The Inspiring Journey of Josh Iverson from Engineer to Lawyer to Thriving Entrepreneur
Every entrepreneur finds their path to success their own way. Josh Iverson, a Huntington Learning Center franchisee, worked as a structural engineer for five years and as a civil litigation lawyer for six years, but had no experience with education. Nevertheless, he found his calling as a Huntington Learning Center franchisee. Today, Josh owns five successful Huntington Learning Center locations in Minnesota, Illinois, and Iowa.
Taking the Leap to Entrepreneurship
According to Josh, taking the leap into entrepreneurship can be scary, but the payoff is nothing short of life-changing. His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is simple: summon your courage, get your finances in order, and invest heavily in your people.
He also emphasizes the importance of providing top-notch customer service to retain students and build a strong reputation.
“It is not a linear path. Once the student is in, they have to be treated as the best student in the world, as they are your reference,” Josh explained.
Josh’s remarkable success in owning and operating not one, but five Huntington Learning Center locations is due in no small part to his unwavering determination and entrepreneurial savvy. He’s also quick to credit the invaluable support and guidance he’s received from the Huntington Learning Center’s experienced professionals, as well as his deep-seated passion for making a positive difference in people’s lives.
Inspired by Huntington Learning Center’s Example
Although Josh considered other investments more akin to his law and construction backgrounds when looking for new business opportunities, he went with his heart in choosing Huntington Learning Center.
Josh’s family’s involvement with the program served as inspiration for his decision to invest. His niece attended a Huntington Learning Center, and his mother witnessed firsthand how effective the program was in helping children succeed.
“Personally, I saw that Huntington works,” said Josh. “Huntington has the best platform to reach each student individually and be successful with them, so that made it an easy choice. I chose Huntington because of how soul-enriching I knew it would be to create the right path not only for myself, but for the students.”
The Best Part About Owning a Business
As a franchisee, Josh builds relationships with parents and tutors, hires and trains employees, and develops monthly action plans to stay on track. He spends about 40% of his time planning for the future and 60% on day-to-day operations to ensure his locations provide excellent service and have a positive impact on their students.
“The best part of being a franchise owner at Huntington Learning Center has been taking a thought and bringing it to fruition, and the holistic feeling of being able to make a difference in the lives of our students,” he explained. “I am blessed to have the opportunity to decide my own career path with Huntington and have a more fulfilling purpose than my previous career paths.”
Josh’s Huntington Learning Center locations are in Blaine, Stillwater and Woodbury, Minn., and one location each in Lake of the Hills, Illinois, and in West Des Moines, Iowa. When it comes to scaling a business as ambitious as Josh’s, it takes a dedicated leader to keep everything moving forward smoothly.
Fortunately, Josh is more than up to the task, expertly managing a team of over 75 employees across multiple Huntington Learning Center locations, while also overseeing a separate team of marketing professionals outside of each center.
Plans for the Future
Even though Josh has already established an impressive portfolio of five Huntington Learning Center locations, his entrepreneurial spirit remains as strong as ever. While he’s not actively pursuing expansion at this time, he’s keeping an open mind to future growth opportunities that align with his vision and values. Above all, he’s committed to maintaining the exceptional level of service and support that have become hallmarks of his current centers.
“We are working to get our operations at each location as strong as possible and to their full potential to benefit our students. We focus our efforts on making sure we get into the communities and schools to deliver top service to students and families. By doing so, we are continuously seeing growth.”
Josh’s story is an inspiring example of how it’s never too late to pursue a new career path and succeed as an entrepreneur. His journey to becoming a successful franchisee with Huntington Learning Center demonstrates the importance of following your heart and how it can help you improve your life and give back to others.
Are you considering starting your journey to owning a business? Contact us today to learn more about opening your own Huntington Learning Center franchise!