Class 101 Franchise Rock Star Exceeds Personal and Professional Goals

Blog July 1, 2024 7 min to read

Kayla Class 101 Franchise Rock Star 2024

Kayla Opperman was already the owner of a franchise under the Unleashed Brands Platform when the Class 101 franchise opportunity appeared on her radar. She credits her grandmother for purchasing that original youth enrichment franchise, which was eventually turned over to Kayla’s mother and then Kayla—making her a third-generation entrepreneur. It wasn’t until Kayla had a daughter of her own that she began exploring other franchise opportunities focused on children and young adults. That’s when she started researching Class 101. Today, she is a successful Class 101 franchise owner in Denver, Colorado, and a busy mom who relishes the work-life balance she’s found. Kayla is also proud to have been recognized as the Class 101 Women-Owned Franchise Rock Star of the Year.

Before becoming an entrepreneur, Kayla worked as an electrical engineer. When she discovered Class 101, a college preparatory business that helps high school-aged children gain acceptance to the colleges and universities of their choice, she jumped at the chance to take on more responsibility as a multi-unit franchise owner. As a Class 101 franchise owner, Kayla leverages her passion for working with young adults and empowering them to explore a brighter future.

Meet Kayla Opperman—Class 101 Franchise Rock Star

Kayla knows the importance of establishing a healthy work-life balance. She and her husband used to toil away in Corporate America, but that all changed when they became parents to two youngsters. Kayla decided she wanted to work smarter, not harder. Since entrepreneurship is in her DNA, she naturally fits as a multi-unit franchise owner. A highly social person who stays well-connected to her community, Kayla enjoys the freedom and flexibility of being a Class 101 franchise owner. However, she derives the most joy in empowering the next generation. She finds the work so rewarding that she once described her life as an independent business owner as “living in a dream.” It’s not a stretch to think her mother and grandmother must have felt the same way before her.

Why Class 101 chose this Franchise Rock Star

Kayla was a seasoned veteran of the franchising world when she took on the added responsibility of becoming a Class 101 owner in 2023. It certainly didn’t take long for the corporate office to notice how quickly she built an impressive client roster and her passion for empowering young adults and other women owners. When the Class 101 franchise leadership team determined who they’d celebrate as their 2024 franchise Rock Star, Kayla was the obvious choice.

In her own words, Kayla shares her journey to Class 101 franchise ownership and rising to rock star status.

During your research, what made the Class 101 franchise stand out?

I looked into several STEM, kid-focused franchises, as I came from a family of women entrepreneurs. My mom owned a business (founded by my grandma, who only quit once they sold it), and it was a huge part of my childhood. I always thought they were rock stars and was always so proud of their success! When I became a new mom, I began thinking about my daughter’s future and looking for my next calling. Between appreciating Class 101 as a women-owned business, being familiar with the franchise business model because of my family’s business, wanting to do something for kids, and wanting to do something in STEM because I was an engineer, franchising made sense. When Unleashed Brands acquired Class 101, it was a no-brainer to get on board. Our community has plenty of families already invested in their young children’s education, so we knew a college planning service would be valuable to them down the road.

How did your franchisor help you to prepare for and launch your business?

When my husband and I bought our Class 101 franchise, we couldn’t attend training the same week, so I went to the first training, and he attended the next. We were overwhelmed with gratitude both times! They trained us twice, making us feel more supported and prepared than ever! Unleashed Brands’ incredible conference helps bring us closer to our fellow franchisees. It’s important to have a family of trusted franchisees you can turn to for advice, support, or just a friend who understands your situation!

What advice would you give to potential Class 101 franchise owners?

I love talking to potential franchisees! I envy the exciting road they have ahead of them! I always tell them to be sure they understand the franchise system. As silly as that sounds, many go into this without completely understanding how it works. You’re buying this business, and others have already perfected the system for you. Please take full advantage of their knowledge, advice, resources, and systems, and never spend time or money trying to reinvent the wheel. You should care a lot about brand awareness because that’s the beauty of being a franchisee. I also feel that many franchisees seem to think they are entitled to success simply because they bought a franchise. It’s a business, and you need to work hard at it. You need to plan on putting a lot of time and marketing funds into the first year or two. It’s going to be dark at times, and it’s going to be lonely at times, but that’s also why it’s important to connect to fellow franchisees. You’ll need each other! Remain positive and never surround yourself with those who aren’t.

Name three key things that empower your success.

I love making my kids proud, so as cheesy as it sounds, owning a Class 101 franchise that empowers children is a huge driver for me. I stay positive as I do it! Good habits are crucial, and having good ones in your personal life feeds into your work life, so be sure to nail both down. I rarely procrastinate and do my best to take on tasks as they hit my desk. This makes me appear reliable to my clients and keeps my to-do list manageable. While I love the flexible lifestyle that owning a business provides me, I have structured days when I’m working. I figured out the times of the day my brain works best, is most creative, is tired, is worthless, etc. From there, I know when I need to work on my hard items, when it’s best to do busy work, and when I should not even plan to work.

What unique challenges have you faced as a female business owner, and how did you overcome them?

It was challenging to start a family and Class 101 business simultaneously. I bought my first franchise unit in 2018. My kids were born in 2017 and 2019. There’s the pressure of growing these businesses, plus the pressure of being a good mom. No maternity leave when you’re the owner, and I was busy with emails right before and after having my son. Still, I signed up for that, so no complaints. I wouldn’t trade it for anything! Working with young kids at home before they started school was challenging, but it’s also been good for all of us!

How does owning your franchise help you to “pay it forward” to other aspiring female entrepreneurs?

I love sharing my story and brainstorming with others. I think many mothers in the workplace can get exhausted quickly because they might feel they need to prove themselves more (or, in some unfortunate circumstances, that might be the case). I’d love for them to see the other options out there. They can benefit from their talents and hard work while being flexible for their family’s needs.

Explore the Class 101 Franchise Opportunity

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, millions of students head off to U.S. colleges and universities each year. Each one of those rising college freshmen is a potential Class 101 client! The average Class 101 student applies to 7 schools and earns $160,000 in scholarships and financial aid, while the typical non-Class 101 student applies to 2-3 schools and earns only $20,000 in scholarships and aid. On average, Class 101 students improve their SAT scores by 170 points and ACT scores by 3.1 points.