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Batten House Podcast
Batten House Podcast
Batten House Podcast
Ep 18 When Your Career Makes You Happy, You're Doing Something Right
Passion meets purpose in this fascinating conversation with Shella Mithani, franchise owner of Oxford Learning. Having pivoted from a successful corporate career, Shella shares the moment she discovered her true calling in education - when her husband pointed out how energized she looked after teaching evening classes, despite working 12-hour days. This observation sparked a journey that would transform both her life and the educational landscape in her community.
Shella breaks down the misconception that Oxford Learning is just another tutoring centre. Instead, she reveals how their unique cognitive approach focuses on teaching children how to learn rather than simply what to learn. Through comprehensive assessments and interactive coaching methods, Oxford Learning equips students with critical thinking skills and learning techniques that serve them throughout their entire academic journey and beyond.
The conversation takes an inspiring turn as Shella recounts opening her third location right before COVID-19 hit - leaving her with zero students but ongoing expenses. Rather than giving up, she pivoted to online learning, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. Her powerful reflection that "life is a struggle, but the resilience and grit you develop navigating difficult times builds character" offers wisdom applicable far beyond business.
As a mother of two daughters, a volunteer with the Aga khan Foundation, and a successful female entrepreneur, Shella embodies the values she hopes to instill in her students. Her story reminds us that finding work that genuinely energizes you is a powerful compass for career decisions, and that teaching children not just academic content but how to think and learn creates lasting impact. Ready to discover how cognitive learning approaches might benefit the students in your life? Listen now and share your thoughts!
You know my husband would point out. He's like you look so happy. Like you know you like you worked like a 12 day shift and I'm like, yeah, I'm really enjoying this.
Speaker 2:This is the Batten House podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbours come together. Here's your host, Sean Batten. Hello and welcome back.
Speaker 3:I'm Sean, your host, and I'm very excited today because we're highlighting an incredible local leader, entrepreneur, making a difference in our community in the lives of young people. Today, we are talking to Shella Manthadi from Oxford Learning. Shella's passion for helping students succeed and her dedication to education have truly made an impact right here in our community. So, shella, let's dive in. Tell us about your business.
Speaker 1:Absolutely so. I am the franchise owner for Oxford Learning, so at Oxford Learning we focus on developing skills that extend far beyond the classroom. So we don't teach your child's academic skills. Our unique programs teach your child how to learn. So the children they build skills that will help them from elementary to post-secondary education and beyond, providing the tools they need to achieve success throughout their lives.
Speaker 3:Nice, that's great. So, yeah, wow, that's quite a range of kids and young adults basically to work with. So how did you get into this? You're an owner, a franchise owner, a businesswoman, which is just awesome. I'm meeting more and more businesswomen across the city, which is just so exciting to see. Tell us about your journey.
Speaker 1:Sure. So I did my MBA in 2002. I graduated in 2002. Now you can start guessing my age. But after that I started working. I worked for different multinational organizations. Then I just wanted to do a career shift. So I went and did my another master's in public international affairs from UOttawa. At that point my goal was to go into the diplomatic stream. But after coming out of that program I said no, this is not for me and I went back to my marketing stream and again worked for different government organizations and crown corporations. At that point I got an opportunity to teach at Algonquin College. So I started developing curriculums for them and, you know, really started getting into the teaching and there was like an evening program. So I would do my day job from nine to five and then I would go to Algonquin College to teach from that's busy.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it was, it was, and, um, no, but I really enjoyed it. So every time I would come after teaching, you know my husband would point out he's like you look so happy. Like you know, you like you worked like a 12-day shift and I'm like, yeah, I'm really enjoying this. And you know, I was energetic, and the days I wouldn't go, I would you know when'm coming, when I would come home, um, at around five or six. You know I would be so tired. So I mean, I started picking up these cues and I'm like, oh, like I'm, I'm, I really like this.
Speaker 1:I started becoming more and more passionate. I've developed a lot of good connections with, uh, with the, with the students, um, so at that point, you know, I was like, okay, I need to. You know, I had, I had my business background and I said I really need to do something for myself and I started looking at different supplemental education system. Right, and Oxford really resonated with me, especially with their cognitive learning. I was like, oh, this is, you know, super cool, I really want to get into this. And I started doing my research. I met different franchisees, I met the franchisor and it's hard, right, like when you have a solid salary coming in, it's hard to cut the cord and become a risk taker.
Speaker 1:And I wasn't really young at that time, I mean, I was relatively, like you know, in my in my like mid thirties, and I said, you know, I really want to do this. So, a long story short. I said, okay, I'm going to, you know, take a leap of faith and I signed up for the first Oxford learning and my first one was Oxford learning Orleans. Then I really enjoyed it. Uh. Then I took another one and you know, I mean, then the growth just happened. Yeah well.
