Tutor Doctor continues expansion across the British Isles

With the help of the in-home and online tutoring company, more students across the UK will be presented with the chance to enhance their learning going into 2022, as the franchise welcomes three new territories

Tutor Doctor has continued to attract a diversity of entrepreneurs, education experts and businesspeople to its network throughout 2021, demonstrating that, especially in difficult times, there is a need to deliver supplementary learning. One such franchisee preparing to provide students with this is John Sykes of Tutor Doctor Belfast-South and Northern Ireland. The first franchisee in Northern Ireland, John saw the devastating impact the pandemic had on students during the first lockdown. It quickly became apparent that many schools were unequipped for such circumstances, leaving students without a consistent, quality education.

John has worked as a tutor for 11 years since coming out of retirement from a career in insurance management and quickly saw the chance to provide more children with personalised education as they catch up on what they have missed.

He said: “I’m very excited to join Tutor Doctor in their ongoing mission to deliver high-quality education and changing the trajectory of students’ lives. It is this mission that initially attracted me to Tutor Doctor, as I could see what the learning situation was in Northern Ireland and the UK. I could see from as far back as 2019, just before COVID became serious, that students were missing out on quality education. Some schools were brilliant with the online setup, but it was evident that there was also going to be a huge gap. These kids have got two years of learning to catch up on – and that’s where Tutor Doctor’s expert intervention comes in to successfully change this trajectory. We provide one-to-one education, and don’t concentrate on the general curriculum, but find out where the specific work needs to be addressed.

“Aside from the educational side, the setup of the whole franchise is very good. By being allocated with a personal business manager from head office, the ongoing support is excellent. And that helps, especially because there is so much valuable information you pick up throughout the learning process that you have to apply to ensure your business is successful.”

As well as John, Tutor Doctor has also welcomed another franchisee to its London network. Mahek Ganatra has combined his skill set in modern tutoring with his father, Vinay, who has over 30 years of business experience, to be opening Tutor Doctor Clapham, Camberwell and East Dulwich. While initially being unsure over franchising, Tutor Doctor’s proven business model and strong presence in the London area demonstrated to the pair that this was the right choice.

As a recent graduate of economics and having tutored throughout his time as a student, Mahek is excited to be joining Tutor Doctor at a time of high demand: “Tutor Doctor’s model and network really showed us that it is a trusted, reliable brand. And people rely on those things, especially when it comes to educational services. We want to use the building blocks that Tutor Doctor provides, as well as continue to market ourselves so we can become a leading provider. We were the last territories to be bought in London - it made sense to tap into the network around us for advice while also using the skills of my dad’s business portfolio.

“The support has been great. Because of the pandemic, it has taken us over a year to set up our franchise business. Tutor Doctor has been very supportive. The head office team has been brilliant in bridging communication gaps, and by remaining present throughout the process, we have had the opportunity to use our entrepreneurial abilities to make this our own.”

The third franchisee to be joining Tutor Doctor’s network is Jeff Isaacson of Tutor Doctor Canterbury. Jeff joins Tutor Doctor bringing with him nearly 30 years of experience as a marketing professional. He decided that Tutor Doctor was the ideal business to invest in as he ventures on his own personal mission of giving back in a meaningful way.

“Once I decided that the education industry was the perfect way for me to embark on my personal mission of improving the lives of others, I felt a connection to Tutor Doctor and their values. This, combined with my own experience in business, align perfectly. Apart from being a proven business model, what attracted me the most about this franchise was the idea that while you are in business for yourself, you are not by yourself. Retaining an element of freedom yet still having ready access to support that is so necessary for establishing a new business, was key to me as I couldn’t see myself operating in a box. With the intense training period now over, and with my head brimming with knowledge and ideas, I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my Tutor Doctor story,” said Jeff.

Image: Mahek Ganatra and Vinay Ganatra of Tutor Doctor Clapham, Camberwell and East Dulwich