Champion Tutoring

School teacher Audrey Menard did her best every day to generate an appreciation and understanding of mathematics. But at the end of every class, she was overwhelmed by the number of students that asked her for extra help. She spent most of her spare time working with them one-on-one. There was such a strong demand for tutoring that she would have to tutor full time in order to reach them all.

Then the idea hit her: Why not create a business to meet student demand for extra assistance? But she was a teacher, not a business person. She knew about education and believed in the importance of individualized tutoring, but she didn't know the first thing about starting and managing a business. Following a friend's advice, Menard began business counseling with SCORE Counselor John MacDonald and regularly attended SCORE workshops.

At each meeting, MacDonald gave Menard homework assignments such as checking out the competition, visiting potential office space and figuring out market potential. She says that her most difficult assignment was developing a business plan: "Business plans are really tough for me—help with that was probably the most beneficial." Once the business plan was in order, Menard left the school system to open Champion Tutoring.

Champion Tutoring opened its doors with four to five tutors who offered math, English, special education and reading tutoring primarily to junior high school students. MacDonald helped Menard to market Champion Tutoring to students and parents and to recruit tutors. She used direct mailings and radio and newspaper ads, but her presentations to Charlottesville schools proved to be the most effective. She visited Charlottesville's guidance counselors, teachers and principals and presented Champion Tutoring. The schools were very receptive and soon let parents and students know where to turn for extra help.

MacDonald helped Menard transform her business idea into reality. He provided her with assistance in all aspects of developing the business, including creating a business plan, developing a marketing and sales strategy and managing cash flow. MacDonald's mentoring and Menard's diligence soon paid off. What once seemed like a far-fetched idea became a profitable business.

Champion Tutoring has grown substantially in just four years. Menard now employs around 30 tutors that offer tutoring in a full range of subjects including, math, English, reading, special education, science, social studies, GRE prep, SAT prep and foreign languages.

Students as young as kindergartners and as mature as college graduates utilize Champion Tutoring. Menard still tutors despite the business's demand on her time. Her clients say that she has a talent for recruiting excellent tutors and matching students with the right instructors. Word has traveled so quickly about the quality of Champion Tutoring that advertising is no longer necessary; nearly all clients come from referrals. Between 1996 and 1997, revenues increased by $35,000 and in the last year, profits increased by another $34,000.

Menard may already be successful, but she is not finished yet. These days she meets with her SCORE counselor every two months to address any concerns that come up and to keep the business plan on track and up to date. Her goal is to be the best tutoring service in Charlottesville and, due to popular demand, to open satellite branches throughout the Charlottesville area.

Update 2000:
Champion Tutoring is still scoring straight A's in both academic and business success. Audrey Menard and her 30 tutors work with approximately 180 students per week. The company has also launched a Study Skills Class program. "We help kids learn skills that unfortunately are not taught in schools," Menard says. "Our topics include organizing and motivating themselves for tests, studying and preparation, and tips for taking the tests. We work with four to eight kids at a time, making it our first program that doesn't involve one-on-one tutoring. It's been very well received by students and their parents."

So, too, has Champion Tutoring itself. The company's earnings grew by 15 percent in 1999, and Menard is off to a fast start in 2000. Thanks to several Internet articles, Menard and SCORE Counselor John MacDonald have received dozens of inquiries from educators across the country who are interested in starting similar programs in their communities.

Brought to you by SCORE "Counselors to America's Small Business."
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