has different educational needs, learning styles, and learn at different rates. At Mathnasium, experienced instructors utilize proprietary teaching materials and techniques to deliver a customized learning plan designed to address each student’s needs—going beyond traditional math tutoring to develop understanding and build a love for math, the company says.
With more than 1,000 franchises spanning five continents, Haynes knew this was the perfect opportunity for her to truly make a difference. “The results I see continuously in our students are better than I imagined,” Haynes says. “I have a parent who enrolled his daughter at the end of her 2nd-grade year. At the time, she was below level. She’s now going into the 5th grade and well above her grade level. She is an A+ student, still enrolled with us, and soaring to the next level.”
And Haynes pays it forward. Having simultaneously worked several part-time jobs to save the money needed to start her Mathnasium franchise, she knows first-hand how parents can struggle financially. That’s why she provides scholarships for six enrolled families that are experiencing financial hardship. “The program initially assisted two families but has increased as my business has flourished,” she explains. “Some families have received discounted rates for up to six months, and others have attended for free. I am blessed tremendously and love blessing others. I want to reach as many kids as I can with all that Mathnasium has to offer. I know it will transform the way they understand and appreciate math.”
It’s all about the ‘breakthrough’ moments.
Not everyone who becomes a Mathnasium franchisee has a prior career in education. But a love for math certainly helps. Tony Colabella spent 25 years as a petroleum engineer before becoming a Mathnasium franchisee in 2017. Today, Colabella owns four Mathnasium learning centers in British Columbia, Canada.
“I love this job,” he says. “It doesn’t seem like work at all. I really look forward to working with the kids each day seeing their breakthrough moments.”
Those breakthrough moments, as Colabella calls them, come because of Mathnasium’s approach of assessing a student’s math skills, creating a customized learning plan specifically for that student, then teaching for understanding over memorization. “Increased confidence changes the situation for everyone around the student,” Colabella says. When the student becomes comfortable with the subject matter, they’re less stressed and so are their parents, he says. “I enjoy showing the kids how they can use these skills in real life. It’s that point where you get the response of, ‘Cool! I had no idea you could use math for this.’”
Colabella and Haynes agree that in addition to loving math, an ideal Mathnasium franchisee will also have an outgoing personality, a spirit of determination, be optimistic, teachable, friendly, organized, determined, adaptable, a quick learner, and open-minded. A Mathnasium franchise owner is a positive role model and a mentor.
“There are no hidden agendas in this role as a franchisee that exist in other jobs,” Colabella says. “This is a chance to work with children who want to improve. The bonus is seeing the success they have. I wish I would have done this earlier in life.”
Click here to learn more about how you can become a Mathnasium franchise owner and start changing people’s lives for the better.
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