Mathnasium

Mathnasium Franchisees Share Their Journey to Ownership

1851 Franchise

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Dena Stewart and Kouy Kolar became Mathnasium franchisees to meet Park City's educational needs, leveraging their complementary skills and passion for community impact.

How Two Mathnasium Franchisees Turned Passion for Education Into a Thriving Business in Park City, Utah

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Franchising gave the Lossing family more than a path to business ownership. With&nbsp;<a href="https://mathnasiumfranchise.com/">Mathnasium</a>, 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&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info">Mathnasium</a> 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.<h2>From One Center to a Multi-State Portfolio</h2>Prior to becoming a Mathnasium franchise owner,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-lossing-4b0415b6">Karen Lossing</a> 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&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elizabeth-libby-lossing-71a535a9">Libby</a> joined forces with her after graduating from UCLA. The two were later joined by Karen’s son,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanlossing">Evan</a>, after he graduated from Texas Tech University's Business College and her husband,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stevenlossing">Steven</a>, when he retired as the Chief Stores Officer of Petco.&nbsp;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.&nbsp;“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.”<h2>A Business That Grows With Your Family</h2>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.”<h2>Built for Scale and Structure</h2>While family alignment is critical, the Lossings are quick to point out that structure is what makes scale possible.&nbsp;“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!”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-mathnasiums-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2723400">That scalability is one of the defining advantages of the Mathnasium model</a>, 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.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/the-steps-to-becoming-a-mathnasium-learning-centers-franchisee-2729693">From training to marketing to operational systems</a>, that infrastructure allows owners to focus on growth rather than reinventing processes.<h2>A Business With Purpose and Profit</h2>While the Lossings have built a highly successful multi-unit operation, they emphasize that&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/why-math-education-franchises-are-more-important-than-ever-2727193">the emotional return is just as important as the financial one</a>.“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.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/5-reasons-to-buy-2731843">That mission-driven model</a> 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.”<h2>Creating a Lasting Legacy</h2>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.&nbsp;“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&nbsp;<a href="http://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info">1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info</a>.

Learn how the Lossing family of Karen, Steven, Libby and Evan turned a single center into a 23-unit, multi-state enterprise.

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The&nbsp;<a href="https://mathnasiumfranchise.com/">Mathnasium</a> franchise offers a powerful example of how teaching skills can translate into successful business ownership for former educators who don’t want to leave their passion for education behind.For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/derek-pipkorn-b550a523">Derek Pipkorn</a>, the journey from classroom teacher to multi-unit franchise owner wasn’t about stepping away from education. It was about expanding his impact.“I have a degree to teach between first and eighth grade, with an emphasis on math,” Pipkorn said. “I did that in public schools for around eight years, mostly doing middle school math. I was a middle school math specialist, a math coach for teachers and got to work with the district on curriculum.”While he was building a career in education, even pursuing a master’s degree in educational leadership, Pipkorn found himself considering a different path. “Even though I was a teacher for many years, I was always thinking about opening my own business,” he said.<h2>A Natural Fit Between Education and Entrepreneurship</h2>Pipkorn didn’t stumble into franchising and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info">Mathnasium</a> by chance. His interest in business had been building for years.&nbsp;“In college, my friend and I started a Christmas lighting service, for example,” he said. “For me, I looked into Mathnasium probably around four years before actually joining. I didn’t think I was quite ready yet.”That changed in 2017, when a simple moment sparked a bigger decision. “I was getting my haircut and looking around at the business and thinking about how great it would be to open a business of my own here in the community,” he said. “So I started going on a journey to explore and do my research with the [Mathnasium] brand. I loved that the business model was 100% dedicated to math. I did not look at any other franchises — it was all about Mathnasium. It was the perfect fit of my two passions — a blend of entrepreneurship and math education.”<h2>Building a Business and a Community</h2>Pipkorn opened his first center in late 2017, choosing a location that was deeply personal.“Our first location, we opened just half a block from my house — it was right in my own community,” he said. “It was really a win-win overall. I was able to lean on my connections as an educator to make connections with families. I had already started building some referrals. We officially opened in late 2017. We started very strong. A year later, I started looking into opening up center number two, which I didn’t even think would ever happen.”By 2019, he had expanded, and even amid uncertainty, opportunity followed.“COVID hit a few months after that and we had an opportunity to buy an existing center, which became our third center,” he said. “That was a turning point because that is when I started hiring center directors to run the day-to-day of the centers.”Since then, Pipkorn has continued to grow, opening additional locations in 2023 and 2024 and transitioning into a true multi-unit operator.<h2>The Power of Real Impact</h2>While growth has been a major part of Pipkorn’s journey, his motivation remains rooted in the same reason he entered education in the first place: helping students succeed.“One of the big reasons I got into this business was because I had a personal experience with an eighth-grade student I was teaching,” he said. “He was probably doing math at a third-grade level, and catching him up to get ready for high school and algebra felt impossible.”That experience changed when he&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/why-this-teacher-chose-to-open-a-mathnasium-learning-center-franchise-2724202">saw what was possible with Mathnasium’s approach</a>.“I saw it was possible with Mathnasium and the strength of the education behind the concept,” he said. “What I love most is that impact we’ve had for thousands of kids. What we do is so unique that it’s almost impossible to replicate anywhere else.”<h2>Why Teachers Have a Competitive Advantage</h2>Pipkorn believes&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/why-teachers-make-great-mathnasium-learning-centers-franchisees-2729084">his teaching background has been a major advantage</a>, especially when it comes to building trust within the community.“One thing that is good to build this business is getting in with schools, which can be tough,” he said. “But if you are a former educator, you can really talk the talk and they will see that you are genuine and are really there to help. I would absolutely recommend this business for teachers. They already have a leg up because they already have that credibility and reputation built.”However, he emphasizes that success requires more than educational experience alone.“For teachers to be successful in the business, they need to put their business hat on,” he said. “It’s more than education — it’s building a community within your center and outside your center.”Today, Pipkorn’s focus is on further scaling his impact. “The long-term goal is to grow what we have and make an even bigger impact in the community,” he said. “There are always new families moving into the area that we can be impacting. At the end of the day, it’s all about increasing our impact.”To find out more information about owning a Mathnasium franchise, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info">https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info</a>.

