How theCoderSchool Got in On the Ground Level of the Booming Coding Industry

There’s no doubt that the coding trend is here to stay. Between the rise of boot camps and the demand to learn the tech-based language, business is booming for companies that teach people to code. But that popularity among consumers is especially heightened for one specific demographic: kids.

Hansel Lynn and Wayne Teng, owners of emerging franchise theCoderSchool, are making the most of that demand. Right now, the brand has four locations—three are corporately owned, and the other one is franchised. But with three more franchises set to open their doors for business in the next two months, theCoderSchool is already looking ahead to further expansion.

That rapid growth in the franchising industry isn’t random—Lynn has experience in both the tech and franchising fields. When he first started out, he worked in the computer science segment of corporate America. But after he got out of that, he switched gears and launched his own School of Rock* franchise. As the business grew, he was able to bring in a manager to run the day to day operations while he figured out his next move. Lynn just so happened to be working on finding coding classes for his own kids when the lightbulb went off.

“I figured that I had the right skills to launch my own coding schools for kids—I used to code professionally, and running a School of Rock location taught me how to get through to kids and network with their parents,” said Lynn. “Ultimately, it was the perfect time to get into the coding industry—there was a lot of media attention around teaching kids to code at a young age, especially here in Silicon Valley. That was really the genesis of it. I just decided to go for it.”

Lynn’s decision to take a risk is paying off—theCoderSchool is making a name for itself in the increasingly popular industry. For starters, the brand stands out because it actively tries not to mimic traditional class structures. Instead, theCoderSchool focuses on creating an individual program for each student. Having a small student to teacher ratio is also huge for the brand—its core structure is two on one.

Beyond its customized teaching model, theCoderSchool’s concept is designed to encourage practical application and performance. Learning by doing is often used to learn languages, and coding is no exception. The brand has its students create a presentation to demonstrate what they’ve learned when they complete their class. Kids are then encouraged to make those presentations about something that they’re interested in to drive home the fact that coding is fun.

“The demand out there for coding schools is huge—even though we haven’t done much marketing, we’re still getting a solid amount of leads. The bottom line is that coding is cool, and it’s not going anywhere,” said Lynn. “That’s why there’s a lot of potential for theCoderSchool’s concept to take off as we start to expand. Most coding schools are trying to get as many kids through their doors as possible. But because we’re looking to do what’s best for a small amount of kids, we really stand out in a field that’s becoming more and more popular.”

Lynn ultimately decided expanding through franchising was the way to go with theCoderSchool because of his previous experience with School of Rock. Since he was already familiar with the ins and outs of the industry, he knew that the model works best. Growing through franchising gives theCoderSchool the ability to work with local business owners who share their passion for coding. Corporate managers, on the other hand, wouldn’t bring that level of commitment and understanding to the table.

As theCoderSchool continues to build momentum, its banking on franchising to spark its success.

“Right now, we’re really focusing on the franchising piece of our business. our goal is to make sure that our first franchised locations are especially up and running,” said Lynn. “But long term, what I’d like to do is teach coding in a more social and performance based way. I want theCoderSchool to have an environment that fosters friendships. Every student we teach should belong to a group that bonds over coding—that’s something that’s missing from the industry right no