How to grow your tutoring business through relationships

Back in 1994, I was a college student at the University of California, San Diego. I continued to work with students after graduating, looking to apply to graduate programs in clinical psychology. Growing demand for my services made me rethink my plans.

Instead, I founded Wells Academic Solutions, a full-service tutoring and test preparation company in a La Jolla, a wealthy San Diego coastal town.

Wells Academic Solutions quickly grew in those first years. I think the growth was primarily due to the focus we placed on building strong relationships with our customers. We focused on carefully understanding parents’ concerns and helping students to deal with their immediate challenges while working towards helping each student learn how to become a strong independent learner and critical thinker.

Growing a tutoring business can destroy those relationships

As we added instructors, admin assistants, and a growing customer base, I discovered that the tutoring business is a data management business first. And I was drowning in data. Managing tutoring and students, scheduling, billing and payroll … my business turned from a highly personal service-based business to an administrative nightmare.

Efficient tutor business management strategies are key

That’s when I began working on effective and efficient data management solutions for tutoring and test preparation business. My objectives were these:

  1. My primary objective was to create a system that pushed relevant information to stakeholders on an as-needed basis.
  2. I also wanted a system which on the surface focused on the quality of service experience for our customers while automatically driving the underlying administrative tasks.
  3. Finally, I knew that I couldn’t afford to build out a robust system for my company alone.

So I connected with the country’s top education services companies through the Education Industry Association. Together we explored the core objectives and requirements for a variety of different business models. LearnSpeed is the result of that effort.

How to grow your tutoring business (and keep it growing)

My advice for anyone running or thinking about starting a tutoring or test preparation business: get your business management systems in place early. Don’t want until you are underwater and desperate for a solution. This will allow you to relentlessly focus on delivering great customer experiences.

With your tutoring company data management systems in order and great customer service, your business will continue to grow.


LearnSpeed has helped hundreds of learning centers worldwide to grow their business while keeping administrative tasks efficient. Do you think our solution is the right one for you?

Contact Us Today