A Day in the Life of a Sylvan Learning Franchisee

No day is the same as the last for franchise owners with Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of personalized supplemental and enrichment education for students in grades K–12. But as each franchisee strives to fulfill the unique learning needs of students in their communities, they are guaranteed to make an impact every day. 

Brandi Rhodes, a Sylvan owner since May 2021 in Fort Mill, South Carolina, says her work with the brand has led to “life-changing experiences” not only for students, but for her and her family as well.

Most mornings for Rhodes start with emails and getting organized for the day. A parent herself, Rhodes also has to prepare her son for daycare and her daughter for school, one of many personal tasks she says her work with Sylvan offers the flexibility to accommodate.

“Once my mornings are squared away, the scheduling is done and I’ve followed up with any requests, I like to head over to my Sylvan center location and get ready and set up for the lessons,” explained Rhodes. “I essentially wear three hats in my role as a Sylvan franchisee: director of education, center director and enrollment coordinator. The day is ever-changing, and the momentum keeps me motivated and excited.”

Rhodes doesn’t run her business alone. Her mother helps with accounting, and Rhodes’s husband helps with marketing. Rhodes says she and her husband frequently attend festivals and community gatherings around their market to advocate for the importance of supplemental education and get the word out about their Sylvan.

Rhodes’ Fort Mill Sylvan opened at the height of the pandemic, and she says she knew both the importance and challenges of mitigating learning loss from school closures. So she started setting goals. In her first year, Rhodes aimed to have at least 50 students enrolled by the end of the year. She surpassed that goal handily. 

“I thought that was a huge goal, but I made it,” stated Rhodes. “This year, I'm setting another goal — even larger — to have 80 students by July 1 of 2022. I know parents want their children to do well, and this Sylvan center is here to make that happen.” 

One of Rhodes’ proudest case studies is a student who had consistently been turned away by other tutoring services due to his extensive learning needs. Rhodes says she was up to the challenge, thanks to the resources afforded by Sylvan Learning.

“He came in, did his test and was the most enjoyable child,” said Rhodes. “This child went from not knowing how to spell his name to now being ahead of the class. The child’s parents send me videos of the student reading and the progress they make every day, and that’s the day-to-day gratification from this career with Sylvan I love.”  

Down the road, Rhodes says she’d love to open multiple centers, and her first point of expansion will be a satellite location while she continues to focus on the success of the brick-and-mortar Fort Mill Sylvan center. 

“I'm excited to see the continued success of Sylvan centers across the country this year — it’s an exciting time to be in the education industry,” said Rhodes. “As a parent, I love bringing my daughter to lessons and seeing her grow up with Sylvan and learn how to thrive in the classroom. It truly makes an impact on a child’s learning success at all ages and learning levels.” 

To learn more about franchising with Sylvan, visit www.sylvanfranchise.com.