Former middle school math specialist Derek Pipkorn successfully leveraged his passion for math education and his teaching background to build a growing, multi-unit Mathnasium franchise business.

How Classroom Credibility Helped This Teacher Build a Multi-Unit Empire With Mathnasium Franchise Ownership

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James Temple's Journey to Mathnasium Franchise Ownership

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Why You Don’t Need a STEM or Education Background To Succeed as a Mathnasium Franchisee

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<a href="https://mathnasiumfranchise.com/">Mathnasium Learning Centers</a>, the math-only tutoring franchise, is always looking for new ways to support its students, families and franchise owners. The latest way they are doing so is through a partnership with&nbsp;<a href="https://greenlight.com/">Greenlight</a>, a family finance and safety app committed to helping families build financial confidence and security.April is Financial Literacy Month, and while&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium/info">Mathnasium</a> has always acknowledged it with a post or callout, it has never done something this formal to truly show parents the value of financial literacy and when it should start. A natural way to approach this was by teaming up with Greenlight.&nbsp;“Greenlight is already teaching them these financial literacy lessons through their app, where people can set chores and other tasks,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christina-elsaden/">Christina El-Saden</a>, Mathnasium senior director of marketing. “There's a lot of synergy with our brands. We teach a lot of foundational math and we're helping them build tools that are going to serve them not just in school, but beyond.”Throughout April, Mathnasium has been incorporating financial literacy into its programming with weekly themed problems, co-branded worksheets with Greenlight, and age-specific materials to ensure students are learning at the appropriate level.&nbsp;Instead of treating financial literacy as a separate lesson, the partnership brings it into familiar moments. A grocery store choice, a toy a child wants or an activity they are saving for can all become ways to connect money decisions back to math.It is anchored by a Financial Literacy Power Hour event, where individual locations host a one-hour experience for elementary school students. During the event, students rotate through different stations, watch a video from Greenlight and learn about budgeting, earning and saving in a way that feels engaging and fun.<h2>Supporting Franchisees With Integration</h2>Mathnasium provided franchisees with a range of resources and tools to help them integrate the program effectively. These included webinars and instructional videos, particularly for the Financial Literacy Power Hour event, where each location was supported by a video clearly outlining how to run the activity. Franchisees also received creative assets such as posters and in-center materials like binder billboards, along with email templates and a dedicated sweepstakes component.“Our field team is making sure that franchises feel supported,” El-Saden said. “They have one-sheeters and quick calendars with icons that show what activity sheet they should be passing out, what their ‘problem of the week' is for this week. We wanted to make it really easy and digestible.”It was important that, as a franchise, initiatives did not go so far outside the core model that they impact operations. This effort is designed to enhance what is already in place, not disrupt it.&nbsp;<h2>How Partnerships Benefit Franchisees</h2>The campaign fits into Mathnasium’s broader strategy to help franchise owners create in-center experiences. Partnerships like this play a key role in driving discoverability, building brand awareness and providing customers with something unique.&nbsp;“We're always looking for different ways to help our franchises and to give added perks to our Mathnasium families,” El-Saden said. “Yes, our biggest success is whether a student is making progress, but there are also different things that we want to have so that as a Mathnasium family, you're getting access to different events, brands and tools that are going to help your student.”&nbsp;The Greenlight partnership provides franchisees with new curriculum and new ways to reach potential customers. Partnerships give franchisees opportunities to tap into new audiences and, in this case, allow Mathnasium to leverage Greenlight’s curriculum and tools to enhance the overall program. By combining strengths, the partnership delivers added value that extends beyond what either brand could offer on its own.As a brick-and-mortar franchise, partnerships also serve as a major business driver by helping bridge the gap between national marketing efforts and local, market-by-market engagement.“We're doing marketing nationally, but we really want to go regionally and market by market, and have these types of really rich opportunities and using partners to do that creates these really great marketing moments that we wouldn't have otherwise,” El-Saden said.&nbsp;<h2>Response From Families and Plans for the Future</h2>The response so far has been very positive from both students and families. At a Financial Literacy Power Hour event at the Westwood location in Los Angeles, El-Saden said parents shared that experiences like this are a key reason they chose Mathnasium, highlighting the value of access to unique events that go beyond what competitors or private tutors typically offer.“Students have really loved it too,” El-Saden said. “They get excited to answer that problem, to get that activity sheet, they're bringing it back to Mathnasium to get extra reward points. So it's fun for them, but it's also really educational.”Mathnasium hopes this will become an annual partnership and, as it continues to look ahead, the brand sees partnerships like this as a long-term strategy for growth and franchisee support.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium">https://1851franchise.com/mathnasium</a>.&nbsp;

image of mathnasium franchise national partnership with Greenlight 

By combining financial literacy education with real-world application, Mathnasium is equipping franchisees with new tools, experiences and ways to engage families.

How Mathnasium Supports Franchisees Through a National Partnership With Greenlight

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How Two Mathnasium Franchisees Turned Passion for Education Into a Thriving Business in Park City, Utah

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