[img_inline align=”right” src=”http://padnws01.mcmaster.ca/images/verma.jpg” caption=”Sunny Verma, who earned his degree in commerce from McMaster’s DeGroote School of Business in 2006, has been recognized by the Globe and Mail as one of Toronto’s top entrepreneurs under the age of 30. His company, TutorBright, provides customized, in-home tutoring and mentorship for students who have difficulty in school. File photo. “]What started out as helping a friend eventually turned into a bright business venture for
McMaster graduate Sunny Verma.

Verma, who earned a commerce degree at McMaster's DeGroote School of Business in
2006, began working for a conference production firm in Toronto after earning his
master's at the University of Waterloo.

“I did what all business grads do – I went to find a job in Toronto, but it just wasn't for
me,” he said. “I always knew I wanted to be an entrepreneur. I wanted to work for myself
and do something that I find meaningful.”

It was when Verma was asked to tutor a friend's sister, however, that he got the idea for
his own company. Working with her, Verma recognized the link between motivation,
inspiration and academic success.

“It was very rewarding to see her progress. I realized that this was an important thing to
do that didn't feel like work to me. I also knew that there was a growing demand for this
service, so I decided to see if I could create a business that paired mentorship with
tutoring.”

He advertised door to door and developed a large enough client base to form
TutorBright, which provides customized in-home tutoring and mentorship for students
who have difficulty in school. As clients began to refer his services to others, the
business started to grow.

“Within about three months I had too many clients to handle on my own so I began to
hire other instructors,” said Verma. “We now have more than 100 instructors.”

TutorBright recently earned Verma recognition by the Globe and Mail as one of
Toronto's top entrepreneurs under the age of 30.

Verma plans to continue developing TutorBright, having recently launched a franchise
model to allow other individuals to open their own local TutorBright, and in September
will implement an e-tutoring platform. TutorBright is also planning to take on the
education needs of aboriginal communities in northern Ontario.

“It's not just about looking at the academic side of things – it's about understanding the
social and psychological aspects before we can even start to address the academic
issues. We need to understand why kids don't want to learn and why they are dropping
out of school,” said Verma. “Since our concept combines academic assistance with
mentorship, I think TutorBright can be the avenue to change the education experience
for students in these communities. We can provide them with the encouragement and
guidance they need to overcome barriers and succeed in school.”

Reflecting on his personal experience, Verma said that there is minimal risk for recent
graduates interested in starting their own business.

“If you've got a good idea, take a chance and go for it. Get feedback from the professors
at DeGroote and utilize what you've learned. My education at DeGroote absolutely
prepared me for my career today. I learned how to put together a product that is wanted
in the market. I also had the opportunity to work with others in group settings, where I
dealt with different personality types and communication styles – something that I
encounter every day in my job. What I learned was invaluable, and now I am able to do
what I always wanted and be an entrepreneur.”