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Sylvan Learning Senior Vice President of Finance, Jacob Jones, gave 1851franchise.com the scoop on the costs associated with opening a franchised center and what sets Sylvan apart from the tutoring industry competition – both for franchisees and for customers.

“What sets Sylvan apart is the variety and flexibility we offer to prospective franchisees,” he said. “As a Sylvan franchise, you can offer reading, writing, math, study skills, and more. You have STEM products called Sylvan EDGE. You can do robotics. You can do engineering. You have college test prep for the SAT and ACT. You don’t get all of those programs from our competitors. You can be the one-stop educational resource for any student, whether they need tutoring or enrichment.”

The startup costs for a Sylvan location range from $98,087- $199,582. Potential franchisees must have a minimum liquidity of $75,000 and a minimum net worth of $150,000.

There are two main factors that affect the startup cost of a Sylvan location. One is the type of license the franchisee purchases. There are three different licenses to choose from: a Core License, which is the main Sylvan product offerings including a protected territory; a STEM “Edge” License that includes Coding, Robotics, Engineering, Science and Math; and an “Ace it!” License, providing franchisees with the tools they need to offer institutional or contract services to local schools.

The other factor is the overall build-out cost. Jones noted the franchise location can have a direct impact on building costs. “The regions can definitely affect this range,” Jones said. “Sometimes it’s a bit easier to build out locations in Middle America-type areas, but if you build out a center in New York or California, those can be more expensive. Luckily, Sylvan Learning can offer support to all franchisees in securing their real estate options.”

As a mission-driven company, Sylvan Learning is an infinitely rewarding business. Every day, Sylvan owners and staff watch children achieve their goals through newfound confidence, knowledge and skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives.

And to top it all off, Sylvan Learning offers a proven, lucrative business model to franchisees.

With more than 750 retail locations worldwide, more than 5,000 school relationships and 40 years of proven results, Sylvan Learning is undergoing rapid expansion across the United States, Canada and international markets with dozens of new territories in the pipeline.

Now is clearly a great time to invest, but—how much can you make?

Sylvan Learning is a transparent company in communicating its financials and offering an opportunity as rewarding financially as it is emotionally. Of the 85 territories in this group, 30 territories, or 35% of this group, met or exceeded the group’s average gross revenue of $842,462.

For the last 40 years, premier supplemental and enrichment education franchise Sylvan Learning has been paving the way for student success thanks to technology-driven classroom innovation, proven ACT/SAT test prep curricula, in-demand STEM courses and more. The brand has come by its industry-leader status honestly—just look at Sylvan’s proven results and student success stories. That said, it’s not only a brand’s offering or model that drive success; it’s the people. When it comes to Sylvan Learning, the brand’s caliber of franchisee is second to none.

So just what does it take to own a Sylvan Learning center? Read on to find out.

1. Community Involvement

“Sylvan owners need to demonstrate sufficient experience in building community,” said John McAuliffe, CEO. “Ideally, our owners identify as community leaders and are connected to different organizations and groups in the community. They need to be someone who knows what’s important to the families in their community.”

Multi-unit franchisee Marissa Roh, who owns three Sylvan Learning centers in Nebraska, agreed.

“Sylvan is a mission-focused business; you have to embody the commitment to community at the heart of Sylvan Learning to be a successful owner,” said Roh.

Next in the recipe for ownership success? Business acumen.

2. Business Acumen

According to McAuliffe, possessing a degree of business knowledge and theory absolutely empowers Sylvan owners. However, just because a prospective owner doesn’t have the most developed acumen doesn’t preclude them from ownership.

“We often have franchise partner groups who buy a franchise together,” emphasized McAuliffe. “It’s rare to find someone who possesses every single skill [on our list of what we desire], but you might have a business partner who has an education background and another who is the financial backer, for example. As long as one partner has that business acumen, that’s what we look for.”

But knowledge is only part of the professional puzzle; as the old truism goes, experience is the best teacher.

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