How Spirit of Math franchisee Salima Mussaji saw a gap in the market in the greater Toronto area—and solved for X
By Alyssa Thulmann
Twenty years ago, Salima Mussaji and her husband, Wahid, introduced the first Spirit of Math campus to Mississauga. Eventually, they would open a second location in Oakville. Spirit of Math offers supplemental education to high-performing students to enhance their learning, critical thinking, and math skills—empowering students, or as the brand puts it, “Releasing the geniuses.”
The Mussajis have taken on this motto wholeheartedly. With their combined experience in business, math, and education, the Mussajis have built their family a legacy and given their community a source of supplemental education that wasn’t there before.
The building blocks
Throughout Mussaji’s life—whether she was a student, a teacher, or a business owner—school was a near-constant companion. After finishing high school, she studied mathematics and business at the University of Waterloo: “Yes, I’m one of those people that really likes math,” Mussaji shares with a laugh.
After graduating university, she went into the corporate world but quickly found that the 80-hour work weeks weren’t what she wanted from a career. Looking for a better work-life balance both for herself and her young family, she began teaching at Sheridan College. “I really enjoyed seeing the impact that it had on the students; learning and challenging myself in something that I had never done before,” says Mussaji.
Although she loved teaching, both she and her husband had always had the desire to run their own business. “We both come from families that are also entrepreneurial, so we wanted to kind of follow that same path, but we weren’t sure what it was,” she explains. Her husband had 18 years of business ownership experience, and she had her background in math, business, and teaching. “We weren’t aware of how to start, but we knew we wanted to do something.”
Unsure of whether they would enter the business world through franchising or independently, they started digging a bit deeper and found that franchising would supply them with added structure and support. They also considered their lifestyle, and how the franchising model would give them more time to spend with their family, which may not be the case when building an entire business from scratch.
As for the couple’s decision to partner with Spirit of Math specifically, that came from some personal introductions with the brand. “We did do our due diligence looking at other brands,” Mussaji says, particularly brands in the supplemental education industry. They had noticed growth in that market. And they met Spirit of Math through Mussaji’s sister, who sent her son to the program and recommended it to Mussaji for her kids as well.
Mussaji’s only intention was to sign her kids up for Spirit of Math, at first, and she called the company’s CEO and co-founder, Kimberley Langen, to see if there was a campus in Mississauga. Langen said there were none, but they may be looking to open more campuses in the future and asked Mussaji to send along her resume.
Two years later Mussaji got a call asking if she’d like to open a Spirit of Math campus in Mississauga. “It just couldn’t [have] come at a more perfect time,” Mussaji says.
The more that her and her husband looked into Spirit of Math, the more they were interested in the brand. “The way that it was looking at high-performing kids was very different from other after-school programs that were out there. And the challenge that it gave to those students, more than just what they’re getting in their day school, was another thing that was a positive reinforcement for both my husband and I to follow through with this program.”
Releasing the franchisees
In the beginning, both Mussaji and her husband continued to work their other jobs while getting the Spirit of Math franchise running. This also offered them some added comfort while taking a risk such as opening a new business.
Opening a Spirit of Math franchise came with intensive training regarding the curriculum—it is important to the franchisor that all campus owners completely understand the material. “There was a lot of support given from the franchisor to ensure that we were equipped to help teachers and help students and help parents with the curriculum,” says Mussaji, “because the curriculum’s hard.” It is, after all, designed for high-performing students.
“You’re dealing with high-performing students—we’re also dealing with high-performing parents,” Mussaji adds. Part of the job includes communicating with parents and working with them to ensure their child’s success.
Fortunately, the franchisor and the network of other franchisees are there to help one another with any difficult or complex situations. A franchise support representative is available to campus owners by phone or by email to answer any questions or help with any situation—whether it’s acting as someone to bounce ideas off of or providing advice to ensure proper communication in line with the brand’s values.
Communication is a huge part of Mussaji’s role as a business owner. Days typically start with follow-up messages to parents and staff, ensuring all questions and concerns are quickly addressed. “We connect with our principals to align on priorities and make sure nothing important slips through the cracks,” she adds.
According to Mussaji, the most valuable part of her and her husband’s day is the time they spend at the campuses interacting with parents and students, and working directly with the teachers. “This hands-on presence not only strengthens relationships but also keeps us in touch with the real, day-to-day experiences of our school community,” Mussaji explains.
In their leadership approach, the Mussajis focus on connection and shared purpose. “We believe that strong relationships create the foundation for great teaching and learning,” says Mussaji. “We focus on creating an environment where staff feel respected, supported, and heard, while also being encouraged to step outside their comfort zones.”
For these franchisees, leadership is a partnership. They worked alongside their staff to provide feedback and resources, while celebrating their successes. “By modeling openness, curiosity, and adaptability, we aim to inspire the same qualities in our team, so together we can keep raising the bar for our students.”
The sum total of a business
For Mussaji, all the hard work that her and husband have put into growing their business is worth it for more than just the legacy they’ve created, but the impact they’ve had on their community as well.
When asked what makes it all worth it, Mussaji answered, “I would say hands down the people.” The people include the teachers, the principals, the campus admin, the parents, the students, the franchisees, and the franchisors.
“You have some students that have been with us since grade one and now they’re graduating in grade 11, and the amount of time and commitment and hard work that they’ve put in—this is not an easy program and for them to go through it year after year is [admirable],” she explains. “And, funny enough, we have students that have graduated, gone to university, and are actually coming back and teaching at Spirit of Math.”
For her and for her community, this business is more than just its physical campus, it’s the memories, the success, and the lasting impact that it’s had on all who’ve been involved.
Learn more about franchising with Spirit of Math
