When I started Success Tutoring, my vision wasn’t just to improve academic outcomes for students, it was to create a thriving ecosystem where franchisees, students, families and team members all win together. I’ve learned firsthand that high-performing franchises aren’t built by chance. They’re built by leaders who are willing to show up, take action and lead from the front.
We often talk about leadership in abstract terms: vision, influence and innovation. These are important, but in my experience, they only come to life when leadership becomes actionable.
That means doing the hard things consistently. It means making decisions that aren’t always popular but are in the best long-term interest of the network. It means being there not just as a figurehead but also as a coach, a sounding board and sometimes a firefighter when things get tough.
In every franchise business, franchisees are people who are both entrepreneurial and independent. They want to grow a business and a future with freedom to succeed, supported by the structure, systems, brand power and proactive efforts of the group.
Actionable leadership involves partnering with these people to help them thrive while also building an enduring brand underpinned by a clear ethos and ethical culture.
Lead with intent, not ego
One of the first principles I embedded into Success Tutoring was humility in leadership. Just because you’re the founder doesn’t mean you’re always right. Some of the best insights I’ve gained have come from young franchisees who saw things differently.
One of the first principles I embedded into Success Tutoring was humility in leadership.
Listening actively and adapting quickly has helped us stay nimble and scalable in a fast-changing market. I also surround myself with clever people who know their industry and craft. I am humbled by their impact and advice. Their guidance helps me, the business and the brand as a whole to thrive.
Create systems, but build people first
Franchising lives and dies by the strength of its systems, but people power the systems. That’s why we’ve built not just operational playbooks but a performance culture that empowers each franchisee to be their best, too. Every system we create, from lead generation to lesson planning, is designed with our people in mind. If it doesn’t make their lives easier or their businesses stronger, we rethink it.
Coach relentlessly
I’ve made it a rule to personally mentor as many of our franchisees as possible. Why? Because scalable leadership requires duplication, not delegation. When you coach someone well, you multiply your impact. I treat our network like a team of high-potential leaders, not just business operators. We focus on mindset, discipline, communication and self-belief as much as sales and performance metrics.
Get in the trenches
One of the most powerful ways to earn trust and build credibility is to work shoulder to shoulder with your team. I don’t lead from a boardroom. I spend time in our centers with our franchisees. I take calls. I listen to concerns. I help run sessions.
When your team sees that you’re not above the work, they know you’re real. They know you understand what they’re dealing with because you’re living it with them.
We’re in this to build something meaningful and that means keeping our standards and values high.
That shared experience builds loyalty and drives performance far more effectively than top-down directives ever could. It also keeps you grounded in what really matters: the people and the students.
Franchisees need to know you are invested and immersion shows this better than anything else.
Prioritize emotional intelligence
As your business grows, your emotional intelligence becomes one of your most valuable tools. Reading the room, managing your own reactions, knowing when to push and when to pause – these are the skills that keep a network of franchises healthy and relationships strong.
Being emotionally intelligent doesn’t mean being soft. It means being self-aware. It means understanding that every conversation has layers and that people perform best when they feel seen, heard and respected. At Success Tutoring, we don’t just teach leadership. We model empathy, resilience and emotional maturity as part of our franchise culture.
Build for today, but think 10 years ahead
Franchise businesses can become bloated or outdated quickly if you’re reactive. I spend a lot of time thinking about what education will look like in 10 years and then I work backward.
From key partnerships to flexible microlearning modules, we’re constantly futureproofing our offer to stay ahead of both market trends and customer expectations.
Our franchisees know they’re building a business model that’s relevant now and resilient tomorrow.
Our franchisees know they’re building a business model that’s relevant now and resilient tomorrow.
Protect the culture
One of the biggest threats to a fast-growing franchise is cultural dilution. I guard our culture like it’s our most valuable asset because it is. We attract franchisees who care about community, education and long-term impact. We’re not interested in transactional partnerships. We’re in this to build something meaningful and that means keeping our standards and values high.
Success Tutoring is now one of the fastest-growing tutoring franchise networks in the country, with ambitious global expansion underway. But it’s not the numbers that matter most to me; it’s the lives we’re changing through education and entrepreneurship.
If I had to sum up what actionable leadership looks like in a franchise business, it’s this: Be real. Be present. Build others and never ask someone to do something you wouldn’t be willing to do yourself. That’s how you create momentum that lasts and a franchise business that actually matters.
