Milestone franchisees enter the Tutor Doctor network

The latest Tutor Doctor training class saw two very special franchisees join the network – and both are exciting company milestones.

Pratheep Paulraj has taken over Tutor Doctor’s first ever franchise territory in the UK as a resale, while Niall Ramphal has become the brand’s youngest franchisee at just 20 years old. The two entrepreneurs have big ambitions and are both determined to succeed, not just for themselves but also for their local communities.

Pratheep has taken the reins of Tutor Doctor Surrey, the first territory sold when the brand arrived in the UK in 2009. After 10 years, former franchisee Alex Scotchbook felt the time was right to move on. Alex grew Tutor Doctor Surrey over that time to be the largest franchise in the UK network, currently comprising four territories and with net operating profit of 37 per cent. Pratheep is excited to continue with the passion that Alex has injected into the business.

Pratheep says: “What impressed me the most about Tutor Doctor was their enthusiasm and sheer passion for changing students’ lives.

“Taking over the first ever UK Tutor Doctor territory is a privilege, but I’m determined to continue running the business in the right way. It’s an honour to carry on the excellent work that Alex has done over the past 10 years. I’m looking forward to seeing it in action and continuing with her legacy.”

The territory has a potential reach of nearly 500,000 students and currently provides more than 6,500 hours of tutoring per week. Pratheep, who paid a six-figure sum for the business, will take on and manage the eight members of staff already in place. His previous experience in management stands him in good stead for driving the business forward.  

The opportunity to answer to the demand and create an impact was what also drew Niall to Tutor Doctor. He will be conducting consultations with parents, recruiting tutors and marketing his business around studying for his mathematics degree at UCL. Far from seeing his age as a disadvantage, Niall says it’s going to help him succeed.

“I’d been a tutor myself for around five years and was familiar with the struggles of tuition. I posted on a local group to see if people were looking for tutors and the response I got was overwhelming. It was at that moment that I realised that I could provide the solution.

“I’ve always been drawn to helping people out and the ethos of Tutor Doctor directly aligned with my own. I’m looking forward to being able to provide the service that is so desperately needed within my local community.

“I think my age has given me a slight advantage. I’m coming into business when there are so many technological advancements hitting the market and some more mature business owners struggle to adapt. But I’ve known and used these things all my life. The world is transitioning into a more digital way of life and I’m able to use my knowledge to be savvy in the way I run my business.”

Pratheep and Niall join the brand at an exciting time, as it introduces an improved, custom-built CRM system.