Aileen Yu is the founder of Mathnasium of Southpark Meadows and serves as Captain of the GAACC Women’s Club.
Following the joy she experienced tutoring math on and off since high school, Aileen decided to open her own Mathnasium location to help kids build confidence through mathematics. We caught up recently with Aileen to chat about what inspires her in business.
Join us August 15th for the Mathnasium of Southpark Meadows Soft Launch and Ribbon Cutting! Learn more and RSVP HERE.
Q: What is your background, and how did it prepare you for entrepreneurship?
Aileen Yu: “I worked in corporate strategy for over 15 years for large multinational companies. I believe that experience helped me understand how to build a startup. Because of my expertise in planning, strategy, and finance, I have the knowledge and skills to not only start, but grow a business.”
Q: What problem does your business solve?
AY: “Math skills among kids in the United States are substantially lower than they were pre-COVID. Schools are trying to do their best job to build math skills, but it’s a real challenge without more individualized instruction. Mathnasium comes in and makes sure kids can learn in a way that works for them. Every kid who comes in starts with a free assessment so that Mathnasium can create a customized learning plan and help with building those foundational math skills. Just like in a sport where you need to first learn how to catch a ball before playing the game, kids need to be able to master the basics of math before moving on to the next level. Mathnasium fills that gap and teaches kids math through a staggered method that reinforces existing concepts and slowly adds new concepts, so we make sure there’s mastery of mathematical foundations.”
Q: What impact do you hope your business will have on your customers or community?
AY: “It’s really about building confidence for kids in schools and providing support for the parents. A lot of parents don’t have the time or don’t know the subject and, even if they do, it can be hard as a parent to teach your own children. Having this third party providing an exciting environment can really help. It’s important to promote that math is fun and that kids want to come to Mathnasium after school. When a kid completes a worksheet, they receive a star and can save up stars to redeem rewards. There’s also toys and games that we use, along with flashcards and whiteboards, so that learning can be exciting for the kids. I’m hoping to impact lots of kids’ lives. Like, I want kids who want to become a math teacher or to major in STEM fields because of Mathnasium.”
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering starting their own business?
AY: “Just be emotionally ready. There are a lot of ups and downs and a lot of things can come at once. It’s important to believe in what you do and make sure the business is what you want to do and can positively impact your life. It’s going to be hard, but the more challenge you feel, the more reward you gain. So don’t feel discouraged and remember that. Sometimes, I almost wanted to give up. I failed the fire inspection three times, but I got a permit the fourth time. It can be frustrating, but after it passes you think ‘Oh, that wasn’t so bad’.”
Q: What’s a fun fact people might not know about you?
AY: “I have two dogs and travel with them a lot to go hiking and camping. I have a camper van where I travel with them and we go to state parks in Texas a lot. Their names are Moonpie and Henley and they’re great dogs. Moonpie is a lab mix and Henley is a 100 pound great pyrenees!”
GAACC Members who enroll their children at Mathnasium of Southpark Meadows will receive a Founders’ rate of 25% off! Learn more about Mathnasium of Southpark Meadows on their website and Facebook page.
Are you good at math, enjoy working with kids, and passionate about community? Mathnasium is hiring for instructors! Interested in joining the Mathnasium team?: Email Aileen at [email protected]
Join us August 15th for the Mathnasium of Southpark Meadows Soft Launch and Ribbon Cutting! Learn more and RSVP HERE.