Investing in a franchise is a big leap. While buying into a franchise brand comes with a support network and proven system, it’s still entrepreneurship. There are still risks, still unknowns. Anyone considering taking this step in their journey wants to know what to expect. Here at Franchise Business Review, we often tell the stories of extremely successful franchisees. From multi-unit owners to folks crushing it in their single territories, we showcase people with several years of ownership under their belts. This post is about that first year, which can be chaotic, stressful, demanding, and yet extremely rewarding. We talked to several Mathnasium franchisees to find out what their first year was really like. We hope to give you a realistic picture of this entrepreneurial path so you might figure out if it’s right for you.
Why They Invested
A common theme emerged among the franchisees we interviewed: they were looking for something more. Specifically, they sought better work-life balance, greater purpose, and more autonomy. Angie Yuan, who now owns eight Mathnasium locations, looked for a path that “allowed [her] to balance raising [her] children with building a meaningful career.” For Jenna and Brett Maher, giving back to the community was the priority; they felt a tutoring franchise was their best vehicle for doing so. Others, like Jana Frank and Derek Pipkorn, came from the education world and wanted to apply their hard-earned teaching experience in a new, entrepreneurial way.
Once they decided to pursue that “something more,” they turned to franchising. A Mathnasium Learning Center offered a proven system they could follow, backed by a strong network to support them every step of the way.
What the First Year Owning a Mathnasium Franchise Actually Looked Like
The first year of owning any business can be intense, and at times, isolating. After speaking with several Mathnasium franchisees about their experience, a few consistent themes emerged.
The first year as a franchisee can require a significant time investment.
Derek Pipkorn (who owns six locations alongside his wife, Jillian) reports working around 50 hours a week that first year while Carli Sonntag said it was more like 60-70. Angie Yuan managed that first year working 30-40 hours a week. One thing they all noted is that there’s still a meaningful amount of work outside of center hours, which are typically 3-8pm.
There’s lots of work to prepare before opening.
For any new Mathnasium location, the build-out is the first major milestone. This stage involves scouting locations, securing a lease, and beginning construction. While the process can be seamless, it often requires patience and savvy negotiation. Derek Pipkorn shares a classic example of how a potential delay turned into a financial win.
My first build-out was the longest by far. The landlord had his own team do the build-out, and their small crew was also building a pilates studio next door. We wanted to open in August, but then that became October, then November, then ultimately mid-December. The best part of it all was that we had a provision in our lease that if we were handed the keys any day past November 1, we would receive 2 months of free rent. So 1.5 months of delays turned into 3 months of free rent (or about $10,000). That was a huge deal for me when I started! Every build-out since has taken approx 4-6 weeks. We have a great general contractor that we use for all of our build-outs now!
Multi-unit owner Carli Sonntag took a proactive approach by ramping up her marketing efforts months before her doors even opened. She found that building momentum two months prior to opening—and maintaining that push for the first four months of operation—was critical to her first location’s success
You learn a new set of skills.
Many franchisees enter the system as experts in education but quickly evolve into “jacks-of-all-trades.” For Jana Frank, the steepest part of the learning curve was business operations. In the early days, she handled every detail herself, from accounting to marketing. However, this hands-on experience was exactly what allowed her to build the systems necessary to eventually delegate those tasks and focus on high-level growth.
You receive a lot of support.
While the first year can be demanding, no franchisee has to navigate it alone. For Carli, the breakthrough came from the community; she jokes on our podcast, that she “forced a couple of [other franchisees] to be friends with her” so they could share insights.
Derek found support through more formal channels, noting how helpful it was to have a dedicated Field Support Specialist to answer questions and offer encouragement during the transition. These personal accounts are backed by data: in Mathnasium’s annual surveys, “Franchisee Community” and “Training and Support” consistently rank as two of the highest-rated areas.
Finding the right employees makes all the difference.
Recruiting the right team is a critical component of the first year; a challenge felt across nearly every industry. Mathnasium Learning Center relies on instructors who can relate to both students and parents. While many of these roles are part-time (and some are even filled by high-achieving high school students), one of the most critical hires is the Center Director.
For Derek Pipkorn, finding a top-tier Director was the key to achieving the work-life balance he initially sought. In fact, it wasn’t until he had the right leader in place that he felt confident stepping away to focus on the birth of his first child. That experience showed him exactly what was possible when a business is powered by the right team.
Overall, Mathnasium franchisees describe their first year as demanding but deeply supported. While the workload can be significant, the clear takeaway is that the brand’s guidance and community make the challenge manageable.
When Do Mathnasium Franchisees Break-Even?
The question every aspiring entrepreneur asks is, “When will I start making money?” In the world of franchising, we often talk about the “break-even point”. When you buy a franchise, expenses start immediately. Think rent, payroll, royalties, marketing fees, insurance, and often loan payments. Those costs show up long before your location reaches full sales momentum.
Break-even is the point at which your franchise earns enough revenue to cover all expenses.
Simply put, break-even is the point where your franchise earns enough revenue to cover all monthly expenses. While you are not making a profit yet, the business is no longer costing you money out of pocket.
We asked several Mathnasium franchisees about their break-even points, and here’s what they said:
- Carli Sonntag: “3 months.”
- Derek Pipkorn: “We got enough cash flow to cover existing costs by month 2 and completely recoupled our initial investment by year 2.”
- Angie Yuan: “6 months.”
These are some pretty impressive time frames. While establishing a Mathnasium Learning Center requires a $112,936 – $149,616 initial investment, this foundation allows for the kind of the long-term scalability these franchisees are now experiencing. Of course, outcomes vary, so we always recommend using the Franchise Disclosure Document to help you get a sense of what to expect and can help you clarify your expectations.
Reflecting on the First-Year Journey
While financial goals may be a primary driver when considering franchise ownership, Mathnasium franchisees owners often find that the community impact is what truly sustains them. For multi-unit owners Kobad & Nancy Bugwadia the greatest reward is hearing from parents that their kids’ math anxiety decreased and their confidence soared. Since first opening in 2009 they have helped thousands of students!
Franchisee Becky McDaniels talks about the feeling of running into families she’s helped at the grocery store and how, to her, running these learning centers is so much more than a paycheck.
The financial rewards seem obvious after hearing from several franchisees. For many of them, break-even came sooner than they expected. If they followed the advice of their field specialists, relied on their franchisee community, and worked hard, they came out on top after that first year.
More about the Mathnasium Franchise Opportunity
Mathnasium is a highly transparent franchise brand. They survey their franchisees yearly to gather feedback about how the franchise system serves its franchisees. They also share their reports so that anyone can see their franchisee feedback. If you’re thinking about investing in a franchise, check out some of their data:
- 91% of franchisees agree that they enjoy operating this business.
- 85% of franchisees agree that their fellow franchisees are supportive of the brand.
- 84% of franchisees agree they enjoy being a part of this organization.
Mathnasium also appears on many of our lists. From the data we collect, we put together our “Top” franchises by category. These are the lists Mathnasium made just this past year:
To learn more about franchise opportunities with Mathnasium, call 888-763-2604 or visit http://mathnasiumfranchise.com.
