As a result of Sylvan Learning Systems Inc.’s franchise sales growing more than 150 percent last year, the company is franchising off its Washington-area centers to local entrepreneurs and business operators.
The Baltimore-based company, which private tutors pre-K through 12th graders, sold 94 domestic franchise territories last year, compared to 37 in 2007.
“Individual people who know their communities have a better success rate than company-owned operations,†said Curt Hapward, Sylvan Learning’s vice president for franchising, who calls the franchise growth “significant.â€
The current demand for supplemental education services is strong and the market is projected to continue with double-digit growth, according to Eduventures Inc.
Sylvan plans to convert more than 40 existing company-owned centers in D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Houston and Milwaukee to franchised centers. In those markets, franchisees could generate sales from existing centers ranging from $200,000 to $1 million.