Speaker 3:So how fortunate to find this passion and your husband, your partner to, to see, like, what's going on here. You know you might be onto something and it makes the cutting the cord from a salary you know a little bit easier, but still scary. So good for you for taking that leap. Um, because, like, oh, that's, that's just so great. Um, we've, we've done similar, so I, I, I absolutely resonate with your, your story um, yeah, my partner was fantastic.
Speaker 1:I think he was my. He was my biggest my partner and my father he was my. They were my biggest cheerleaders and you know you need that, you need that push. Sometimes it's so hard Like it's, you know you're not seeing the cues other people are, and it's so important to have that support system.
Speaker 3:But they're seeing a change in you and say, hey, this might be something to look at and using your business, education and now as an owner, and your passion for teaching and investing in kids and teens and young adults. So, now that you've been in the business, for how many years?
Speaker 1:Seven, seven years yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, no, that's great. Yeah, tell us about any myths or misconceptions that you have seen in your industry, now that you've been in it long enough.
Speaker 1:I think one of the biggest misconceptions for Oxford is, like, I think when people think about Oxford, they're thinking about the regular tutoring, short term, banded approach, right, and we're so, so much more than that. So when people do actually come to us, they're like, oh, my kid has an exam or you know it's. It's not that oxford is for the long haul. They're. We're trying to teach them skills that a regular tutoring center would not teach. So we have so many like private tutors, um other like self-study learning programs and other learning centers right.
Speaker 1:But with Oxford, you know, we do a full, in-depth academic and cognitive assessment, like our main differentiator, or what sets us apart, is the cognitive learning right. It's the only after-school tutoring facility that focuses on cognitive development through a cognitive learning approach, and this style of learning encourages students to use their brains more effectively by building critical learning, critical thinking skills, reflective learning techniques and really ability to transfer new skills. And, most importantly, this learning method helps students develop the skills to tackle on new challenges by understanding how to reach solutions to problems. Right, we also do a lot of interactive coaching. So, you know, we believe that a good teacher leads, interacts and helps students understand how to learn. It's not about oh, I'm going to teach you this math formula and off you go and pass your test, but telling them how to learn. That's why our teaching method focuses on interactive coaching, not just teaching right. Finding the solutions to a problem is one thing, but our tutors ensure your child also understands the path to the solution for more meaningful learning and lasting success.
Speaker 3:Yeah, so I like that. You said that because you can easily consider a tutoring environment is a set time. You know I'm working towards an exam, like you said, or a test or some kind of skill, and then that's it like a band-aid approach. But your approach is just like investment long-term, grow these important life skills that we need to success, and so invest in your child and move forward in the longer term with you. That's great. My wife's a teacher and so yeah, and so we're very much in the education system and investing in kids and and so I. That's why I love what you do so much. So when you're not doing this stuff, what are you doing for fun?
Speaker 1:great question. To be honest, like I think, I love spending time with my daughters. I've got two daughters uh, so there is a lot going on in their lives. They're very busy. So, you know, when I'm done with work, I'm usually home with them, um, and I mean they're little, so, you know, helping them with their extracurriculars, driving them around, doing their homework, um, I also have a dog, so, like you know, taking taking him out of walks, um, and I don't know if you can hear him in the background yeah, taking him out for walks and uh, and then you know, I do a lot of voluntary work as well. So, um, one of the charities that I am currently working for or associated with is the Al Khan Foundation. So, you know, helping, like, my current project, as we speak, is the. I'm chairing a golf tournament, so working towards that and you know, yeah, just like being outside and waiting for summer to kick in.
Speaker 3:It's coming, it's coming 's coming. Yeah, absolutely. How old are your daughters?
Speaker 1:uh, my older one is turning 12 this august and my younger one is fine no, great ages, great age I.
Speaker 3:I have five, five kids and uh oh, wow and we were 12 and a nine-year-old as well.
Speaker 1:Just I've got a new life for you, sean. Yeah, another level of respect for you, sean. Yeah, yeah, another level of respect.
Speaker 3:And it's not by accident either. We just love having kids, so I love that Great ages for you to really be a business owner and for them to see their mom as a business owner. That is so valuable for them and I know you know that, my goodness. So on your journey here, describe a hardship or a life challenge that now you look back and say like that was tough, I went through, but now that really gave me this perspective or it helped me with this skill.
