Franchising gave the Lossing family more than a path to business ownership. With Mathnasium, it became a way to build wealth, work with purpose and create something the next generation could be part of. What started as a single investment has grown into a 23-unit, multi-state portfolio with Mathnasium centers in San Diego, Phoenix, Denver, Dallas and Cincinnati. But for the Lossings, the real success is measured in family, impact and the future they’re building together.

From One Center to a Multi-State Portfolio

Prior to becoming a Mathnasium franchise owner, Karen Lossing was a special education teacher and a math curriculum writer for the state of Texas. Mathnasium became a family business in 2017 when Karen’s daughter Libby joined forces with her after graduating from UCLA. The two were later joined by Karen’s son, Evan, after he graduated from Texas Tech University's Business College and her husband, Steven, when he retired as the Chief Stores Officer of Petco. 

But when they joined the brand more than 10 years ago with the establishment of their flagship location in San Diego, they weren’t necessarily trying to build an empire. 

“We never set out with that goal,” Steven said. “My wife and I were always interested in maybe doing something on our own, but it wasn’t until we moved to California and Karen had already been a teacher that we realized the schools were very different. That’s how we hooked up with Mathnasium originally.”

What followed was steady, strategic growth and, eventually, a family-wide commitment to the business. Today, that growth has accelerated significantly.

“In 2024, we expanded to Cincinnati with a four-unit acquisition,” Libby said. “Following that, we did a three-unit acquisition in Denver and this month we grand opened in Dallas, which took our Dallas holdings up to seven. At this point, we have 23 total units and we are still growing.”

A Business That Grows With Your Family

One of the most unique aspects of the Lossing story is how naturally Mathnasium evolved into a multi-generational business. Karen built the foundation. Steven brought business acumen. Libby and Evan grew up in the centers and ultimately chose to join the business on their own.

“Working at Mathnasium became our first summer job when we were teenagers,” Evan said. “Once I saw what some of these elementary kids could do, I was blown away. I was really sold on the Mathnasium concept that first summer. I am a product of this program myself. I originally thought I wanted to be a high school algebra teacher and soccer coach, but with Mathnasium, I realized that I wanted to do something with smaller groups outside of a school system so I could have more of an impact.”

Libby shared a similar sentiment. “I always wanted to make it on my own, so I was very drawn to the idea of business ownership,” she said. “The more I learned about Mathnasium and saw the business grow, the more I realized that I didn’t need an education background to find success. You really fall in love with what you do, and I’ve fallen in love with the Mathnasium brand and what we’ve been able to accomplish.”

“For me, it was a genuine surprise and elation when my kids expressed interest,” Karen said. “It was just so exciting to see my kids grow as adults, and then also grow professionally. They never cease to amaze me.”

Built for Scale and Structure

While family alignment is critical, the Lossings are quick to point out that structure is what makes scale possible. 

“We all have a lane that we are in,” Steven said. “Libby focuses on marketing, Evan takes on HR, Karen is the expert on education and schools and I take on the financial and legal and real estate side.”

This division of responsibilities has allowed the family to scale across multiple markets without losing operational consistency. “If you have a great team and a great structure, you can do as much as possible,” Steven said. “I’ve helped many franchise brands grow in the past and I know that we could open 1,000 locations if we wanted to!”

That scalability is one of the defining advantages of the Mathnasium model, particularly for families looking to build long-term wealth. The Lossings also credit the brand’s support systems with enabling their expansion.

“What Mathnasium offers, in terms of franchise support, really lends itself very well to a family dynamic,” Libby said. “We benefit from having different specialties, but even if there was overlap, the franchise support lends itself to making a multi-generational business.”

From training to marketing to operational systems, that infrastructure allows owners to focus on growth rather than reinventing processes.

A Business With Purpose and Profit

While the Lossings have built a highly successful multi-unit operation, they emphasize that the emotional return is just as important as the financial one.

“It feels pretty good owning a business that helps kids,” Steven said. “You can get up every day and feel great about what you do. We teach math, but what we really do is give kids confidence in themselves.”

That mission-driven model is what keeps the family motivated. And their shared personal understanding, as educators, parents and students, strengthens their impact in every community they serve.

Karen sees it play out in every center. “We all have been center directors, and we all bring different perspectives,” she said. “You get a lot of different kids and we can all relate to different parents and students because we’ve all been there in our own way.”

Creating a Lasting Legacy

For prospective franchisees, the Lossings’ journey offers a clear takeaway: Mathnasium is a platform for building something that lasts.

“We’ve always been a very tight-knit family,” Libby said. “It is extra rewarding that the people you are in the trenches of business with are your family members. It’s fun knowing that there is a third generation that is going to be able to start being a product of our customers soon.”

For Evan, a new parent, that third generation is already becoming real. 

“I’m really excited for my kids to get involved,” he said. “I grew up struggling with math myself and I see the difference it makes with confidence. I’m so excited to get to share what Mathnasium is for a whole new generation of kids.”

The initial investment required to begin the operation of a Mathnasium franchise is $112,860-$149,155. To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit 1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info.