Purpose Before Profit: Sona Shah Of My Private Professor On The Benefits Of Running A Purpose-Driven Business
An Interview With Chad Silverstein
Work With People Who Share Your Vision.
When you work with people who share a collective vision, operating cohesively and staying aligned becomes easier.
In today’s competitive business landscape, the race for profits often takes center stage. However, there are some leaders who also prioritize a mission-driven purpose. They use their business to make a positive social impact and recognize that success isn’t only about making money. In this interview series, we are talking with some of these distinct leaders and I had the pleasure of interviewing Sona Shah.
Sona Shah is the CEO and Founder of My Private Professor, an impact-driven, educational services company that partners with individual and institutional clients to provide a critical academic resource to thousands of students across the country and gives back with every hour to provide free tutoring to students experiencing homelessness.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Our readers would love to get to know you a bit better. Can you tell us your “Origin Story”? Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I grew up in California as the daughter to first-generation immigrant parents. My two brothers and I spent our childhood making use of what we had, mostly through creative pursuits.
In school, I quickly discovered that there were nearly endless opportunities to try new activities and hone in on my interests. I always appreciated hard work and education, and was rewarded for my efforts with scholarships and acceptances into many esteemed institutions including Stanford University. I attended UCLA, which was financially more feasible for me, and graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and with College Honors.
After earning my law degree from UC Berkeley, I practiced business litigation at top law firms in Los Angeles and Orange County. While I appreciated the dynamic work environment and the opportunity to partake in dream roles like second-chairing a jury trial, I wanted to do something more aligned with my core values.
So, despite the plethora of naysayers, I left the legal profession and mustered up the courage to go back to doing something that had fulfilled me for decades, which was tutoring.
I first started tutoring when I was in fifth grade. I would walk to homes in our neighborhood and help younger students with math or English. Throughout middle school and high school, I helped classmates and coordinated a free peer-to-peer tutoring program at our school. In college, I loved finding ways to break down complex concepts to my peers as an undergraduate teaching assistant and college lecture notetaker.
I had always loved watching a student reach that “aha” moment, when all of the dots finally connected and they fully mastered a concept.
Circling back to what I loved years before, I returned to tutoring and began helping students in a variety of subjects and exams at nearby cafes. As demand increased, I added tutors to our team and expanded the breadth of subjects covered. I knew I had found my happy place.
At the same time, I was grateful to serve on the boards of some wonderful nonprofits that support children and families in our community, and I quickly recognized that providing access to academic support was a really meaningful way to help our clients.
Indeed, the data is clear that education is a game-changer for upward mobility and financial stability for individuals and their families. Studies also show that tutoring is one of the best ways to improve educational outcomes.
So I decided to incorporate a giveback model, through which we earmark part of the proceeds of each tutoring hour to provide students in underserved communities and experiencing homelessness access to free tutoring. We also added a sliding scale for tutoring rates to make this resource more accessible for all. And that’s how My Private Professor (MPP) was born.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?
Right after COVID-19 took the world by storm, we quickly shifted our business model to meet the new and emerging needs of students.
We transitioned from in-person to fully online and continued to provide top-notch, individualized tutoring in a remote capacity.
We soon realized that there was a silver lining to this business change: in an online setting, there were no geographical barriers, and so students could have their choice of the best of the best tutors.
During this chaotic time, companies faced challenges with maintaining the productivity of their employees, who were also managing their children’s schooling. We were approached by a variety of businesses and were happy to rise to the occasion and provide a cost-effective solution to their problem. We first broke ground in the automotive subprime lending industry and then began to build momentum in other spaces, partnering with a host of companies in various sectors.
We started building out this new space, adding the B2B path to our existing B2C path. Now, we provide our services to thousands of individuals through our partnerships with corporations, nonprofits, and schools.
Ironically, it was this period marked by a true lack of access — COVID-19 — that led to our realization that we could increase access to learners by expanding who we call our clients.
From the legal industry, to the airline industry, to benefits providers, to international distributors, we provide our services to a wide range of industries and have shown that we cannot be boxed in.
We often learn the most from our mistakes. Can you share one that you made that turned out to be one of the most valuable lessons you’ve learned?
