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Celebrating Small Businesses: Outside the Box
Small business owners are a special breed, and we’re taking the time to celebrate them this month by sharing their stories—in their own words! Today, Anne Friedli, owner of Outside the Box: Creative Tutoring in Wyoming, MI and Grand Rapids, MI, shares how she got started.
Though she went to college to be a teacher, she wanted to approach teaching in a way that didn’t quite fit what the school district had in mind. So, she turned to tutoring and helped her students discover their love for learning by teaching them in the ways they best understood. That meant treating each student as an individual and tailoring lesson plans to fit their style.
Physics principles can be taught through games and activities.
In Her Own Words: Anne Friedli
I went to college to become a teacher, but it just didn’t feel right being in the classroom. I disagree with many policies that schools have to deal with, and I realized that my style of teaching didn’t really fit in the box. I wanted to teach students how they needed to be taught—each individual student.
I worked with my students one-on-one, and if a student needed fart jokes to help them understand checks and balances for their government class, I used fart jokes.
So, I started tutoring. I worked with my students one-on-one, and if a student needed fart jokes to help them understand checks and balances for their government class, I used fart jokes. I was having so much success with my tutoring that I had to start turning students away. I hated doing that and decided to expand so I wouldn’t have to anymore. I needed to find tutors who were like me: a little bit silly and able to use games and jokes to teach their students.
With the help of my website team, I built a presence on Google and am working toward opening a tutoring center. My goal is for it to be scholarship based—sponsored by local businesses—so every student can get the tutoring they need.
We are committed to making learning fun.
We are committed to making learning fun. Last year, I was working with a fourth grader, and she told me that if she could have one wish, it would be to be smart, so she wouldn’t have to worry about being held back. At the end of the year, her teacher did want to hold her back. But I encouraged her mom to continue her tutoring through the summer and to move her into fifth grade with her classmates. This year, she’s getting all A’s and B’s—in the fifth grade!—and she has so much confidence in herself. When asked if she wanted to take the week off for spring break or still come to tutoring, she chose to do tutoring.
She loves to learn now, all of our students do.
Why Outside the Box Chose Townsquare Interactive
Client Since February 2018
Anne wants to expand her tutoring business so she no longer has to turn away new students. To do that, she’s focusing on building brand recognition and bringing in new tutors who fit her signature creative style. These are the digital marketing products we recommended to help her get found online.
Think Outside the Box for Your Small Business
Are you thinking about starting a small business? Have you already taken the first step toward reaching your goal and need some help getting there? May is all about empowering small business owners and entrepreneurs, but providing that much-needed support is something we’re committed to all year long. If you need assistance with digital marketing or want to learn more about how Townsquare Interactive can help you get found online, attract customers and grow your small business, explore our site or fill out the form below to request a free quote.