Sylvan Learning’s Pasadena Center Celebrates Five Years of Growth and Resilience

When Todd Crabtree opened his Sylvan Learning center in Pasadena in February 2020, he had no way of knowing that just six weeks later, the COVID-19 pandemic would shut down businesses nationwide. What was meant to be a promising expansion quickly turned into a battle for survival as schools closed, students transitioned to remote learning, and parents scrambled to adjust.

Despite these challenges, Crabtree and his team adapted. They found ways to continue serving students and even expanded their efforts by working with local school districts. “Pasadena became a key location for our contract business,” he said. “For the past three years, we’ve had a strong partnership with Pasadena Unified School District, providing services to thousands of students. The demand for our contract services became so great that we had to separate that division from our retail business. Now, Pasadena is growing into a fully mature center, and it just had its best Black Friday in November 2024.”

Today, five years later, the Pasadena center is thriving. It has become a vital part of the local education landscape, offering tutoring services not just at the learning center but also across multiple campuses. With its growth, the business has expanded beyond Pasadena, working with students in neighboring Temple City and Glendale. The journey from a challenging launch to sustained success underscores Crabtree’s commitment to education and the resilience that has defined his career in franchising.

1851 Franchise recently sat down with Crabtree to talk about the 5th anniversary of his Pasadena center, his entrepreneurial journey with Sylvan Learning and why franchising is a good fit for military veterans. Here’s what he had to say.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Todd Crabtree: After college in 1996, one of my first jobs was as a part-time SAT tutor. That led me to seek full-time employment in the industry, and in 1998, I was hired by SCORE Educational Centers. I worked there for eight years, starting on the ground floor running learning centers and eventually moving up to regional directorship. By 2005, things weren’t going well at SCORE, so I started looking for opportunities to transition.

I stumbled upon franchising, which is always a big step when moving from being an employee to an owner. After eight years in the industry and gaining confidence in running learning centers, I felt Sylvan Learning was the best choice. As a Marine Corps veteran, I was able to access special financing, which made the SBA process easier. In late 2005, I went through Sylvan’s vetting process, and by early 2006, I was approved to purchase a franchise. I signed my license in January or February and opened a brand-new center in West Covina, California, later that year as an owner-operator.

Within a couple of years, I got to know many Sylvan franchisees in Los Angeles. Milton and Norma Schrader, who owned centers in South LA, asked if I’d be interested in taking over their locations, which launched me into multi-unit franchising.

1851: Your Pasadena center is celebrating its 5th anniversary, but you’ve been working with Sylvan Learning for much longer than that. Can you tell us how that partnership came about?

Crabtree: I opened my first Sylvan Learning center in West Covina in 2006. I had a fantastic opening, followed by a strong 2007 and 2008. Then the financial recession hit, which was a huge disruptor. I had positioned my business to become a state-approved provider for No Child Left Behind, allowing us to secure school contracts. While many learning centers across brands were closing, we were thriving and that allowed me to acquire additional centers.

I took over the Gardena location in 2008, then added Torrance in 2012. In 2014, I had the opportunity to acquire the San Marino territory, which had a long-standing Sylvan center. In 2016, I took over a distressed franchise in Westlake Village, and in 2019, another struggling location in Tarzana.

By 2020, my San Marino location was growing rapidly. My center director suggested opening another location nearby, which led to the Pasadena center opening in February 2020, just six weeks before the pandemic hit. Despite the timing, we navigated the challenges and continued to expand, taking over Glendale and Burbank territories during and after the pandemic.

1851: What are some of the things you’ve achieved with your Pasadena center over the last five years?

Crabtree: Opening Pasadena just before the pandemic was a challenge. We had a great grand opening, then had to shut down six weeks later. In many ways, even though we’ve been open for five years, it still feels like we’re only two years in.

Pasadena became a key location for our contract business. For the past three years, we’ve had a strong partnership with Pasadena Unified School District, providing services to thousands of students. The demand for our contract services became so great that we had to separate that division from our retail business. Now, Pasadena is growing into a fully mature center, and it just had its best Black Friday in November 2024.

1851: What does the future hold regarding Sylvan Learning? Any exciting developments on the horizon? Any plans for further expansion?

Crabtree: We’ve already expanded significantly, acquiring three more territories that we still need to develop. The pandemic underscored the importance of personal learning connections. AI may improve curriculum, but it won’t replace the need for direct teacher-student relationships. Many students struggled with remote learning, reinforcing the need for in-person education.

We’re also seeing a shift in how tutoring is delivered. Anticipating post-pandemic federal funding for education, we’ve built a dedicated contract division that now represents half of our business. With 12 territories, we have a vast network of schools and districts to work with, ensuring long-term growth.

1851: Can you describe some of the ways that you’ve helped students in the Pasadena area? Any success stories you’d like to share?

Crabtree: Between 2022 and 2024, we provided educational services to about 600 students from Pasadena Unified School District and the greater Pasadena area. We offered Sylvan services both in our learning center on Lake and California and across 12 different campuses and locations throughout Pasadena. Beyond Pasadena, we served 60 students across six campuses in neighboring Temple City and supported over 100 students across six Glendale Unified campuses during the pandemic.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Crabtree: Get into franchising because you want to work in the business and enjoy it. The most successful Sylvan franchisees I know have all been involved in the day-to-day operations. They’ve worked as directors, know how to enroll students, and understand the business inside and out.

If you want to be a passive investor, you need a strong partner who will be in the business every day. In industries like education, senior care and other service-based franchises, you need a passion for the work. Unlike restaurant groups that buy 20 locations and hire an executive team, smaller-scale franchise owners need to be engaged to succeed.

1851: What’s one thing about your story that you want everyone to know?

Crabtree: I served in the Marine Corps for four years active duty, then continued as a reservist through most of my time at SCORE. I left the service in 2001. I’d love to see more veterans get into franchising. The skills you gain in the military — discipline, leadership and adaptability — translate well into business ownership. My message to veterans is simple: Your military experience prepares you for franchising more than you might expect. Go for it.

ABOUT SYLVAN LEARNING

With more than 45 years of experience and more than 710 points of presence, Sylvan Learning is the leading provider of personal learning for students in grades K-12. Sylvan is transforming how students learn, inspiring them to succeed in school and in life. Sylvan’s proven tutoring approach blends amazing teachers with SylvanSync™ technology on the iPad® for an engaging learning experience. Sylvan also leads the way with Sylvan EDGE — STEM and accelerated courses and Sylvan Prep — college and test prep courses. Sylvan supports families through every stage of the academic journey.  For more information, visit www.SylvanLearning.com.

ABOUT UNLEASHED BRANDS

Unleashed Brands currently includes portfolio brands Urban Air, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts and Sylvan Learning and was founded to curate and grow a portfolio of the most innovative and profitable brands that help kids learn, play and grow. Over the last 10 years, the team at Unleashed Brands has built a proven platform and know-how for scaling businesses focused on serving families. Its mission is to impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging and inspiring experiences that help them become who they are destined to be. For more information, please visit www.unleashedbrands.com.