A while back, we were doing everything that we could to support companies during the pandemic. They were asking for a range of resources, and we were committed to delivering. We successfully offered classes, parent meetings, and office hours on top of our tutoring packages.
Although the array of support items was collectively helpful, we eventually determined that, frankly, it wasn’t in our best interest to spread our resources in this manner. We knew that we had to hone in on our expertise and specialty — one-on-one, individualized tutoring — to best support our students, families, and clients.
What we learned is that, to maximize impact, it’s important to narrow your focus to what will provide the most meaningful benefit instead of trying to accomplish everything at once.
As a successful leader, it’s clear that you uphold strong core values. I’m curious what are the most important principles you firmly stand by and refuse to compromise on. Can you share a few of them and explain why they hold such significance for you in your work and life?
Two of our sacred values are quality and connection.
When it comes to the tutors we select for our platform, we refuse to compromise on quality.
While it can be a time-consuming process, we are committed to carefully vetting each prospective tutor to ensure that they have the necessary academic qualifications and accolades, and also share our values. Our bottom line is that we will only consider tutors with whom we would love our own children to work.
What started as a one-woman business now sustains a nationwide network of tutors that hail from top schools across the country including Northwestern University, UCLA, Columbia University, and Stanford University.
Our team is also dedicated to preserving learning spaces that empower students to develop genuine connections with their tutors. Something we’re doing differently from other tutoring platforms is encouraging students and families to take an active role in the tutor-student pairing process.
Our tutor booking process encourages families to review our tutors’ profiles (which include information about their qualifications, background, and interests) and select who they will work with. We know that tutoring works best when students feel connected with their tutor, and we also recognize that when you put students in the driver’s seat, they’ll likely have a better learning experience.
What inspired you to start a purpose-driven business rather than a traditional for-profit enterprise? Can you share a personal story or experience that led you to prioritize social impact in your business?
In the initial stages of developing MPP, while I was serving on the board of some fantastic nonprofits, I recognized that one of the most impactful ways to support individuals in underserved communities was to provide affordable and accessible educational resources.
It was not lost on me that there was a disconnect between my philanthropic work and the tutoring industry. In far too many cases, tutoring is a luxury that is accessible only to those who can afford it.
So, I felt a need to integrate my two passions — philanthropy and education — into a model that creates a space where all students can take advantage of this critical resource, regardless of their financial circumstances.
Can you help articulate a few of the benefits of leading a purpose-driven business rather than a standard “plain vanilla” business?
When you lead a purpose-driven business, you are clear on the greater picture.
Having this collective purpose helps ensure that all team members are in alignment. Anchoring our company’s tactical and strategic goals around our “why” helps us attract talent to join our mission and provides the framework for building, supporting, and expanding our reach.
Whether someone is tutoring on our platform, writing a blog post for us, or communicating with prospective clients, the encompassing goal and purpose are greater than the specific act.
At the end of the day, working in this purpose-driven space inspires us to wake up each day knowing that we are doing something that is meaningful and will help uplift students and their communities.
How has your company’s mission or purpose affected its overall success? Can you explain the methods or metrics you use to evaluate the impact of this purpose-driven strategy on your organization?
Success at MPP is not measured by profit, and our bottom line doesn’t lie in financial gain. Our metric is simple: How many students can we positively impact?
Each time we carve out the space for more students to gain access to high-quality educational resources, we’re gaining traction in empowering the next generation.
To date, we have provided over 500 free tutoring hours to students facing homelessness.
And by continually dedicating a portion of our resources toward providing meaningful resources to those in underserved communities, we’re continually getting one step closer to achieving equity in education. To me, that’s success.
Here’s what some of our clients have to say about their experiences with MPP:
“My Private Professor has been great. I truly appreciate how helpful you have been to schedule my daughter’s tutoring sessions — quick responses and very professional too. This is truly a great program to have available through my employer. I looked at so many other places before realizing I was eligible because I had just started. But this has literally saved me hundreds of dollars each month and reduced so much stress for both me and my daughter! [Our MPP tutor] has been great too. My daughter is on the shy side and [our MPP tutor] has been patient. She helped my daughter learn and understand math concepts and problems. She earned a B on [her] last test!”
