Lucky and Alex had some good suggestions for you, so I'm going to come from a completely different angle.
When considering expansion (or just starting up for that matter), it is extremely helpful to envision what you want both your company
and your work life to look like. Then build your company so that it reaches your vision. You want to make sure that you are driving your business, that it's not driving you!
I am going to make some assumptions about you and your business from your posts. Please forgive me if I'm off-base or just plain wrong! It's easier to truly understand someone when you talk to them in person or on the phone. I will do my best nonetheless.
About differentiation in the marketplace: You seem to have so much heart around the service you're providing, making sure that the approach of your tutors is effective and upbeat. The pricing is less than several competitors. It also sounds to me like there is something around hearth and home that you really value in the work you do.
Effective, upbeat, less expensive--it sounds to me like you are already differentiating yourself more than you realize. I would recommend exploring that differentiation, especially the piece around hearth and home, within yourself. What does tutoring in the warmth of the kitchen mean to you? What might it mean to your students? What is the effect on them and on their parents?
Identify the values you are honoring. Then make sure you are communicating those values throughout your marketing efforts, including how you talk about your business in casual situations or with complete strangers. The conviction you feel will come through. If the people you connect with honor those values, too, they will be more likely to utilize and/or refer business to you. Kids are extremely important to their parents and clearly to you as well. Utilize those incredibly honorable intentions of yours to attract parents to your services. Make an emotional connection.
About managing your growth: Make sure you are designing your work life in alignment with your own values. I think you said it was really important for you to tutor students directly, as well as brokering the services of other tutors. If you are tutoring directly, do you want to be doing it at night, on weekends, after school? Which daypart will give you the time you need to be with your own family (if you have one), or recharge your own batteries through connecting with friends, working out, etc. Then make sure that the time you are working is the time when you want to be working. Assign the rest to other tutors.
Use technology to make yourself highly efficient. For example, is it possible for your tutor to log-in to your website and record hours that are transmitted directly to an client invoice and to a tutor 'record of hours worked' without additional human interaction? I bet there is, and I bet someone on this site will be able to direct you to more than one resource. Is it okay with your clients to receive their bills via email? Lots of time saved there. These are just a couple of thoughts I had. You might already be doing them.
Finally, look at your pricing. You mentioned that you have priced yourself lower than your competitors. This is not uncommon of people who are just starting out. I watch my own clients go through this all the time. I will tell you what I tell them: Since you've now been in business several years, it might be time to re-evaluate your pricing structure. If you are really good, and you are already getting a considerable amount of business through referrals, it might just be time to take the leap and charge more. You might have a smaller client base at first, but you will be presently surprised how much pressure is taken off of you, because you will be generating more income with less time spent working. The business will continue to grow at a competitive rate until it reaches or
exceeds the rates of your competitors. Nothing like being the best and being paid for it!
Anyway, Coffeebean, I hope this has been helpful. If you have other questions, please feel free to ask.
Terri Fry Brukhartz, LCSW
www.coachterri.com
