Elderly Belfast resident joins leading education franchise and vows ‘to change the trajectory of students’ lives.’
At the age of 71 John Sykes has taken on a Tutor Doctor territory in south Belfast. Following 11 years as a tutor, John has now decided to become a business owner, having previously enjoyed a long and successful career in insurance management. John says he is keen to help children with their personalised education, so they can: “catch-up on what they have missed, because of lockdowns and the pandemic.”
He explains: “I’m very excited to join Tutor Doctor in their ongoing mission to deliver high-quality education. I want to change the trajectory of students’ lives. It was this mission that initially attracted me to Tutor Doctor, as I could see what was happening in Northern Ireland, as well as the UK.
“I could see from as far back as 2019, just before Covid became serious, that students were missing out on quality education. Some schools were brilliant using online technology, but it was evident that there was also going to be a huge gap. Many schools were unequipped, leaving students without a consistent and quality education. Most children have got two years of learning to catch-up on and that’s where Tutor Doctor‘s expertise dovetails perfectly with my plans and ambitions.
“We provide one-to-one education, and don’t concentrate on the general curriculum, because we find out where the specific work needs to be addressed. Aside the educational part of the business, the whole franchise set-up is very good. By being allocated a personal business manager from head office, this illustrates that the ongoing support is excellent. And that helps, especially because there is so much valuable information you pick up during the learning process.”
Because of the pandemic, many opportunities have arisen within education and Tutor Doctor has been at the forefront of both in-home and online tutoring. The company has attracted a diversity of entrepreneurs, education experts and businesspeople to its network and, as we approach 2022, Tutor Doctor has recently unveiled three new franchisees.
In addition to John Sykes from Belfast, Mahek Ganatra from south London has taken on three of Tutor Doctor’s territories covering Clapham, Camberwell and East Dulwich. Mahek will enjoy the benefit of his father Vinay’s 30 years of business experience, and he is delighted to have purchased the last available territories in the capital.
As a recent graduate of economics, and having tutored during his time as a student, Mahek said: “Tutor Doctor‘s model and network has shown us that it’s a trusted, reliable brand. People rely on those things, especially when it comes to educational services. We want to use the building blocks that Tutor Doctor provides to become a leading provider in this sector. These were the last territories to be bought in London, and it made sense to tap into the network around us for advice. I’ve also made a point of using the skills and knowledge acquired by my dad who has a strong business portfolio.
“Because of the pandemic, it has taken us more than a year to set up our franchise business. Tutor Doctor has been very supportive. The head office team has been brilliant in bridging communication gaps, and we’ve also had the opportunity to use our entrepreneurial abilities to make this business our own.”
The third franchisee to join the network is Jeff Isaacson from Canterbury. Jeff brings with him nearly three decades of experience as a marketing professional. He decided that Tutor Doctor was the ideal business to invest in, saying: “Once I was satisfied that the education industry was the perfect way for me to embark on my mission of improving lives of others, I felt a real connection to Tutor Doctor and their values. Apart from its proven business model, what attracted me the most about this franchise was the idea that you are part of a network, despite owning an independent business.
“You enjoy an element of freedom, yet still have access to a support structure which is essential when establishing your business. With the intense training period now over, and with my head brimming with knowledge and ideas, I’m looking forward to the next chapter in my Tutor Doctor story.”
During the past 12 months, Tutor Doctor has added 58 new franchisees globally, covering 80 individual units. Their 700-plus franchisees have backgrounds that span education to business, with the company recently opening its first territory in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
