Today we’d like to introduce you to Saundra Carter The Math Lady (R).
Hi Saundra Carter, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
As a youth, Saundra Carter, The Math Lady ®, recalled many times stating emphatically “I HATE MATH”. That sentiment changed with her 11th grade Math teacher’s simplistic and artistic approach to math that made it fun and easier to decipher. Inspired by her math teacher’s impact on her attitude toward math, she started tutoring as a ministry in churches and schools in Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia.
She is a native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana where she graduated with honors from Southern University Laboratory School and cum laude from Southern University A&M with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science and a minor in Mathematics. After moving to Atlanta, Georgia she earned a Master of Science in Computer Science from The Georgia Institute of Technology.
In 2003, she started a Math tutoring business Math 1 On 1, LLC. This business has grown from 1 on 1 Math tutoring to Chemistry and Physics tutoring, developing educational materials, and teaching Math classes.
In 2011, Math 1 On 1, LLC obtained the exclusive right to the service mark The Math Lady ® from the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
You can read articles about her work in The Atlanta Journal Constitution, Black Enterprise, Up Close and Personal in Tucker magazine, and the Association for Women in Science magazine.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The struggle is increasing the sense of urgency to get students assistance with math, chemistry, and physics early in the school year rather than later. As the saying goes “It is better to keep up rather than to catch up”.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
While working in the telecommunications industry full time, Ms. Carter started a Mathematics tutoring business called Math 1 On 1, LLC in 2003. With this business she has been given the opportunity to tutor hundreds of students, to train, and to employ the next generation of tutors who share her passion of building young people and furthering the interest in Math and Science among the youth. She is most proud of being in the position to build up young people at all academic levels.
Her specialty is tutoring and developing educational materials for youth. Her first published work was a book entitled “How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math”. It is the textbook for all of her classes. Her first video production “The Math Lady DVD ®: Fun, Interactive Math Workshop” is the accompaniment to the book. After developing, producing, and teaching the Fun, Interactive Math Workshops for youth in grades 3 – 10, she developed and produced the SAT Math Boot Camp to teach students how to earn more points on the Math portion of the SAT and to improve basic Math skills. Students have seen an average 60-point increase in their SAT Math scores after taking the SAT Math Boot Camp.
As a result of her fund-raising efforts, most of the students attend these classes at no charge due to the generosity of sponsoring businesses and individuals.
Her goal is to not only empower the youth in the areas of math and science, but also to tell the story of her entrepreneurial journey to motivate adults and youth to start their own businesses. She hopes students and adults alike will move from fear to ferocity, from pain to power, and from apathy to academic and entrepreneurial excellence. This sets her apart from others.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Although there are many great male and female Math teachers, there was no “Math Lady” to emulate. Gathering ideas from various experts was essential in developing The Math Lady ® brand.
The recommendation is putting yourself out there and attending networking events. If you have the opportunity to grab the microphone, by all means take it.
Prepare yourself with a passionate and compelling elevator pitch and tag line. Both must include others not just yourself. The inclusion of others attracts people to you who want to support you and your business.
What has worked well is connecting others who may be able to help each other. Their new connection has nothing to do with Math.
When others see that you are willing to help other people, they will help you.
Additionally, having an advisory board of mentors and experts is essential. The varying opinions and recommendations from those in varying fields other than Math give points of view that may be missed that are just as important as “doing the math”.
“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisers they succeed.” [Proverbs 15:22, NIV]
Pricing:
- SAT Math Boot Camp $225 (including shipping in US)
- book: How to Help Parents and Kids Get Over the Fear of Math $28 (including shipping in US)
- video: The Math Lady ® DVD: Fun, Interactive Math Workshop $43 (including shipping in US}
- book + video bundle $58 (including shipping in US)
- Contact us for Tutoring prices (404) 358-2383 or email:
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.math1on1.net/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheMathLadyR/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/math-1-on-1-llc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwbycIFMOwT02KDa9z2mYEQ
