Passion for Education Inspires Sisters to Pursue Multi-Unit Franchise Ownership with Best in Class
When Sang Sang Ma was looking to enroll her children in a supplemental education program, she came across Best in Class in her research. Between the center’s comprehensive courses and strong reputation, the brand immediately stood out as the one to beat. However, Best in Class seemed familiar for another reason that she couldn’t quite put her finger on until her sister spoke up.
After hearing that her sister enrolled her kids in Best in Class, Hong Ma realized that it was the same company she worked for as a tutor during her college years. She had taught students ranging from elementary school to their college years; the brand served as the starting point to her career in the education industry. So she decided to look into the brand’s business ownership opportunities.
Together with Sang Sang and her other sister Thi Thi, Hong decided to become one of Best in Class’ franchisees. Recognizing Best in Class’ position at the forefront of the education industry, the sisters signed on to develop the brand in both Los Angeles, California and Dallas, Texas.
“What makes Best in Class stand out from the competition is really two-fold. First and foremost, it offers affordable tuition that’s designed to give more students access to the tutoring assistance that they need. It’s rare to find an education brand that takes the financial burden placed upon families into account,” said Hong. “Second, Best in Class has adopted dual models of improvement. Internally, the brand is constantly and steadily revising and adding to its programs to ensure that it’s ahead of the curve. Externally, on the other hand, it’s expanding its services in order to offer programs that are most beneficial for school age programs, including the new SAT/ACT prep courses and partnership with Chess4Life.”
This commitment to innovation and progress is what continues to separate Best in Class from the increasingly popular education industry. As demand for top quality tutoring and education enrichment programs continues to climb, the brand is positioned for rapid expansion in key development markets across the country.
“Multi-unit franchisees like Sang Sang, Hong, and Thi Thi are fueling our expansion efforts in top markets like California and Texas. There’s a real need out there for our one of a kind, customizable education programs, and consumers—and business owners—across the country are catching on,” said Sharon Peterson, director of franchise sales for Best in Class. “We’re looking forward to welcoming more local owners into our system as the year goes on in addition to helping our existing franchisees grow. The Mas, for example, are set to open their doors in new communities, and our goal is to set them up for success.”
Right now, the Ma sisters have one Best in Class center that’s currently up in running in Los Angeles and another location in Dallas that just opened its doors at the beginning of the year. But going forward in 2017 and beyond, Sang Sang, Hong and Thi Thi are planning to continue developing the Best in Class brand in both California and Texas. They’re far from the only franchisees successfully taking on multiple units with the brand—with start-up costs ranging from $56,700 to $96,800, including a $30,000 franchise fee, Best in Class offers entrepreneurs an affordable and unique opportunity to run their own businesses while giving back to their local communities.
“My sisters and I certainly have the vision to grow with the brand in order to best serve kids in California and Texas. Even though both states are large, it’s our wish to reach out to as many families as we can and share our expertise,” said Hong. “Above all, we see education being the fundamental vehicle to social mobility. That’s why we believe that our genuine passion for education combined with our desire to help children excel academically will allow us to continue growing alongside Best in Class, ultimately contributing more to society at large.”