The Franchise: Los Angeles-based Mathnasium is a math-only learning center with more than 1,100 locations worldwide. The company offers supplemental education services, including tutoring and enrichment, for students in kindergarten through 12th grade.
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Derek Pipkorn pictured here with his wife, Jillian, who left her job at Kohl’s Corp. in 2021 to take on the full-time role as director of marketing and community outreach for their franchise operation.[/caption]
2015: Having earned his master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Cardinal Stritch University, Derek Pipkorn found himself at a crossroads. He had taught middle school math for eight years and was trying to decide between either becoming a school principal or pursuing a doctorate degree. Instead, he opted to tap into his affinity for entrepreneurship and become a Mathnasium franchise owner.
“I had heard about Mathnasium at least six years before I signed. I was a new teacher and couldn’t afford to do something like this at the time. I looked into it every couple of years – I had it in the back of my mind – and then decided to pull the trigger of it being the perfect blend of my passions for math education and entrepreneurship.”
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The Oconomowoc store is located at the new Olympia Fields development, which also houses Sendik’s Food Market, Planet Fitness and Pet Supplies Plus stores.[/caption]
2017: Pipkorn signed a multi-unit franchise agreement with Mathnasium and a few months later launched his first location in Wauwatosa.
“The majority of families are with us year-round. On average, each of our centers have about 100 students, but in summer, that can peak at about 175.”
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Derek Pipkorn[/caption]
October 2020: As demand for Mathnasium’s services soared amid school closures and remote learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Pipkorn expanded his business footprint to three units with the acquisition of the brand’s existing Brookfield center, following the opening of Mathnasium of Mequon in August 2019.
May 2023: The Pipkorns opened Mathnasium of Oconomowoc the same day they took over ownership of an existing franchise location in Franklin. Add those to Mathnasium of Hartland, which opened in June 2021, for a total store count of six. Next, the plan is to expand into Waukesha and Grafton.
The franchise fee: $49,000 for first franchise, $26,500 for an additional franchise
