Folake Ibe lives in Maryland, where she is raising her three children while pursuing two passions that have shaped her life: leadership and service. Throughout her career, she’s always been driven by the desire to solve meaningful problems and help people succeed. Before becoming a Mathnasium franchise owner, she worked in cybersecurity, leading initiatives to protect organizations and manage risk. While she found the work rewarding, she knew she wanted to build something of her own, something that would allow her to make a direct and lasting impact on children, families, and the community she calls home. So, Folake turned to franchise ownership in 2025 when she opened a Mathnasium Learning Center.
For Folake, owning Mathnasium of Clinton has become so much more than running a business. Every day, she has the privilege of watching students replace frustration with confidence. She knows helping families discover success in math is as much about believing in themselves as it is about mastering numbers. Her background taught her how to build systems and solve complex challenges, but Mathnasium has shown her that the most meaningful work is helping people realize their potential. When she’s not at the center, you’ll usually find her with her family, learning something new about leadership or entrepreneurship, or looking for ways to create lasting value in her community. She says, “My greatest hope is that my children grow up knowing success isn’t measured only by what you achieve for yourself, but by the opportunities you create and the lives you help change.”
What made you decide to look into purchasing a franchise?
For me, the decision wasn’t about leaving corporate America. I had built a rewarding career, but I reached a point where I wanted to create something that was truly my own. I wanted to build an asset, create opportunities for my family, and invest in a business that would make a meaningful difference in the community.
Franchising offered the best of both worlds. It allowed me to pursue entrepreneurship while benefiting from a proven business model, established systems, and the support of an experienced network. What appealed to me most was that I never viewed the franchise system as a limitation. I viewed it as a multiplier. A proven model provides the foundation, but it’s the quality of execution, leadership, and continuous improvement that ultimately determines success. That philosophy aligned perfectly with how I’ve approached my career, and it’s the same mindset I bring to my business every day.
When researching franchises, what criteria mattered to you most? How did your franchise meet that criteria?
As I evaluated franchise opportunities, I was looking for more than a recognizable brand or a strong business model. I wanted a business that solved a real problem, aligned with my values, and created a lasting impact in the community. My introduction to Mathnasium came long before I ever considered becoming a franchise owner. As a parent, I enrolled my oldest daughter and watched her confidence and relationship with math completely change. When my second daughter experienced that same transformation, I knew it wasn’t a coincidence. I had seen the impact firsthand, and I couldn’t help but think, “More families deserve access to this.”
Mathnasium stood out because it combined purpose with a proven system. It allowed me to bring a program I genuinely believed in to the community I call home, where I knew many families were facing the same challenges I once did. The decision wasn’t just about investing in a franchise. It was about bringing a solution to families who needed it and helping more students discover that they’re capable of far more than they think.
Financing can be an obstacle and/or intimidating factor for aspiring entrepreneurs. How did you find financing options to purchase your franchise?
Financing is certainly one of the biggest considerations for anyone exploring business ownership. Rather than relying on a single source, I took a strategic approach by combining resources I had built throughout my professional career with financing that made sense for my goals and circumstances. I believe there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. The right approach depends on your financial situation, risk tolerance, and long-term objectives.
More importantly, I had positioned myself to be ready when the right opportunity came along. Once I was confident in the business, I worked through the available financing options and chose the combination that gave me the strongest foundation to move forward with confidence.
Which of your prior skills and experiences do you use in operating your business today?
Every stage of my career has shaped how I lead my business today. Professionally, I’ve worked in cybersecurity, enterprise operations, governance, product development, and technology consulting, where success depended on building effective systems, managing risk, making data-informed decisions, and helping teams perform at a high level. Those experiences taught me that sustainable success doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from creating clear processes, investing in people, measuring what matters, and continuously improving.
Just as importantly, I’m a parent. Before becoming a franchise owner, I experienced Mathnasium from the other side of the table, watching two of my daughters grow in confidence through the program. That perspective influences many of the decisions I make today. I understand the trust families place in us, not just to teach math, but to encourage, motivate, and help their children believe in themselves.