Speaker 1:No, okay, great question. So when I reflect back, really, I think my hardest one was COVID. It was one of the toughest years and I mean, and I think it was pretty much for, I think, all business people. But I think when I took my third one and I took it, I mean I opened the store and the location and go ahead. So I had no income coming in, I had zero students. It was ridiculous because we had to close down everything and, as you know, even like when you have bricks and mortar and you have like a location, you still need to pay the rent, you still need to you know, minimum to to the franchise, or like there's so many different obligations that you have absolutely, and I just sat down and I said, oh, what am I gonna do here?
Speaker 1:but we pivoted to online and that really worked well for us. I think you know, finding um the resilience and grit to navigate to online learning. And to you know, really, um, step up um because, hey, like you know, life's thrown a curveball at you and you've got to do what you've got to do. That's right. I mean, and I think, like, after all this, when it was settled down, and it wasn't even for a month, it was a good two years. Oh, absolutely.
Speaker 3:When you say seven years, wow, you're in COVID land there. That is a huge pivot, especially if your business isn't set up to be online.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly.
Speaker 3:You can't sit next to a child at this point. You can't be in a room with five kids, and so good for you pivoting and being able to adjust, because I mean it would be very easy at that moment to kind of curl up in a ball, yeah.
Speaker 1:It would have been yeah, I mean, I could have closed everything and say, hey, you know what I'm done. But I think one thing that I did learn and I tell this to my girls too that you know, like life is not easy, like life is a struggle. Everybody goes through something, but the resilience and the grit that you develop and you know the way you navigate through those difficult times, it's a building moment. You know it's all the building moment because when you come out of it and you reflect on it, you're like, oh my God, yeah, like you know, I did this, I was able to do it. So I'm not that I'm looking forward to another one, but I know that this is not the end of it, right?
Speaker 3:Absolutely, and that perspective switch right To to kind of look back and and and I mean I'm sure you've gone through personal struggles as well, like we all have, and knowing at some point you hopefully can learn, or we can learn, that going through the, whatever the challenge, it's not going to be forever.
Speaker 1:No.
Speaker 3:You know and you can rise above it, and you did, and many other businesses did as well, and some didn't, unfortunately, but good for you. That was a hard time. So we're close to wrapping up, but what's the one thing you wish our listeners knew about your business?
Speaker 1:I think one thing, like I said, I really wish the parents or my listeners would, um, really consider doing, uh, the cognitive, the cognitive assessments, the dynamic assessments that we offer. And why is it the the differentiating point for oxford, like, for us? It's, it's a really um, it is what sets us apart, right, um, but it's something that, um, you know, because it takes time, um, we the the assessments are two and a half to three hours long, and it does take time for us to understand the kid. But once we understand the kid, we can actually give him strategies based on their profile, based on how they learn um, and and that really sets us apart.
Speaker 1:The other thing is the curriculum that we have. We have a proprietary curriculum from oxford, which is fantastic, right, it's not, it's one of our competitive advantages, it's, it's, it's set in a way that it's very kid friendly. Like you know, kids actually understand what is being taught. So that would be my messaging to them that, you know, really encouraging them to do that assessment and to really see how we are different from other. You know, really encouraging them to do that assessment and to really see how we are different from other. You know, other centers.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and how would listeners get a hold of you and contact you?
Speaker 1:So if they just Google Oxford Learning Center, you know, oxford Learning Center Barhaven, or Oxford Learning Center Orleans, or Oxford Learning Center, like, whatever center you want to get a hold of or wherever you live, even if you just type oxford learning, they will tell you to put in the postal code and it will show you which center is the closest. We've got 150 locations. That's obviously not mine, but wherever they want to be um it's, uh, you know we've got um five in ottawa, so whichever is the closest to them, uh, that's the's the best way. We're also very much on Facebook and Instagram, so they can. You know we're on social media, so we're very easy to find. I'm also very easy to find, uh no, that's that's great, um, thank you.
Speaker 3:Thank you for this time to get to know what you're doing and and to get to know you. It's great to be able to peel back the layer and it's easy for parents and families and potential customers to see a big business, but really there's a face and a heart behind each location right, that's driving it forward. So that's great. I really appreciate your time and we'll be in touch. I feel like we need to have's great. I really appreciate your time and, uh, we'll be in touch. I feel like we need to have more conversations.
Speaker 1:I do. I mean, I feel like you know. Thank you so much for whoever nominated me, but uh, I, I, you know, and I I think I have a few businesses that I would like to nominate as well. So, yeah, no for sure.
Speaker 3:I'm sure it was a parent, uh, that just had a great experience with their little boy, or their, you know, and that's, that's great. So, oh, your dog is so cute, mine is quiet and yours is not all good, listen, thanks so much, and we'll be in touch.
Speaker 2:Thanks for listening to the Battenhouse podcast. To nominate a favorite local business to be featured on the show, go to battenhousepodcastca. That's battenhousepodcastca.
