Florida Franchisee Reflects on Success and Growth with Sylvan Learning

For Rafael Urquiza, a Sylvan Learning franchisee in Florida, education is more than a business — it’s a mission to empower students and support families in his community. Since acquiring his Sylvan Learning centers in North Jacksonville and Orange Park, Urquiza has worked tirelessly to expand access to learning, secure school contracts and build connections with local families, including Hispanic communities that were previously underserved.

With a background in business process outsourcing and a passion for helping children succeed, Urquiza brings unique insights and dedication to his role as a franchise owner. As his Orange Park Sylvan Learning celebrates its 40th anniversary, Urquiza reflects on his achievements — including securing scholarships and expanding partnerships — and shares his vision for the future of his centers and the Sylvan Learning brand.

1851 franchise spoke to Urquiza about his franchise journey. Here’s what he had to say.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Rafael Urquiza: Since 2006, I've been in the BPO call center world — business process outsourcing for call centers. I started my career working at a call center for Carnival Cruise Line, which was my first real official job. The reason I emphasize "official" is because my first unofficial job ties into my career story.

I really enjoyed working at the call center. Back then, customers couldn’t call a cruise line directly — they had to go through a travel agent. My role involved speaking with travel agents who would call us to book cruises for their clients. I loved the work and stayed in the industry for a long time.

In 2004, I decided to start my own business. In high school, I worked at a video store. I loved movies and it became a big passion of mine. So, in 2004, I opened an independent video store similar to Blockbuster, which was a franchise. But during that time, I noticed a significant difference owning an independent versus being a franchise owner. Luckily, I sold it before the market completely changed and went back into the call center industry, where I stayed for many years. It changed my view of business ownership when I decided to buy a business again in 2023.

During my time in the call center world, I held many positions from VP to director, overseeing a 1,400-seat call center, and led numerous senior management teams. Although it wasn’t my business, the experience gave me valuable insights into running a company.

In late 2022, I started thinking seriously about owning my own business again. I felt like I was approaching the "point of no return" in terms of making this leap. With about 10 more years of work ahead, I knew this was the time. I began researching opportunities and came across Sylvan Learning. My kids had attended Sylvan in Orlando when they were young, and I had a great experience with the brand.

I didn’t rely solely on my personal experience, though — I researched other tutoring centers like Mathnasium*, Huntington and Kumon. Ultimately, I was drawn to Sylvan because of the meaningful impact it could have on the community. I wanted to own a business that meant something and allowed me to give back.

After meeting with the Sylvan franchise owners in Jacksonville and talking with them for four months, I decided to make an offer. We worked it out, and now I’m proud to be part of the Sylvan network.

1851: What have been some of the most significant achievements or milestones you've reached as a franchisee?

Urquiza: One was Step Up For Students. Step Up is a scholarship program that opens a new revenue stream. They offer different Florida scholarships: children with unique abilities, the PEP scholarship for homeschooling, and reading scholarships, for which all children from kindergarten to sixth grade qualify. I wanted to make sure — there were difficulties during 2023 getting that done. So I made it a mission that in 2024, it would get done. In April, we were able to get Step Up scholarship approval for both centers, opening up that avenue.

Additionally, I was able to secure an institutional contract with a charter school. This was a few months of negotiating with the school and we were able to get the PO signed and will be moving forward in January. This is the first contract I’ll be doing, so that was a major accomplishment for us.

1851: How would you say that Sylvan has positively impacted the children and families in your community?

Urquiza: For me, it’s about community outreach and letting people know we’re here to help. We’ve worked to be flexible with families to make tutoring accessible, even when it might not fit the typical policy. While we emphasize that the success of the program relies on a certain number of dedicated hours, we try to meet families where they are.

I’ve attended school board meetings to connect with board members and the superintendent, letting them know I’m part of the community and available to help. I also make an effort to talk directly with parents. While my directors manage the day-to-day operations, I enjoy hearing firsthand how the children feel about the program.

One area I’m particularly proud of is supporting Hispanic families. The previous owners may not have been able to bridge the language barrier, but as someone with a Hispanic background, I’ve reopened that connection. I handle the enrollment and ongoing conferences with our Hispanic families, ensuring they feel comfortable and understood without needing a translator. It’s been rewarding to see the positive impact of those interactions and to know these families feel more at ease with Sylvan.

1851: What would you say sets your center and your staff apart? Are there any unique programs or initiatives that have contributed to your success?

Urquiza: Right now, I feel very fortunate about my two center directors. They are incredibly dedicated to education and helping the community, which is reflected in the feedback we receive.

Hearing parents talk about how their child has gained confidence and improved their grades is extremely rewarding. Some parents are emotional when they first meet us, overwhelmed by their child’s struggles, and then they cry tears of joy when their child achieves success they never thought possible. These moments show how much of a difference we’re making, and it’s all thanks to having dedicated and compassionate center directors.

I believe the center director is the pulse of any Sylvan franchise. For multi-unit locations like ours, having high-quality center directors is essential for running a successful business. Without that, it would be challenging. Both of my center directors were with the centers before I took ownership — one within two years of my ownership and the other within the first year. They’re dependable, available and genuinely care about the students and families. I think the world of them and I feel incredibly lucky to have such strong leaders driving the success of our centers.

1851: As we celebrate the 40th anniversary of your Orange Park center, how do you see the future of your center and the brand overall?

Urquiza: Well, I think the future looks promising. My vision is to continue growing the institutional business along with the brick-and-mortar business. Hopefully, this first school contract will pave the way for more in 2025.

I plan to keep building relationships with schools, the community and the boards of education in both counties where my centers are located. My goal is to be a dependable partner for the school districts, someone they can count on when needed.

2023 had its challenges with revenue, but we managed well overall. I’m optimistic about 2025, where we’ll focus on moving towards stronger revenue growth. I’m also excited about being part of the Unleashed Brands family. Their focus on child enrichment programs has great potential to propel Sylvan to a larger platform, attracting more attention to the brand and expanding its impact.

With these goals in mind, I’m looking forward to contributing to Sylvan’s growth and celebrating many more milestones in the future.

1851: What advice would you offer prospective franchisees who are considering joining Sylvan?

Urquiza: Your passion needs to be education. You really have to embrace it and live it — it becomes a part of who you are. When you're out in the community, even when you're not in the center, you're representing Sylvan. For example, when I wear Sylvan-branded apparel, like I am right now, people often approach me, asking if I work at Sylvan. I’m always proud to tell them that I’m one of the owners. Those moments give me an opportunity to connect with parents and start a conversation.

If you want to succeed as a Sylvan owner, you need to genuinely want to make a difference in your community. Making an impact and loving education are key. It’s about being dedicated to this mission, not just during business hours but all the time. That’s what sets Sylvan owners apart and helps build meaningful connections with the families we serve.

ABOUT SYLVAN LEARNING

With more than 45 years of experience and more than 710 points of presence, Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of personal learning for students in grades K-12. Sylvan is transforming how students learn, inspiring them to succeed in school and in life. Sylvan’s proven tutoring approach blends amazing teachers with SylvanSync™ technology on the iPad® for an engaging learning experience. Sylvan also leads the way with Sylvan EDGE — STEM and accelerated courses and Sylvan Prep — college and test prep courses. Sylvan supports families through every stage of the academic journey.  For more information, visit www.SylvanLearning.com. 

ABOUT UNLEASHED BRANDS

Unleashed Brands currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts and Sylvan Learning and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable brands that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit www.unleashedbrands.com.