Tejal Mali, a mother of two and a business owner, proves that you can have the best of both worlds. After having her second child, Tejal began to look for new career opportunities. She spent 6 years as a teacher and loved her job but was seeking more flexibility so she could raise her children.

With a background in education, Tejal found that Tutor Doctor was a perfect match. Not only could she operate her business from home, but she could continue helping students reach their academic goals. After 10 years as a Tutor Doctor franchisee, Tejal says she couldn’t be happier with her decision. See what else Tejal has to say about her experience owning a tutoring franchise.

Tutor Doctor: Tell us how you came to be a Tutor Doctor franchisee. What drew you to the franchise?

Tejal Mali: Prior to Tutor Doctor, I was a teacher teaching primarily elementary aged children. I taught for about 6 years, and along the way I had two daughters that are 18 months apart. During my second maternity leave, I started looking for new opportunities. I wanted to have a career but maintain the balance and flexibility I needed in my schedule to be a mom.

I had no intention of being a business owner, however when I came across the Tutor Doctor opportunity, I felt it would be a perfect fit. After researching the franchise, I felt being a Tutor Doctor franchisee would allow me to grow a business and work from home, while also providing the flexibility to make my own hours and be able to raise my kids.

TD: Are those still factors that motivate you today?

TM: I’m still motivated in the same ways 10 years later as I love what I do. It’s the best feeling when I receive feedback from a family who say their child has excelled in a class that they had challenges in, when they tell me their child is much more confident, or that they look forward to seeing their tutor. These positive stories make this franchise so rewarding.

TD: We know that owning a business comes with tough days as well. What are some challenges you’ve faced as a tutoring franchise owner?

TM: There have been challenges along the way, but they have been a great learning experience for me. Most recently, COVID-19 was a big challenge, as we couldn’t do in-home tutoring. We had to pivot quickly so we could still provide tutoring to our clients. We began doing virtual sessions, and over the last year we have had a lot of positive responses to this change. Through this challenging time, the corporate office helped us migrate to an online platform to ensure we could still accommodate our client’s needs.

TD: Speaking of online platforms, can you tell us more about how you use technology at your business?

TM: Technology is a huge part of our day-to-day life as a franchisee. Our CRM system (BANG) is crucial and helps us manage our tutors and clients, as well as keep track of our business reports. Over the last year, with the shift to virtual tutoring, technology has been a life saver as we were able to conduct tutoring sessions for our clients in a safe manner.

TD: Tutor Doctor puts a lot of effort into creating a values-driven culture. How do you think you reflect our values and spirit?

TM: I feel I embody Tutor Doctor’s values and spirit because I’m always motivated to do my best for my clients and tutors. I’m there to listen to their needs and support them by creating a plan to help the student achieve their academic goals.

TD: What are some other qualities you think are necessary to becoming a successful tutoring franchise owner?
TM: A successful franchisee needs to be adaptable to the Tutor Doctor model and process, self-motivated and able to multitask. Being a Tutor Doctor franchisee means you are driven to work hard to support your clients and tutors in a professional manner.

TD: This is one of our favorite questions to ask seasoned franchisees like yourself. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a prospective Tutor Doctor franchisee?

TM: To anyone looking for a change or a new opportunity, I’d say to go for it and trust the Tutor Doctor model! The startup is easy, it’s a low-cost franchise, and you can have the flexibility to make your own hours as well as feel good about making difference in your community.

Thanks for taking the time to speak with us, Tejal! We can’t wait to see what you accomplish in the next 10 years.

To learn how you can start a tutoring franchise of your own, reach out to our team. We’re prepared to answer all your questions and provide you with more information.