It’s hard to believe that today marks a decade since I first started Tri-Ed Tutoring!
Thinking back to the year I started Tri-Ed Tutoring, 2006, feels like a lifetime ago. I had just finished my Masters in Teaching and was deciding what to do with the rest of my life. I had applied to a few school districts to be a teacher but I had been tutoring for five years throughout college and really loved connecting with students one-to-one more than being in a classroom setting.
I remember sitting at the pool that summer with friends and saying I was going to just start a tutoring company myself. I’m fairly certain they didn’t believe me and I only half believed it myself. But, by September of that year, I had my business license and was up and running.
Every month or so after starting, a friend would ask how many students we were helping. About three months after starting, I remember being so excited to report that we were officially working with 7 students! It’s hard to believe that, ten years later if that same friend asked, we can now say that we have helped over 900 students.
People often ask what made me start a business. I jokingly say “youthful arrogance” and truth is often spoken in jest. At the time, I had been working for other tutoring companies and I was convinced that I could do it better—more personalized attention, better system for matching the “right” tutor with the “right” student”, more support for the tutors, and more comprehensive SAT/ACT programs.
My dad was also a large motivating factor as he always encouraged me to be my own boss. I was anxious about starting a business with no business experience and no financial backing but he mentioned that it would be much harder to take the risk after settling into a career and becoming accustomed to making a certain salary. As was often the case, he was right. So I took the leap and poured my time and energy into Tri-Ed. I read as many business books as I could get my hands on and worked on perfecting the craft of tutoring.
As I’m spending some time today reflecting on the last ten years, I’ve been re-reading the thank-you letters we’ve received from parents and students. Over the years, there have been days when my confidence has waned and I’m not sure if I chose the right path. It’s always in these moments that I receive a phone call or letter from a happy parent that reminds me that what we are doing matters. There is a common theme that runs through these letters—our students have a newfound confidence that will last well beyond the days of working with a tutor.
I have the privilege of being on the receiving end of these “thank-you’s” but today I want to sincerely thank all of you for being a part of Tri-Ed Tutoring. I have had the pleasure of working with some amazing tutors, students, parents, schools, and business partners. Ten years of Tri-Ed would not be possible without you!
Throughout the next few months, I’ll be sharing some of my favorite moments and lessons learned throughout the last decade. The 10-year anniversary seems like it deserves more than one day so be on the lookout for ways that we’ll be celebrating this school year!