The First Tutors Lesson: Are You Building Something You Own?

First Tutors has recently ceased trading, leaving many tutors without a key source of leads, reviews and visibility.In this special episode of Grow Your Tutoring Business, I want to look beyond the immediate frustration and ask a bigger question:What does this teach us about the way we build our tutoring businesses?This episode is not about criticising First Tutors, or the tutors who relied on it. For many years, it helped parents find tutors and gave tutors a valuable source of enquiries. But its closure is a reminder that when too much of your business depends on something you do not own, your business becomes vulnerable.In this episode, I explore:Why access is not the same as ownershipWhy free and cheap platforms have hidden costsWhy serious business results require serious business foundationsWhy tutors need to build assets they controlHow to avoid relying on one source of leadsWhat to build instead: email lists, websites, testimonials, follow-up systems and clear offersFree resources can open the door. Cheap platforms can give you a leg up. But if you want a tutoring business that is secure, profitable and built to last, you need to start laying your own foundations.If this episode makes you realise it is time to take your tutoring business more seriously, have a look at Tutors Who Thrive, the Thrive Business Circle and TutorFest 2026.https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/tutorfest-2026https://www.tutorswhothrive.com/thrivebusinesscircleNeed to retrieve your data from First Tutors?Follow this link to a guide from Tutorperch https://tutorperch.com/first-tutors-closing  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.