Women Winning with Franchising is a monthly series featuring all the amazing successful women running a franchise. This month we are featuring Linda Langoff with the in-home one-on-one tutoring franchise, Tutor Doctor.
Find out what makes Linda tick and why we think she’s a woman winning with franchising.
Tell me about your background
My background is in sales and marketing. I love marketing! I started in magazine publishing. No one knows how to market like magazine publishers, they’ve been targeting, implementing and tracking since the turn of the 20th century. It takes years of learning rules and breaking them to really develop a strong understanding of marketing, regardless of the medium, which is what I’ve got under my belt. I enjoy teamwork and camaraderie, I’m a problem solver and I work diligently and persistently to bring goals to fruition. All of these traits are what have made me a successful entrepreneur. And they are what I love about being an entrepreneur.
What was happening in your life that caused you to want to own a business?
I’ve always wanted to own a business. Everyone in my family wants to own their own business. My father was a big proponent of it and always talked with us about it. The final catalyst was the utter frustration of working in the corporate world. I was tired of the inability to make a decision or have a decision made and just act on it. So I finally bailed on the corporate world and now I make fast decisions, implement well and reap the rewards. It’s much more rewarding.
Why franchising (did you consider a startup)?
As a matter of fact, I was opposed to a franchise opportunity. However, John, my partner, was looking for a change in his life as well, so we started thinking about options we could manage together. I felt I owed it to myself to look into all options. I made an appointment with a franchise consultant and learned about Tutor Doctor and thought it was a great opportunity. Franchising is great because it gives you a platform to jump off of, although you do pay for that platform. But if you make sure you get into the right system, one that fits your goals and your lifestyle, it can be very rewarding.
Why Tutor Doctor – did you look at any other options?
Yes, I did consider a startup. I have a marketing business, where I help entrepreneurial people start their own businesses with business planning, brand identity, and marketing and sales planning and production. A common thread in my life is the love of helping others. But when I heard about Tutor Doctor it really appealed to me. It’s a great franchise system with low overhead and great personal rewards and it is something John and I embarked on together. Tutor Doctor is very supportive and all the franchisees work together to make one another successful. You have to participate in order to get the most out of it, but it really is an amazing culture.
What was the biggest surprise (something you didn’t expect) when you opened your business?
I was surprised at how devastated I was when we had our first customer who wasn’t satisfied with our service. It was shocking to me. We do our very best and sometimes it just doesn’t work out. Which is something we all say, all the time. However, when it actually happened in reality, it was very difficult to accept that we let a family down.
Another thing that happened was a huge change in our business plan. Originally, John was going to keep his job until we had the business rolling, but he lost his job and ran into health problems. Along with that, we lost our health insurance. There were huge bills, not a lot of income and a business to build. It was scary. Due to these issues, which caused a lack of focus, the business didn’t grow as quickly as we planned and we ran into some really tough times, but we learned that if you keep working toward your goals, despite some fear and loss, you will make it to the other side and be ok.
What would you have done differently now that you know what you know?
This is a funny and somewhat embarrassing answer. My background is in marketing and I’m really good at developing and implementing marketing programs. But when it came to my own business it was much more emotional and I wanted to do everything. So, despite knowing exactly what I would tell others about planning and budgeting, my first year I went crazy spending money on marketing that wasn’t effective. What I wish I would have done differently is to have saved that money. It’s really a minor thing in the long run, but I really should have managed myself better!
What’s the best thing about owning your own business?
Freedom. I get to plan my day, I get to make my own decisions, and I get to help families every day and make a difference in our community. It is really hard work, especially this time of year, finding tutors that fit family’s schedules, needs and personality/lifestyles. But at the end of the day I’ve helped, and I love to help people. I also like knowing that the outcome is mine to deal with or celebrate.
What’s next for you?
The world is my oyster! I will always be in education, one way or another. I’ll continue to build my Tutor Doctor business and continue to educate and help people with their marketing and continue to find additional ways to help out in the community. And as I do all of that, I will allow opportunities to unfold and continue to create “next’s” in my life.
Are you a woman winning with franchising? Contact us!