Those two perspectives, systems thinking and parenthood, shape the culture at Mathnasium of Clinton. We use data to guide decisions, but we never lose sight of the individual student behind the numbers. Consistency begins with people so we invest heavily in training and developing our team. We create processes that allow us to deliver a high-quality experience for every family while fostering a culture built on trust, accountability, continuous improvement, and genuine care. My goal has always been to build a center where operational excellence and personal connection work hand in hand to help every student succeed.
During your research, did you use FBR’s website to compare franchise opportunities? What other resources did you use?
I didn’t use the Franchise Business Review website to compare franchise opportunities directly, but I did come across several of its articles and franchisee stories on LinkedIn during my research. Reading about the experiences of other owners gave me a different perspective on the business. As a parent, I already believed in the Mathnasium program because I had seen its impact firsthand. Hearing from franchisees helped me better understand the entrepreneurial side of the business, the culture of the franchise system, and what it was like to build a meaningful business within the brand. Those insights reinforced many of the positive impressions I had already formed.
Beyond that, I spent time speaking with the franchise development team, reviewing the Franchise Disclosure Document, conducting my own due diligence, and asking questions to ensure I understood both the opportunities and the responsibilities of franchise ownership.
When doing your research, which questions did you ask the franchisees?
When I spoke with existing franchisees, I was less interested in hearing the sales pitch and more interested in understanding their day-to-day reality. I wanted to know what kind of support they received from the franchisor, how they navigated challenges, what surprised them after opening, and what they wished they had known before getting started. I also wanted to understand how the franchisor showed up when things didn’t go according to plan, because I believe that’s when the strength of a partnership is truly tested.
One question I asked every franchisee was, “Knowing what you know now, would you do it again?” I also asked candidly whether they had any regrets. I expected a variety of answers, but what I heard over and over was that their biggest regret was not starting sooner. Their honesty, combined with their willingness to openly share both the challenges and the rewards of ownership, gave me confidence that I was making a thoughtful and well-informed decision.
Which questions did you ask the franchisor?
My conversations with the franchisor focused less on the mechanics of opening a center and more on what it would take to build a successful business over the long term. I wanted to understand what differentiated the highest-performing franchisees, what common mistakes new owners made, and how the franchisor partnered with franchisees beyond the initial training and opening process.
I also asked about the culture of the organization, the level of ongoing support, and how feedback from franchisees influenced the continued evolution of the brand. Just as importantly, I wanted to understand their vision for the future and whether our values aligned. I wasn’t simply choosing a franchise concept, I was choosing a long-term business partner. Those conversations gave me confidence that I was joining an organization that was committed not only to student success, but also to the success of its franchise owners.
What were your first 90 days like as a franchisee?
The first 90 days were defined by one word: learning. I knew that if I wanted to build a great business, I first had to become a great student of the business. One of the best decisions I made was intentionally seeking out a mentor within the franchise system. I saw someone who had built the kind of business, culture, and reputation I aspired to create, and I wanted to learn everything I could from her. Through our regular conversations, I asked questions, sought advice, and tried to understand not just what she did, but how she thought. I traveled to Wisconsin to observe her center in action firsthand. Seeing the operation up close gave me an entirely new perspective and revealed even more opportunities to refine my own processes, strengthen my team, and elevate the experience for the families we serve.
What started as a mentorship has grown into a genuine friendship, and we still meet every week. This relationship reminds me that one of the greatest strengths of franchising isn’t just the business model; it’s the community of people who are willing to invest in one another’s success.
From the beginning, I immersed myself in the franchise. I attended Convention before my center’s build-out was even complete because I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to learn from the franchisor and some of the most successful franchisees in the system. I leaned into every training opportunity and committed to following the proven playbook. As my understanding grew, I began complementing that strong foundation with my own strengths in systems thinking, team development, data-informed decision-making, and operational excellence, always to enhance the experience for our students and families while remaining true to the brand.
At what point did you feel like you “got the hang of it” and settled in as a business owner?
Looking back, I don’t know that there was a single moment when I felt like I had “figured it out.” Instead, there came a point when I stopped trying to have all the answers and became more confident in the process of learning, adapting, and continuously improving. That’s when I realized I was beginning to think like a business owner rather than simply an operator.
