Where are you from originally and how long have you lived in the area?
I am originally from Mendham. I grew up right there on Orchard St. near the Mendham Borough Firehouse. Outside of a handful of years, I’ve lived in this area my entire life.
Child(ren) and Age(s)?
My wife, Leighann, and I have two children. We have a daughter Allison (12) and a son Jack (10).
Are you involved in a business venture or corporate world? Please Share!
My journey to where I am now has had some twists and turns. I finished my degrees at Virginia Tech and came right back to Mendham High School to teach Chemistry/Biology and coach soccer, basketball and baseball. My tenure at the high school lasted a few years before venturing off for the corporate world. The majority of the time, about 12 years, I spent working many different roles for two pharmaceutical companies. I also had a three year run at one of the larger HCM companies. All of the experience I gained in teaching, coaching, sales and leadership has led me directly to my newest adventure. At the end of 2022, I decided to open Tutor Doctor of Morris County. TDMC is a Kindergarten through 12th grade in-home or online tutoring company that specializes in one-to-one, subject specific tutoring that meets the individual needs of each student. Our flexible scheduling adjusts for the busy schedules we all run with our children and aims to work within the curriculum they are learning at their school rather than trying to force our own.
When did you decide you wanted to become a Tutor Franchise Owner?
Honestly, for the last few years I’ve been looking for a way to give back to the area that has meant so much. I have been lucky enough to watch Leighann run North Jersey
Aquatics for the last 11 years now and saw how connected she was to families and communities. Something was amiss for me, I didn’t necessarily want to go back to the classroom but I did want to be able to help students and families in the area. Furthermore, it was important for me to spend additional time within the community. So late in 2022, I had to make a decision to go to a new company or try my hand at being an entrepreneur. With the support of Leighann and the kids, I chose the latter.
Has education always been a part of your life?
When I think about this question, the answer is simply ‘yes’. Whether as an actual teacher/coach or leading sales teams or leading sales training organizations, they all
revolve around learning, teaching, mentoring and leading.
What do you recommend for someone looking to get started with tutoring?
Typically, there is some sort of event (poor semester grade, poor test) that triggers a parent to call us. At that point, we are often playing catch up to fill in any gaps while working hard to keep pace with the current material. My suggestion is to call us when you first see something is going on with your student. Your gut feeling is typically
correct. The clock starts ticking when you feel this. We aren’t racing the clock to catch them up and improve their skills, but rather we are racing the clock of your student
losing confidence in themself.
If you could give one tip to fellow Dad Entrepreneurs what would it be?
Coming from corporate America, the toughest part for me has been trying to find a rhythm from week to week. So my tip is to embrace the chaos until you find that flow.
One thing people would be surprised to know about you…
I thoroughly enjoy taking time off to help our friends at Ashley Farms in Flanders during Thanksgiving week while everyone comes to pick up their fresh turkeys.
Ok 10 Fun LOCAL favorites – ready, go!
1 – Favorite thing to do with your kids? Spend time in Cape May
2 – Favorite coffee spot? The Coffee Potter
3 – Favorite lunch place? Born and raised Mendham… Wicker Basket
4 – Favorite farm to go fruit picking? Ort Farms
5 – Favorite date night restaurant? The Elbow Room
6 – Favorite shop? Black River Candy Shoppe
7 – Favorite spot to grab a drink? Old Mill Tavern
8 – Who has the best bagels in town? Budd Lake Bagel
9 – Best slice of pizza in town? Dante’s
10 – Favorite spot for ice cream? Mendham Creamery
This Interview was done in partnership with Tutor Doctor of Morris County. Be sure to follow them on social media below:
