Kumon of East Brainerd is a franchised of Kumon Math & Reading USA, Inc.  Kumon is the world’s largest supplementary after-school education program.  The East Brainerd’s center is working with approximately 200 students in and around the Chattanooga area twice a week.  The approximately 200 students are developing learning skills as well as fundamentals of math and reading.  The goal of the Kumon program is mastery of math and reading skills at high school and college levels.  The East Brainerd center was established August 1998.

James Boykin left a lucrative engineering management position with the Tennessee Valley Authority to help slow students learn and advance with their schoolwork.  With a great deal of planning and taking on considerable risk to his financial condition, Mr. Boykin began a for profit school to accelerate slow students.  Shortly after the business started, his reputation for successfully helping students got out to the public.  Indeed, word of his success spread so that parents of many students enlisted his help.  Consequently, advanced students as well as average and slow students came for his assistance.  This reputation for success kept Mr. Boykin’s growth plan on target to the degree that he has consistently turned away students to limit his growth to a manageable level.  It is my understanding that he has met every growth objective since the business started.  It is paradoxical that while he initiated the business to help students that were behind in their studies, his success and reputation for helping students has created a meaningful demand regardless of the students level of achievement.  Clearly, there are many who want to learn and advance their knowledge quickly without regard to the standard criteria and requirements found in both public and private schools.  Mr. Boykin meets this demand.

Shortly after opening the doors for business, the financial status of the business became precarious.  While there were enough students and the training was going well, the cash flow dwindled.  James came to the Chattanooga Small Business Development Center for advice.  James worked with his SBDC counselor, and examined the business.  They determined that the Accounts Receivable was growing with aging accounts.  James found it difficult to collect from the people he was helping.  The SBDC counselor helped James understand that cash flow and the profits were necessary to continue and expand his assistance that the students needed.  Without a firm financial base, James would not be able to continue his contribution as he wished.  The collection problem was solved and business continued.  Additionally the SBDC counselor was so impressed with the Kumon Center he enrolled his own children in James’ program and helped spread the word about the value of Mr. Boykin’s program for children.  This done, the business grew and continues to grow at a manageable and financially successful level.

Kumon Learning Center of East Brainerd opened on August 22, 1998 with 23 math students.  The reading program was added on May 22, 1999 with 20 students.  Kumon has since grown to 180 students.  Each year a number of students are recognized nationally on the Kumon Honor Role; this year Kumon of East Brainerd had 15 students receiving this honor.  The staff of Kumon has also grown over the years.  The staff now includes eight employees.  The business has grown more than 100 percent per year and has grown 900 percent since opening.  This is due to the quality of the program and the quality of the implementation of the program.

We like to think that we at the Chattanooga SBDC have had some part in Mr. Boykin’s continuing success and James Boykin does not hesitate when called upon by the SBDC to share his story with other entrepreneurs.