"Prepared for the highs and the lows" with Lindsey Wander
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Lindsey Wander, who initially enrolled in Cal State Fresno to become a Biomedical Engineer, earned a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, and a Minor in Mathematics all in just four years. After several domestic and international internships, she discovered her passion for education and went on to be a middle school math, biology, and STEM teacher in low-income neighborhoods of California. Lindsey moved to Chicago 9 years ago and founded WorldWise Tutoring with the mission of empowering our youth with the tools to succeed in school, work, and life. Lindsey and her team of instructors deliver personalized instruction to help students of all abilities to improve their grades and scores, as well as to learn the skills to become confident and independent lifelong learners and grow into competent and conscious leaders.
Can you tell our readers about your background?
As Valedictorian of my high school, I earned a full scholarship at Cal State Fresno. I originally wanted to pursue a career in Biomedical Engineering, but the genetics labwork bored me. I switch my major and graduated with Honors with a Bachelor’s in Biology, a Bachelor’s in Chemistry, and a Minor in Mathematics – all in just four years (and with zero debt). I completed several domestic and international internships to test out potential careers ranging from field research to grant writing. An internship as an Environmental Educator in Pennsylvania revealed my passion for teaching. So I went back to acquire a Secondary Teaching Credential and started teaching middle school biology, math, and STEM.
What inspired you to start your business?
I am a former middle school math and science teacher. I taught in the low-income neighborhoods of California, making it my mission to create a learning environment that was so engaging that it motivated my students to come to school. We explored, questioned, investigated, learned, laughed, and loved - all within my classroom walls. For sake of a better word, it was “magical.” I knew I found my calling and I knew I was making a difference. My students became my kids whom I worried about even when I wasn’t working and whom I am still in touch to this day. However, there was a part of me that remained unfulfilled. While I truly loved my job, I was limited. Time and financial restraints, added to endless bureaucratic red tape, prevented me from being able to dedicate the 1-on-1 time to my students who needed it. Thus, many of “my kids” fell through the cracks - and there was nothing I could do about it. So, when I moved to Chicago at the ripe age of 30, I decided to start my own tutoring business. My mission was to help students of all abilities not only improve their grades and scores but to also learn the skills to grow into confident and independent learners. I sought to empower our youth with the tools to succeed in school, work, and life.
Where is your business based?
I started the business with in-person services in Chicago, but have since expanded it throughout Illinois and into Texas as well. We have also been providing online services to students all over the world since its inception.
How did you start your business? What were the first steps you took?
I was unhappy in my job and knew I could do more. With my years of life, learning, and teaching experience, I decided to take the leap from a secure job to the unstable life of being my own boss. In the beginning, I took every opportunity I could. If I did not know the subject the student was asking for help with, I would learn it. If the student was a 1-hour commute away, I would still accept him/her. The first couple of years I was working non-stop – but I took it all as a huge learning experience, knowing it would pay off eventually.
What has been the most effective way of raising awareness for your business?
I work with families and their children, so word-of-mouth has been the best way to spread awareness of WorldWise Tutoring’s services in a genuine way. Because of the stigma around tutoring and because many parents are worried about their tutor not having enough availability, the most frequent situation that word-of-mouth occurs is once the family has finished with our services. Since our goal is always to get our students to a point where they do not need a tutor, this sharing of info with others could take place even just a couple of months after a family starts with us. It seems counterintuitive: try to get your client NOT to need you. But in doing so, that client goes out and tells everyone how effective our services are, and for the one client who moves on, we gain many more new clients. Plus, the original client often returns once as new challenges arise, such as AP classes, ACT/SAT prep, college planning, internship applications, GMAT prep, etc.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Of late, my biggest challenge has been managing my business on my own. I alone have been handling the hiring, new clients, payroll, marketing, etc. I recently brought on three new contractors to help me: one for SEO and general website concerns, one for marketing, and one as an assistant. Though the onboarding and training initially added more work for me, the long-term payoffs have been immense. Now I have more time to focus on what I am an expert at, without getting bogged down with the daily issues in areas I am not as proficient in.