One of the biggest mindset shifts was recognizing that my role wasn’t to do everything myself. My role was to build systems, develop people, and create an environment where my team could succeed. As we strengthened our processes, invested in training, and built a culture of trust and accountability, I found myself spending less time reacting to day-to-day challenges and more time thinking strategically about the future. Ironically, the more comfortable I became with not having all the answers, the more confident I became as a business owner.
How does the franchisor support and encourage your success?
One of the things I’ve appreciated most about Mathnasium is that the support doesn’t end once your center opens. In many ways, that’s when it truly begins. The organization has created a culture of continuous learning and collaboration that extends well beyond initial training. Regular newsletters at every level of the organization, town halls, workshops, webinars, Convention, ongoing coaching, and continuous education all work together to keep franchisees informed, connected, and growing. It’s not a series of isolated events; it’s an integrated support system designed to help franchisees succeed at every stage of their journey.
I’ve also been incredibly fortunate to work with outstanding Franchise Support Specialists and, more recently, an exceptional Franchise Business Consultant. They haven’t simply answered questions; they’ve challenged my thinking, offered thoughtful guidance, and genuinely invested in my development as a business owner. Combined with the willingness of fellow franchisees to share ideas and support one another, it has reinforced one of the biggest lessons I’ve learned: while I own my business, I’m never building it alone.
What are you most proud of and why?
What I’m most proud of isn’t any single milestone or business achievement. It’s the immeasurable, yet undeniable, value this business has allowed me to bring to my community. Every time a student walks through our doors lacking confidence and leaves believing in themselves, every time a parent shares how their child’s attitude toward math has changed, or every time I watch a team member grow into a stronger leader, I’m reminded that the impact of this work extends far beyond the classroom.
I’m equally proud of the partnerships we’ve built with families, schools, and the community, and of the transformations that are already taking place, many of which can’t be measured on a spreadsheet. Confidence grows. Opportunities expand. Students begin to see themselves differently, and families begin to imagine new possibilities for their children. Those moments reinforce that we’re not simply teaching math; we’re helping shape futures.
On a personal level, I’m grateful that my own children have had a front-row seat to this journey. They’ve watched me build something with purpose, invest in people, and lead with integrity. More than anything, I hope they grow up understanding that true success isn’t measured only by what you achieve for yourself, but by the lives you touch, the opportunities you create, and the legacy you leave behind. If this business continues to do that for years to come, I’ll consider that my greatest accomplishment.
What advice would you give to potential franchise owners?
Choose a business you genuinely believe in. Passion won’t replace good business fundamentals, but it will sustain you through the inevitable challenges of entrepreneurship. If you believe in the mission, the work becomes much more meaningful.
Once you’ve made your decision, commit to becoming a student before trying to become an expert. Learn from those who have already achieved the kind of success you aspire to. Ask questions. Find a mentor. Attend every training opportunity. Build relationships with other franchisees. The franchise system has already invested years into discovering what works. Respect the process, master the fundamentals, and earn the right to innovate by first understanding why the system works.
Finally, remember that you’re not just investing in a business. You’re investing in yourself as a leader. The greatest return you’ll receive isn’t measured only in financial terms. It’s the person you become through the journey, the people you develop along the way, and the impact you’re able to make in your community. If you approach franchise ownership with humility, curiosity, discipline, and a willingness to continuously learn, you’ll give yourself the best opportunity to succeed.
More About the Mathnasium Learning Center Franchise Opportunity
If you’re interested in learning more about investing in yourself and making an impact on your community, consider a career with Mathnasium.
Mathnasium franchisees are happy with the Mathnasium model. 90% of their franchisees enjoy being a part of the organization, and the brand consistently makes our “Top” lists. Just this year, Mathnasium has been featured on the following:
- Top 200 Franchises of 2026
- Top Franchises for Women
- Top Franchises for Culture
- Most Innovative Franchises
- Top Franchises for Veterans
- Top Recession-Resistant Franchises
The brand consistently surveys its franchisees to find out how they feel about being a part of the system. And the franchisees are saying great things! You can download the full franchisee satisfaction report here.