- Melanie, MPP Client
“My Private Professor has been an incredible source of teaching, confidence, and self-esteem for our ninth-grader. His first experience with true high school “honors” classes had him questioning everything. Fortunately, MPP stepped in with its guiding hand and matched him with the best tutor for his needs. We have partnered with MPP multiple times over the semester. Each encounter has been thorough, informative, and educational for our student as well as us. Thank you to the MPP team for this incredible service to our kids!”
- Lisa, MPP Client
“My students have had a wonderful experience with their tutors and MPP. [My student] has felt comfortable and was able to have his questions answered. The tutors are knowledgeable and eager to help. MPP has meant so much to my family. I can see the confidence in them understanding their assignments. I feel so relieved that they are receiving such wonderful sessions. [MPP’s services] make me so happy.”
- Corina, MPP Client
Can you share a pivotal moment when you realized that leading your purpose-driven company was actually making a significant impact? Can you share a specific example or story that deeply resonated with you personally?
Recently, we were recognized with the “National Philanthropy Day Award for Outstanding Small Business.” We were grateful to learn that four fantastic nonprofits that we support had separately nominated us for this honor.
At the event, I had the opportunity to share the impact of education and our vision for access with close to 900 community leaders and philanthropists. To be honored alongside some truly inspirational movers and shakers in our community for the work that we do is surreal and has energized us to do more for more in 2024 and beyond.
Have you ever faced a situation where your commitment to your purpose and creating a positive social impact clashed with the profitability in your business? Have you ever been challenged by anyone on your team or have to make a tough decision that had a significant impact on finances? If so, how did you address and reconcile this conflict?
One of our greatest strengths has been our ability to adapt to best meet the needs of our students.
To make tutoring more affordable and accessible for all, we offer a sliding-scale pricing model as well as tutoring grants.
Regardless of whether we’re offering free tutoring or not, we pay our tutors their tutoring rate. We do that so that we (and our clients) can rest assured that our tutors will provide the highest caliber of tutoring to all students, whether they’re the children of CEOs or students residing in an emergency shelter.
Through our business model, we unconditionally allocate 10% of the net proceeds from each tutoring hour to support students experiencing homelessness to ensure that they have access to the academic support they need to succeed. This is a sacred, unconditional aspect of our business model.
From the impetus of My Private Professor, I received some push-back from business-savvy colleagues who advised me to prioritize making a profit before focusing on how to give back.
But when people tell me that I can’t do something, I really do use that as fuel to drive me. From day one, I’ve felt strongly that we can build this sustainable business model. And I’ve always known that developing a model that speaks to my “why” is going to be my unquestionable priority.
10. What advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs who wish to start a purpose-driven business? What are your “5 Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Purpose-Driven Business.”
- Lead with Your Why.
When you are developing a purpose-driven business, I believe that, as Simon Sinek suggests, you must focus on being true to your “why.” When you lead with your Why (why do you want to create this business and provide this service?), the “what” usually falls into place.
To create a business based on your Why is to create a business with an authentic mission.
Our mission is to provide top-notch, individualized tutoring to empower all students to succeed in school. Our goal is to maximize impact among students, whether or not they are paying clients.
This end-goal provides us with the needed framework through which we carry out strategic and tactical decisions, and it anchors our perspective to the greater goal of ensuring that our services open doors for as many students as possible.
2. Nurture Your Work Culture.
To succeed, purpose-driven businesses must preserve and protect their work culture.
At My Private Professor, we nurture a culture that prioritizes our team members’ well-being and also ensures that every team member feels respected and able to communicate their needs.
We continually work to create a space in which our team feels comfortable to show up authentically, share their perspectives, give constructive feedback, and take ownership of their work.
Consequently, whenever an obstacle arises, we leverage our strengths, resources, and alignment to adapt to the situation and grow as a result.
3. Always Keep Evolving.
To thrive in any space, purpose-driven businesses must continually evolve to best meet the needs of their clients.
As our world develops and advances, our team at My Private Professor continues to follow in stride. As MPP has grown, we have expanded our reach and, in turn, elevated our impact.
During the pandemic, we recognized that working parents’ challenges balancing all of their responsibilities surged. We also realized that students faced setbacks as they adjusted to online school.
It was clear to us that this presented an opportunity to expand our business to meet the evolving needs of both students and parents, while continuing to support as many learners as possible.