How do you stay focused?
Because I am doing something I love and feel passionately about, the focus has never really been an issue. I wake up each morning eager to work and go to bed each night feeling like I made a difference. I think that if your actions align with your goals and desires, then focus comes naturally.
How do you differentiate your business from the competition?
There are many other tutoring companies out there. WorldWise Tutoring is unique in that we do not solely focus on test scores and grades. Yes, our students improve their marks - but they also become better students, employees, leaders, and members of society. We interweave into our content instruction lessons on metacognition, executive functions, and interpersonal skills. Our goal is to help our students become confident and independent lifelong learners who grow into competent and conscious leaders. It is one thing to have the knowledge; it is quite another to also have the correct skills and mindset to apply that knowledge in a way that actually improves the world.
What has been your most effective marketing strategy to grow your business?
I credit clients who refer other families with free tutoring. I also give bonuses to tutors whose work resulted in those referrals. While many referrals would likely occur organically, offering these incentives gives an extra push for families to spread the word and to tutors to give exceptional services.
What's your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
My best advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs is to be prepared for the highs and the lows – because EVERY business experiences them. No’s do not mean your service or product is undesirable, business failures do not mean you are a failure as a person. Take every up and every down as a learning experience to grow from. You certainly need to be resilient and determined in order to succeed as an entrepreneur, but you also need to be reflective and realistic.
What's your favorite app, blog, and book? Why?
I’m an undercover nerd who sits on the ledge between science and spirituality. So I love anything that invites me to look at the world differently. My favorite thing to do is to listen to podcasts while I exercise. There is something about having my body occupied that allows my mind to truly focus on the words I am hearing. My favorite podcasts are This American Life, Hidden Brain, Science Vs, and Positive Head.
What's your favorite business tool or resource? Why?
I love Content Studio for social media. I have the most basic package and use it to post on all my social media accounts at once. I know there are many tools like this – and I probably tried them all! But this is the easiest to use right from the beginning and its customer service is amazing. I will eventually add more features once my budget allows, but for now, I am quite pleased with how much time (and money) Content Studio saves me.
Who is your business role model? Why?
I am a scientist turned teacher turned business owner. I took a long and windy road that lead me to entrepreneurship in my 30s. Though I now have many friends and connections who are business owners, I really did not have anyone to look to as I built my own business. Even so, I have always surrounded myself with people who are supportive and genuinely invested in my happiness. And while these amazing people are not all “business people,” they have certainly been my role models in motivating me to follow my intuition, pursue my passions, and always look for ways to improve.
How do you balance work and life?
I am an extremely extroverted outdoorsy type who loves to travel. So sitting alone at a desk inside my home goes against everything that I am. However, I recognize that there are times when I need to do just that – and I do. Thankfully, because of advances in technology, there are other times when I can work on the go. Whether I am working or socializing or traveling or spending time outdoors, I make it a point to do it fully, giving it my entire focus and gratitude.
What’s your favorite way to decompress?
For me, I can quickly decompress if I get moving, go outdoors, or laugh with loved ones. Those are three guaranteed ways for me to re-set. Traveling with the intention of exploring and relaxing also provides a nice break after an especially demanding few months with work.
What do you have planned for the next six months?
A major concern on everyone’s minds is what education will look like as COVID continues to spread. I anticipate that the next six months will be full of me and my team devising new ideas and plans so that we can better help families, students, and schools in need. I, too, am worried about the long-term impacts of this disruption in learning, especially for younger kids, children with Learning Difficulties, and families in low-income neighborhoods. However, I also see this disruption as an opportunity to reimagine the education system so that it better serves all students. I am ready to take on the challenge of being a part of that change, using my years of experience and my resources to improve the quality of education for our youth.
How can our readers connect with you?
You can visit our website www.WorldWiseTutoring.com and also find us on all social media outlets including Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest.