Franchisee Voices: Tony Brogan of Sylvan Learning

Tony Brogan grew up in the Bronx, New York. He spent eighteen years at JCPenney’s corporate, where he was in charge of finding manufacturers and suppliers for the company. After moving to Texas and spending a couple of years working for JCPenney’s and on his own, Tony decided he wanted to make a career change. Owning and operating a business had always been appealing and in December of 2008, he bought his first Sylvan Learning Center. Tony is looking forward to opening his second center this November.

How did you learn about the brand?

After deciding to run my own business, I started looking into the franchising industry. My daughter was a teacher at Sylvan Learning, so I was familiar with the brand. After doing my due diligence by researching online and interacting with corporate, I felt strongly about the model, reputation, and product.

What was appealing to you about joining a franchise system?

I have always been drawn to the franchise model and felt that Sylvan already had a strong brand presence and a good reputation. In particular, the company values were in line with my own. I wanted to be involved with education and it was vital to me to have a strong relationship with the franchisor – something Sylvan provided.

What makes your business different?

The key to my business is providing customer service. At my learning center, we take into account not only the students, but the parents as well. We want to create a secure and accepting environment for the students of Sylvan -- a place they love coming to. Our goal is to increase students’ confidence and help them realize their full potential. Our ability to provide this value gives Sylvan a competitive edge. The Sylvan model offers extraordinary service to students, parents, and the community as well.

How do you connect with the local community through your business?

Connecting with the local community is an ongoing process for us. The most important component of our efforts is reaching out to the schools and teachers of the individual students we work with. In addition, we put a big emphasis on working with charities; in the past, we have been involved with Big Brother Big Sister, The Boy’s and Girl’s Club, Catch Up and Read, and many more. Interacting with these different groups gives our students an experience they normally wouldn’t be exposed to. In addition, it is a way for us to give back to the community.

What challenges have you overcome to get where you are now?

The struggling economy continues to be a challenge for our families. Parents struggle to provide quality education while balancing other needs. We understand the sacrifices being made and consider the trust placed in us as a sacred obligation to provide the individual focus each child needs to reach his or her full potential while looking for creative ways to help parents manage the expense.

What are your expansion or development plans?

We are in the process of opening a new center and with it we want to emphasize our passion to educate students as well as our desire to reach out into the community to kids who might not normally afford Sylvan. Our location also enables us to serve several communities in the Dallas area.