How the Mathnasium Franchise Model Provides Opportunities for Veterans

Offering a robust support system and strong business model, Mathnasium Learning Centers, the math tutoring franchise with 1,100 units around the world, has recognized the importance of welcoming entrepreneurs from varied backgrounds to the system. Rather than relying solely on former educators to drive the brand, it has established an easy-to-follow model that can propel any passionate entrepreneur toward success, and veterans are no different.

Mathnasium has been recognized as a top franchise for veterans for several reasons. Not only does it have a strong nationwide reputation and a five-star rating with VetFran, but Mathnasium also offers veterans a 25% discount on the franchise fee to honor their service. 

Derek Lariviere, a Mathnasium franchisee in Oklahoma, explained that the brand’s reliable systems and support were a major driver in his own decision to invest.

“Having something essentially ready-made in the education space, which is the space that I knew I wanted to be in, was really valuable. I thought about it quite a bit, but at the end of the day, Mathnasium has a lot of systems in place that I didn’t have to create from scratch, and that was a really big benefit for me. That’s one of the main things that attracted me to the franchise model and to Mathnasium, specifically.”

As a single father to three girls, Lariviere watched them struggle to receive a quality education during the pandemic. He then discovered Mathnasium, and it felt like the perfect blend of his desire to help students and his desire to begin a new season of entrepreneurship. He said the opportunity fell into his lap through a local connection.

“I have a passion for building up kids’ confidence any way I can, whether that’s through math or something else,” said Lariviere. “I do a lot of resilience-based camps. I’d really like to see the next generation of kids be successful and confident.”

Transferable Skills from the Military to Mathnasium

Lariviere explained that one of the most valuable skills he has been able to carry from military service to business ownership is his ability to connect with and motivate people. As a Ranger, Lariviere attended the military’s top leadership training, and he explained that a major facet of success in this role is the ability to motivate people even in suboptimal circumstances.

During his military service, Lariviere led teams that were cold, wet, tired and maybe hadn’t eaten or slept in days.

“That’s been a huge value. It’s translated really well with employee training and motivating students,” he explained. 

Lariviere’s ability to connect with and understand the challenges of others in his community has been a key driver outside of his center, too. The Mathnasium leadership team has made consistent efforts to streamline processes for franchisees wherever possible, creating more free time for owners to connect with members of their community. Veterans’ ability to take advantage of this extra time and leverage “people skills” to make those connections is especially helpful in the success of their businesses.

“Mathnasium really is all about making connections — with students, parents, the community, and local schools. Having the ability to go out, meet new people and connect with them is really important,” he said. “That’s something you learn in the military because you’re always surrounded by people from different walks of life, and you have to get along. I think that’s a really good skill set that franchisees with a military background have..”

With proven systems in place, Lariviere and other veterans are able to leverage the structure provided by Mathnasium to establish a strong baseline for the business that their development plans can be built around.

As he continues to grow his business, Lariviere is developing partnerships with community organizations and working to create even more opportunities for local students to learn, grow and build confidence. He relies on his knowledge of the community and the expertise he has developed around Mathnasium to make dynamic decisions that support both his own growth and that of the community during this pivotal time for the education industry.

“Colin Powell said that you want to make sure you don’t wait until you have 100% of the information to make a decision. You don’t want to do it when you have just 30% of the information, but once you have about 70% of the information, you should trust your gut and fall back on your expertise,” explained Lariviere. “I think that’s a good skill set that the military provides and can be applied to business ownership. You have to know how to make the decision when it matters — before the time has passed.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit 1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info