Tutor Doctor reflects on ‘turbulent’ education sector at conference

Global tutor franchise, Tutor Doctor, reflected on the turbulence of education with its three-day annual conference in Toronto, Canada.

Attended by more than 100 franchisees from across six continents, the conference recognised the network’s achievements as well as share ideas for the future of the rapidly changing education landscape. 

The in-person conference, named Dream, Believe, Achieve, centred around three primary themes: deepening human to human, embracing future opportunities, and empowering franchisee health and profitability.

The forum also hosted several roundtable discussions and breakout sessions covering topics from AI/Chat GPT to recruitment and retention of clients to lead generation and neurodiversity.

Keynote speakers included the founder of WSI and Clear Summit Group, Dan Monaghan, visionary entrepreneur leader, Tony Valle, and trained psychotherapist, Dale Curd. Also taking to the stage were Tutor Doctor UK franchisees Rob Kerrison and Piyush Gupta. 

Kerrison talked about additional business to business (B2B) opportunities for franchisees and Gupta’s session was a finance bootcamp. 

Annual global awards recognised franchisees

Tutor Doctor also held its annual awards at the conference. The shortlists were taken by some of the biggest names within the network, with the UK franchise network being nominated for almost every category. 

Although some franchisees didn’t take home an award, they were recognised for their commitment to their local communities and for the overall education industry throughout 2023. 

One UK franchisee who did win an award was husband-and-wife duo Rob and Lynne Kerrison of Tutor Doctor Cambridge & Norwich. They won the Top Producer award after delivery of 150,000 tutoring hours. The couple were also nominated for the Franchisee of the Year Award but were pipped to the post by a fellow franchisee in Canada. 

“It’s fantastic to get this recognition, and we are really proud that our business has been chosen as the leader in this field, displaying just how far we have come,” said Kerrison. 

“A fundamental driver when we started Tutor Doctor was to help children be as good as they can be, no matter what their background or upbringing. The work we do with the 50+ schools and local authorities has taken this a step further, working with the more disadvantaged students, and that has been a huge motivation for us. This is a really proud moment for us both.”

Frank Milner, Global President of Tutor Doctor, said: “This year has been incredibly successful, and I am tremendously proud of what our franchisees have achieved this year. We have a diverse network of determined and ambitious entrepreneurs who have been eager for this collaborative get-together, not solely to be acknowledged for their steadfast efforts, but also to celebrate and share ideas and thoughts among their peers. 

“From franchise network expansions to pioneering work with schools in the UK, Tutor Doctor has solidified its position at the forefront of the tutoring industry, fulfilling its mission to provide tailored, accessible support to all students in every country where we have a presence.

“Year on year, we continue to be impressed by our franchisees’ commitment, values, and the exceptional service they provide to their communities. We’re seeing tutoring becoming more relied upon to supplement mainstream education, and the ongoing impact we’re having in the UK schools and B2B market really confirms our collective mission to change the trajectory of students’ lives. 

“By affirming our collective goals and celebrating our successes, we’re now really excited to use them as a springboard to take us into 2024 and beyond.”

Tutor Doctor also placed 11th on the Elite Franchise Top 100 2024, while placing first for education franchises.