So we expanded our clientele on an institutional level and began helping businesses provide tutoring to employees’ families to help working parents balance their work and family responsibilities and help students get the individualized academic support they needed.
Beyond this, we found ways to support students in myriad ways during the pandemic.
For instance, we offered free online office hours, spearheaded summer enrichment classes for students while camps were closed, and expanded our tutoring team to be able to provide services in every time zone across the country.
4. Work With People Who Share Your Vision.
When you work with people who share a collective vision, operating cohesively and staying aligned becomes easier.
When onboarding all prospective tutors and employees, our indispensable standard is that we will only work with people who share the collective desire to empower learners by leveraging our resources to uplift as many students as possible.
We always return to our end-goal and the greater picture, which is developing equitable resources for all learners. Having this overarching vision in the back of our minds provides us with a distinct direction that helps us remain aligned and focused forward.
5. Focus on the Clients.
As a team, we know that it is essential that you keep your clients’ needs in the forefront of your business operations at all times.
At My Private Professor, one of the ways we have done this is by making our booking process incredibly easy, and something clients can execute all on their own within a minute.
That being said, we offer on-demand customer service — with real humans, not a bot — so clients can always get in touch with us (whether via text, email, phone call, or the customer service chat available on our website) to solve an issue they are facing or have their questions answered.
When we work with you, regardless of whether you are a 10-person or 10,000-person company, we harness our resources to maximize your budget and needs.
I’m interested in how you instill a strong sense of connection with your team. How do you nurture a culture where everyone feels connected to your mission? Could you share an example or story that showcases how your purpose has positively influenced or motivated people on your team to contribute?
For us, instilling this connection can be particularly challenging, because our entire team is remote. As such, we need to continually and intentionally ensure that everyone is in alignment; and we do this without ever meeting each other in person.
Each member of our team plays an integral role in fulfilling our mission. This can only happen if we take ego out of the equation and nurture an open line of communication without micromanaging one another.
Through a combination of open conversation, brainstorming sessions, and excellent organizational management, our team has grown in alignment and continues to build momentum.
In the initial stages of the pandemic, we saw how true alignment can drive action forward during a time of need.
In the summer of 2020, just months into the pandemic, we wanted to provide free online writing classes to help students in underserved communities get up to speed before the new school year. While interviewing tutors to see which would be the best fit to lead this effort, I can’t tell you how moving it was to have so many of our tutors step up and offer to tutor students for free. We of course paid our tutors for their help, but it was so heart-warming to see their willingness to do what they could to help us further our mission to provide educational resources to all.
Imagine we’re sitting down together two years from now, looking back at your company’s last 24 months. What specific accomplishments would have to happen for you to be happy with your progress?
We are in a place where I am already happy with our progress. Knowing that we are helping even one student at a time means our efforts are worthwhile. We have built a model that will continue to provide critical support to an ever-increasing number of students. This trajectory will be something that I know we will look back on and reflect with gratitude.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I would like to drive forward a movement that advocates for access to quality educational resources for all — and particularly, for those in underserved communities. I would like to ensure that individualized, academic support is a tool that is available to everyone since it is a tool that can truly uplift students, families, and communities — in this generation and in generations to come.
How can our readers further follow your work or your company online?
We would love to hear from your readers! Please check out our website below, visit our social media pages, or contact us by phone or email.
(909) 529–1412
https://myprivateprofessor.com
support@myprivateprofessor.com
Facebook | Twitter | YouTube | Instagram | LinkedIn — MPP | LinkedIn — Sona Shah
This was great. Thanks for taking time for us to learn more about you and your business. We wish you continued success!
About the Interviewer: Chad Silverstein, a seasoned entrepreneur with over two decades of experience as the Founder and CEO of multiple companies. He launched Choice Recovery, Inc., a healthcare collection agency, while going to The Ohio State University, His team earned national recognition, twice being ranked as the #1 business to work for in Central Ohio. In 2018, Chad launched [re]start, a career development platform connecting thousands of individuals in collections with meaningful employment opportunities, He sold Choice Recovery on his 25th anniversary and in 2023, sold the majority interest in [re]start so he can focus his transition to Built to Lead as an Executive Leadership Coach. Learn more at www.chadsilverstein.com
