Three Locations. Three States. One Strategic Vision.
Before she enrolled her first student, Ronda Swanigan had already written her expansion plan down.
“On my vision board, I wrote, ‘Three locations in five years: Georgia, California, and Texas,’ before I even had my first student.”
Today, she operates successful Class 101 locations in all three states. But her journey to multi-state ownership was not rushed. It was intentional, disciplined, and rooted in preparation.
From Educator to Entrepreneur
Ronda’s background is in education, but she always knew she would not retire in a traditional role.
“I always knew I would either start my own business. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I always had that entrepreneurship bone.”
When she discovered Class 101, she initially thought she might work there. Then she learned it was a franchise opportunity.
“That would be a dream of mine to own a location.”
The franchise model appealed to her immediately. “Those that are franchisees have more success as far as longevity within their business because it’s a proven system.”
For Ronda, ownership offered both impact and infrastructure. The ability to change students’ lives, supported by a model designed to scale.
Scaling the Right Way
Ronda opened her first location in Texas and did everything herself. She met with students, led test prep, coordinated visits, and managed operations. But she quickly recognized a ceiling.
“There was no way that I could meet 100 students on my own and still be a successful owner, but also a good mom and a good wife.”
Delegation became the turning point.
“If I wanted to scale and reach more students, I had to delegate.”
Before expanding into Georgia two years later, she made sure her first location was financially strong and operationally sound.
“I didn’t feel comfortable scaling until I felt like my first location was doing good. Am I hitting my profit margins? Are we reaching our revenue goals each month? When I knew we were profitable and had a solid team, I said, ‘Okay, I’m ready to scale.’”
That discipline matters.
Today, her Texas location alone serves over 150 students, supported by a team of six advisors. Her Georgia and California locations follow the same structured playbook.
This is not growth for growth’s sake. It is measured expansion built on performance.
Systems Dirve Multi-State Consistency
Ronda believes multi-state success depends on standardized systems and strong leadership.
“It doesn’t matter if they’re in Texas, Georgia, or California. They’re all being trained the same way.”
From shadowing to note checks to KPI tracking, she maintains consistent expectations across all three states. She also insists on mastering roles before hiring for them.
That philosophy built credibility with her team and allowed her to duplicate excellence rather than just duplicate locations.
Powered by a Proven Model
Ronda always knew she wanted the backing of an established system.
“I knew I didn’t want to start it from the ground up. I needed something that’s going to work. I needed a proven system.”
Monthly systemwide calls, shared resources, and benchmarking provide clarity and support. “Once you’re using those key things that are built into the franchise, that really helps.”
Expansion with Impact
What makes Ronda’s story especially powerful is her commitment to community.
Originally from South Central Los Angeles and dyslexic herself, she is passionate about supporting first-generation students, neurodivergent students, foster youth, and students experiencing homelessness.
“I struggled in high school. I didn’t really have that growing up. So we make sure they have those supports.”
Through scholarships, nonprofit partnerships, and donor support, she ensures access to services for families who otherwise might not receive them. She also launched Kindness 101, a student-led initiative focused on community service and purpose-driven leadership.
“We’re not just college planning. We’re helping students create purpose-driven initiatives and leave a legacy.”
Purpose strengthens her brand locally. Structure sustains it financially.
Advice for Future Multi-Unit Owners
When asked what advice she would give to other business owners looking to expand, her answer is direct.
“Do your research first. Scale but scale not too fast.”
She emphasizes three non-negotiables before expansion:
- Profitability
- Operational consistency
- A team you trust
“Make sure you’re profiting. Make sure you have a solid team that you can trust. Once all those come together, you’ll be able to duplicate that into another location.”
Ronda did not just grow to three locations.
It started with a vision board.
Then came the systems.
Then came the scale.
Three states. Hundreds of students. One leader who proves that strategic growth, when paired with purpose, creates lasting impact.
If you’re ready to take the first step toward scaling your vision and exploring what ownership could look like, connect with a Class 101 recruiter today. Start the conversation, ask the questions, and begin mapping out your own growth plan.