Ask Best in Class Education Center franchisees Haishan Peiris and Surender Nagula from Cleveland, or Nirjhar Shah and Swarna Pujari from Tampa, what first attracted them to the brand, and inevitably they all come back to exceeding expectations. At its core, Best in Class is about helping students achieve their personal best while equipping them with tools to prepare them for a lifetime of learning. However, just as committed as the brand is to its students, it is equally committed to its franchise partners every step of the way.
Since its inception, Best in Class has remained focused on creating a solid educational foundation, promoting creative thinking, and offering flexible and affordable programs that are taught by the finest teachers. By utilizing a proprietary curriculum, software, and training programs, not only are students achieving success, but franchisees such as those in Cleveland and Tampa are benefiting as well.
“We have always believed that access to a quality education can result in endless possibilities for a child’s future,” said Nirjhar Shah of Best in Class Tampa. “Because of the tremendous support, training, marketing, technology, and operational tools that Best in Class provides, the decision to become a franchisee with Swarna was an easy one. We knew from day one that Best in Class would put us and the students in our community on the path to success.”
Shah and Pujari’s grand opening in early January marked the first center to open in the state of Florida. This opening comes on the heels of extraordinary growth over the last few years. Most recently, the brand was able to open its 47th location and has 18 additional signed agreements currently in the works.
“This is a very exciting time for our brand and there is no indication that our development will slow down,” said Hao Lam, Best in Class’ founder and CEO. “We continue to develop in new and existing markets across the U.S. while concentrating on growth along the East Coast and in the Midwest.
Part of that targeted Midwest growth included the recent opening of a new location by franchisees Haishan Peiris and Surender Nagula in Ohio. This center in Mayfield Heights was the franchisee team’s second unit as they work to continue to solidify their position as a leader in supplementary education for elementary, middle and high school students across Cleveland.
In fact, multi-unit operators own more than 70 percent of all Best in Class centers which demonstrates that franchisees are having such success with the brand that they continue to reinvest in their own growth.
According to Peiris, the decision to continue expanding with Best in Class was a simple one.
“There is not another supplemental educational business out there that can compete with the individualized support that Best in Class offers,” said Peiris. “The support that the brand has provided us made the dream of owning our own business a reality and it is fueling our subsequent growth across the Cleveland market.”
The new centers in Cleveland and Tampa are part of Best in Class’ strategic growth initiative designed to bring its proprietary approach to supplemental education to new and existing communities across the country. One of the most attractive features of the Best in Class franchise model is its affordability. Initial start-up costs range between $56,700 to $96,800 and include the $30,000 franchise fee. Furthermore, the brand has developed special incentive programs for teachers who want to become franchisees; the programs reduce the initial franchisee fee by $3,000 for each of the first three centers opened and waives royalty fees for the first three months a center is open.
“We’ve had tremendous success in 2016 and that momentum has continued into 2017. We’ve already opened three new Best in Class Education Centers in 2017 in existing and emerging markets across the country,” said Lam. “This year we are projecting to open between 15 and 20 new locations across the country and we’re continuing to look for entrepreneurs who have a passion for the education industry with previous business, management, leadership or franchise experience.”