We had the good fortune of connecting with Shivani Sodawala and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shivani, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my own business was not part of my plans growing up. I am an Aerospace Engineer, and I work full time as a Manufacturing Engineer in the Aviation Industry. I did have some great mentors in my family. My father is a businessman, my mother was a middle school teacher, and my Grandmother was a middle school Principal. Without even realizing it, I have always been drawn to teaching. It was not just any other part-time job that I did during my academic years. I loved helping students succeed. Even after I started working full-time, I continued tutoring. After one year of the COVID-19 pandemic, some disturbing articles from the Education Industry started to pop up on my feed. The education divide in the country was increasing between the privileged and the underprivileged. Most of the learning had moved online at that point. Still, according to a survey by NBC and Challenge Success, 51% of students admitted to higher stress levels. That need for an affordable and accessible learning system was my thought behind starting My Tutor-To-Go.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My Tutor-To-Go is an affordable and accessible online learning platform, offering private, student-paced lessons. We are a caring and passionate group of tutors attempting to make a difference, one student at a time. Our affordable costs help our clients to complete that previously long and stressful class or even improve those language skills, without a significant financial burden. The reason for our brand is all those tutors who practiced patience and cared about making sure that the student received what they joined the session for. We are open and honest with client goals, expectations, and rates. It is a successful day at My Tutor-To-Go if we helped a student feel comfortable and confident with their learning material. The success of the student is the brand’s success.

It was not easy getting here with My Tutor-To-Go. I cannot begin to talk about the belief and the patience of everyone involved. Whenever one of us was breaking apart, the other acted as the pillar. From the Marketing Manager to the tutors, everyone brings their unique perspective to the team and we keep pushing forward. We are the proof that if you set out to do something with a true purpose, you’ll attract your goals sooner or later.

A valuable lesson that I carry with me now from the process is that there is always more than one way of accomplishing anything. Even though you might have failed your way to that less preferred option, everything is still going to come together in the best way possible.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Downtown Charleston never disappoints you. Walking through the market street, harbor and enjoying the picturesque cobblestone streets are some of my favorites. We will stop by for a treat from Belgium Gelato on our way to the Pineapple Fountain and the Rainbow Row. There are so many great restaurants to pick from like Carmella’s cafe, High Cotton and Fleet Landing. Downtown Summerville is another great place to brunch or just have a good time at Montreux Bar & Grill. A walk through Azalea Park would be the perfect complement to a pleasant evening. Coastal Coffee Roasters would be a definite place to stop by at any time of the day.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
The faith of the people around me keeps me going. When you surround yourself with people who believe in you, they encourage you to believe in yourself. I would not have been here without the support and motivation from my entire family and some very close friends. I also have a fantastic team here at My Tutor-To-Go who have just been terrific in helping me navigate these unknown waters.

Website: https://www.mytutortogo.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mytutortogo19/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-tutor-to-go

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/My-Tutor-To-Go-109719184694909

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtds-dkjHQJWdAeSav-TjkA

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