10 Years of Tutor Doctor Peterborough: Piyush and Smita Gupta’s Franchise Ownership Journey
Ten years ago, Piyush Gupta made the decision to leave behind a successful career in accountancy and pursue a different kind of professional fulfilment. Today, he and his wife Smita are celebrating a decade of Tutor Doctor Peterborough, having supported more than 1,000 young people and delivered over 100,000 hours of tuition.
Since launching his Tutor Doctor franchise in 2016, Piyush has built a business rooted in relationships, community impact and a genuine commitment to helping young people thrive. In 2021, Smita joined the business, bringing over 20 years of experience in primary education.
Together, they have developed a family-run education business working with local families, schools and local authorities, demonstrating how franchise ownership can offer both professional purpose and opportunities for long-term growth.
“Before this, I worked as an accountant, where success was measured in financial figures. Now, those numbers are replaced by student outcomes and the difference we’re making to young people’s lives,” said Piyush.
From Accountancy to Education Franchise Ownership
Before Tutor Doctor, Piyush worked as a chartered accountant, progressing through corporate finance roles to become a divisional finance director. Although he had built a successful career, he began considering opportunities that would allow him to take greater ownership of his professional future.
Having previously used tutors for his own children, Piyush understood the value of personalised education. When he discovered Tutor Doctor, he recognised an opportunity to combine his commercial experience with a business that could make a meaningful difference in his community.
Why Tutor Doctor?
What appealed to Piyush was the structure of the franchise model and the opportunity to build a business with purpose.
As he explained when reflecting on his original decision:
“I was so impressed by the structure of the franchise and how I could create a business for me but have an impact on other people too.”
For professionals considering a career change to business ownership, Tutor Doctor offers a model built around leadership rather than classroom teaching.
Franchise owners are responsible for building and managing their businesses, developing relationships and coordinating teams of qualified tutors.
The model provides:
An established business framework: Proven operational systems and processes to help franchisees manage their businesses.
Training and ongoing support: Guidance across business development, recruitment, operations and growth.
Flexibility: The opportunity to develop a business in line with local demand and personal ambitions.
A purpose-driven approach: Helping young people access educational support while building a business within their community.
Piyush's financial and management experience provided valuable transferable skills, while Tutor Doctor offered an established framework for entering the education sector.
The Power of Support, Relationships and Community
Over the past decade, Piyush and Smita have worked to build meaningful relationships with families, schools, local authorities and the tutors who deliver their services.
As the business developed, it expanded beyond supporting private families to working with schools and local authorities, including young people who face difficulties accessing mainstream education.
Smita's decision to join the business five years after its launch brought another perspective. With more than two decades of primary education experience, she has been able to apply her knowledge in a different setting while supporting the business's continued development.
“I’ve never seen Piyush happier in his work, and I’ve learnt so much from him too. It’s been lovely to bring my expertise into the business in order for us to support even more local students,” she said.
Their story also reflects the importance of teamwork in business ownership.
Both of their sons have been involved in the business, with their eldest now working full-time. Alongside their family, Piyush and Smita credit their tutors and staff with helping them reach this milestone.
“All the relationships we’ve built over the years have been amazing,” said Smita. “Our staff and tutors have been especially important for us, and we couldn’t have achieved what we have done without them.”
Beyond their own team, Tutor Doctor franchisees can access ongoing coaching, operational resources and a wider network of business owners who share experience and practical advice.
For someone entering franchise ownership for the first time, this combination of local responsibility and wider network support can be particularly valuable.
A Decade of Growth and Meaningful Results
Tutor Doctor Peterborough's first 10 years
1,000+ young people supported
100,000+ hours of tuition delivered
10 years of local business ownership
While these figures demonstrate the scale of what Piyush and Smita have built, their definition of success extends beyond business performance.
Working with young people who have special educational needs, mental health difficulties or challenges attending school has shown them that progress is not always measured through exam results.
Piyush recalls one student who initially found communicating in educational settings particularly difficult. Over several months, the student gradually became more comfortable engaging with others, eventually speaking with peers and volunteering to welcome new students.
For Piyush, moments like these reinforce the value of the business they have developed.
“It’s immensely rewarding - knowing we’re playing a role helping those young people and their families makes all the hard work worthwhile.”
The student's journey is a reminder that an education franchise can have an impact beyond academic attainment, supporting confidence, communication and personal development.
For Piyush and Smita, the past decade has been about building a sustainable working environment for their team while continuing to respond to the needs of young people in Peterborough.
What Their Journey Means for Future Franchise Owners
Piyush's story demonstrates that a background in education is not essential to becoming a Tutor Doctor franchise owner.
His experience in accountancy, finance and corporate management gave him valuable skills that could be applied to running a business. Smita's teaching experience subsequently added another dimension to their offering.
Their journey also highlights several qualities that matter in franchise ownership:
Leadership and people skills: Building relationships with tutors, staff, families and community partners.
Commercial awareness: Understanding operations, planning and opportunities for responsible business growth.
Adaptability: Responding to changes in education and the needs of local communities.
Commitment and resilience: Recognising that establishing and developing a business requires consistent effort.
A willingness to learn: Making use of the systems, training and experience available within a franchise network.
For those exploring an education franchise in the UK, the distinction is important: you are building and leading a tutoring business, not necessarily delivering tuition yourself.
Piyush and Smita's achievements are the result of sustained effort, strong relationships and a willingness to evolve their business over time. Their experience provides an encouraging example, while recognising that every franchise owner's journey and results will be different.
Looking Ahead: Continuing to Make a Difference
After ten years, Piyush and Smita remain focused on the future.
With education continually evolving, they recognise the importance of adapting their services and maintaining the relationships that have helped establish Tutor Doctor Peterborough within the local community.
“Education is continuously changing, so there’s always something new to learn and work on. We want to keep giving local students and families what they need, and that’s what we’ll continue working towards,” said Piyush.
Their story shows how a career transition can develop into something much bigger than a change of profession.
For Piyush, moving from accountancy into franchise ownership has meant building a business where commercial responsibility and community impact sit side by side. With Smita and their wider team, he has spent a decade creating something they are proud to continue developing.
Could Franchise Ownership Be Your Next Chapter?
If you're considering leaving the corporate world, exploring business ownership or looking for a career that combines commercial ambition with meaningful community impact, Piyush and Smita's journey offers valuable insight into what is possible through long-term commitment.
Tutor Doctor provides an established education franchise model, ongoing support and the opportunity to build a business centred on helping young people reach their potential.
Interested in learning whether Tutor Doctor could be the right fit for your skills and ambitions?
→ Book a quick call to learn more about franchise ownership .
This blog is based on the Peterborough Telegraph article, “Peterborough couple celebrates a decade of helping young people thrive”, published on 27 October 2026.