And you will probably find yourself wrestling with laws and regulations you never dreamed could exist before you went into business. Whenever I needed a little extra money, or during summer vacations, I tutored individual students. As my reputation grew, people began to ask me if I could recommend tutors in other subjects. As my enthusiasm for teaching in public schools waned, I began to research the possibility of a tutoring business. I started one summer by turning my second bedroom into an office and having stationery printed.
Summer is a peak time because parents hire tutors to help their kids catch up on subjects.
By the end of that summer I was managing 48 tutors in 23 different subjects or grade levels all over the metropolitan area. I hired a part-time assistant who worked at the kitchen table. We added other services, such as classes to help high-school students prepare for national exams. Operating from home was perfect for me since I needed to keep my overhead low and keep a good cash flow to be able to pay my tutors. I started working in an office I built in the basement doing small jobs and working for friends in the business who were up against tight deadlines.