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Franchise start: 1958 | Total units: 26527 | Opening cost: 67.4-145.6 thous. USD
Courtesy of Kumon
Kumon’s enrollment numbers dwindled at the guts of the pandemic but rebounded quickly. In 2022, Kumon North America registered 400,000 people for the primary time in three years. In October, it recorded the best number of recent registrations in 40 years. This resurgence pushed Kumon into the highest 10 for the third yr in a row. The corporate has been included within the Franchise 500 rating for 26 years in a row, and has been ranked first within the tutoring category for 22 years.
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In 2022, Kumon decided to try something different: he hired a marketing agency specializing in franchises. This proved successful for the corporate because it worked to rebrand and stand out from the competition. The variety of signed franchise agreements was excellent. The ads targeted people from all walks of life, and the location was updated to help visitors reach the appropriate person. (The franchise department got calls from parents wanting to enroll their children, and it still does.) “All the pieces looks completely different,” says John Collins, vp of hub network development for Kumon North America. The agency also moved budget money and advertised on LinkedIn.
One demographic that Kumon has targeted is teachers. With teachers across the country leaving their jobs in record numbers, Kumon expects them to join them as franchisees. As well as to existing incentives, similar to a totally reimbursed training program, Kumon is considering how to increase incentives for teachers in 2023. Kumon franchisees come from a wide range of backgrounds, from engineers to lawyers, but recently the corporate has seen increasing interest from teachers. “These are individuals who love education, love children, and love to make a difference,” says Collins. “They were dissatisfied with the state of the education system.”
Related: Why opening the Kumon center was a learning experience for a former teacher
The present state of the education system – with test scores dropping and other impacts related to the pandemic – has been good for Kumon, helping to fuel this recruitment surge and convey the corporate back to pre-pandemic levels. In 2022, it was on the right track to open 162 latest centers and continues to expand its footprint in North America after opening six centers in Panama in 2020. Guatemala and Costa Rica are next on the list.
“There may be an incredible need and desire to help children in human communities, knowing that lots of these children are struggling straight away,” says Collins. “And Kumon continues to grow and grow.”