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Gloria Swardenski&rsquo;s business and teaching background has led her to become a Sylvan Learning* franchisee. 
 
Swardenski work at <a href="http://franchise.sylvanlearning.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-spotlight-gloria-swardenski-of-sylvan-learning-10778" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sylvan Learning Center </a>in Peoria, Illinois before leaving the brand to start her own tutoring business specializing in upper level math. After 10 years and raising her four&nbsp;adult&nbsp;children, she sold her business and focused on sharpening her business skills. Through working in the family business of manufacturing to becoming a life/business coach, Swardenski&#39;s experience eventually&nbsp;led her to join the corporate team of another franchise organization.

Swardenski ended up&nbsp;in management consulting for a large firm in Chicago, which had&nbsp;a full-time travel schedule, so she traded the cold Midwest weather for sunny skies, relocating to&nbsp;Pensacola, Florida.

Within a matter of weeks, Swardenski learned that the local Sylvan Learning was up for sale and saw a great opportunity to combine her business and teaching experience. This past February, Swardenski joined the <a href="http://sylvanlearning.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-spotlight-gloria-swardenski-of-sylvan-learning-10778" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Sylvan Learning</a> family again, but this time as a franchisee. 
 
What were you doing before partnering with Sylvan Learning? 
My life has really come full circle. I went Trinity College and got my bachelor&rsquo;s degree in education. After finishing school, I taught in a nontraditional position before moving to the Midwest to start a family of my own. &nbsp;

I began working Sylvan as a tutor as well as fulfilling some of the assistant&nbsp;director responsibilities for a little over a year. Sylvan Learning was something that was practically new to the industry at the time. I specialized in more upper level math and decided to leave Sylvan to start my own tutoring center in Peoria, IL called Gloria Jean&rsquo;s Tutoring. I did that for over 10 years while raising four children of my own. &nbsp;I started my own business thinking it would be a great work life balance but as my own kids were getting older, I didn&rsquo;t get to see them as much as I thought I would. 
 
When my youngest went off to kindergarten, I sold my tutoring business and started working in the family manufacturing business with my father, who is an entrepreneur to the hilt.&nbsp; Here, I was able to learn everything from sales and&nbsp;accounting to marketing. When I felt, I was ready to move on, I started doing some life and business coaching and worked with many self-starters on how to operate a successful business.&nbsp; I also worked on the corporate side of Corvus in the franchising world and then moved onto a career in business consulting with a large firm in Chicago. 
 
How did you learn about Sylvan Learning, and what made you ultimately decide to commit? 
I was familiar with the brand as I worked with Sylvan Learning before I started my own tutoring business years ago.&nbsp; 
 
After moving to Pensacola, I was in a brand-new area and wanted to do things my way. I started researching businesses and found the listing for Sylvan. With the confidence of my business background and the Sylvan location up for sale and 15 minutes away from house, I decided to sign on as the new franchisee. &nbsp;I found the opportunity in December, closed the deal in January and have already doubled the center in six weeks.&nbsp;

Visit the&nbsp;<a href="https://atourfranchise.org/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=franchisee-spotlight-gloria-swardenski-of-sylvan-learning-10778" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">International Franchise Association&rsquo;s @OurFranchise website</a>&nbsp;for more stories of passionate local franchise owners, employees and their communities.&nbsp;

Franchisee Spotlight: Gloria Swardenski of Sylvan Learning

1851 Franchise

After beginning with the brand as a tutor in Illinois, Gloria has signed on as a franchisee in Florida.

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