The Science Behind These Franchisees’ Success with STEM Education

The Science Behind These Franchisees' Success with STEM Education

Married couple Mistie and Scott Wisniewski entered into franchising when Mistie retired from the army after 22 years. With the help of their children, the couple decided to enter into a science-based company, so they picked Nutty Scientists — an organization that provides educational, hands-on programs related to STEM for kids between the ages 3 and 16. Then, their local Small Business Association assisted in preparing them for entrepreneurship. Now they are once again surrounded by a team of people working to make their branch of Nutty Scientists fun and growing.  Read on to see what they’ve learned so far as they work to educate children.

Name: Mistie and Scott Wisniewski

Franchise owned: Nutty Scientists of Northern Kentucky

How long have you owned a franchise? Over 2 years

Why franchising?
We knew we wanted to start a business, and we found in our research there was a high chance of success when purchasing a proven franchise. Being a part of a franchise means being a part of a team vs. being alone with no support. The Nutty Scientists team has been incredibly helpful with some key components, like reduced marketing costs, stronger purchasing power and establishing a customer base and sharing ideas, among other things.

What were you doing before you became a franchise owner?

Mistie was a warrant officer in the Army, retired after 22 years of service.  We purchased the Nutty Scientists franchise just a few days after she officially retired. Scott is a sales engineer for a Fortune 50 company.

Why did you choose this particular franchise?   
We researched several science enrichment companies in the market and choose Nutty Scientists, because we found it to be the best value. The initial investment compared to the reward was very reasonable. We were also excited about the methodology, the number of programs available from Nutty Scientists and the ability to contribute to the expansion of additional programs.

How much would you estimate you spent before you were officially open for business?
$25,000 franchise startup fees
$5,500 franchise training and hiring
$7,000 startup materials, insurance, advertising, marketing and other supplies.

Where did you get most of your advice/do most of your research?
Small Business Association (SBA) of Kentucky has been a great help. They were fantastic to work with and helped us put together a solid business plan, which helped us prepare for the unexpected and be realistic in our expectations. This resource is available in all states, and they offer training classes, help conduct market research and predict the vitality of the franchise in your area.

What were the most unexpected challenges of opening your franchise?

Hiring was a major challenge, as we were looking for highly-qualified candidates.  However, once we got the word out, we found the right team. We have a remarkable team that believes in what we are doing and that absolutely makes a difference in our service and brand.

What advice do you have for individuals who want to own their own franchise?
Do your market research and figure out what your area needs. In our community, the Nutty Scientists concept instantly became in high demand, because there is really no one else like us.

What’s next for you and your business?
We just moved from a Nutty Scientists home-based business to a brick-and-mortar establishment in our local town mall.  It was a daring task when we started this transition, but the Nutty Scientists corporate headquarters has been a huge help in guiding us along the way.  We are hoping to continue to grow and bring our nutty brand of science to even more schools, churches, day cares, corporate events and birthday parties.

Source: entrepreneur.com

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS) About Education Franchises

Education franchising is one of the most promising businesses in today’s economy, as people tend to nurture their talents to adapt to this changing world. Additionally, education franchises are also profitable due to its low overhead and initial investment fees. Over the years, the rapid development of technology and the COVID pandemic have changed the education industry. The current global education trend is to train and nurture students to adapt to a changing world. STEM education, programming education, comprehensive skills education, etc., therefore attract many investors.
This is an almost impossible question to answer.  Certain industries will definitely average better ROI than others.  It is also typically true that the more you have to invest the more profit you will make.  Education is consistently one of the top performing industries in Asia and without exaggeration a solid place to build for the future.  Asian cultures almost without exception have a huge focus on childhood education, and even as adults, I find most are lifelong learners, always looking to improve themselves.
With low overhead and initial investment fees, the typical education franchise is a profitable investment. The online tutoring market for K-12 students worldwide is expected to grow by 12.75% through 2021. Education franchises are often considered recession-proof, as parents will almost always invest in their children, especially through times of increased educational hardships like the pandemic. Thanks to this ever-increasing demand for education, franchises in the industry are plenty and profitable. Education franchises typically have low royalty fees and initial investment.
There are quite a number of steps to getting an education (or any) franchise.  After an initial discussion to make sure we match up the correct franchise for you and your market, we will collect a signed NDA (non-disclosure agreement) which will allow the brand to share more sensitive information with you.  Also, an application so they have a bit more information about your company and objectives.  Then a 3-way call with us, yourselves, and the franchisor development team.

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