Today we’d like to introduce you to Michele Chisholm.
Hi Michele, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up with a father who struggled to learn to read. School was very difficult for him, and although he barely graduated from high school, the lasting impact was how often he described himself as “dumb.”
Eleven years ago, when my own son began struggling in school, I was determined that his experience with learning to read would be different from my father’s. For three years, I taught him every morning before school. What began as a commitment to my son became one of the most meaningful experiences of my life.
That experience inspired me to create a business dedicated to helping other children learn to read. Today, I own and operate a private tutoring practice that serves 75 students and employs 13 tutors, all focused on changing the academic—and personal—trajectories of children who struggle with reading.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The greatest obstacle was my lack of business knowledge. I have taught myself all along the way using the internet and trial and error. My background was in education not business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
My business focuses on teaching students with dyslexia, as well as students who display early warning signs of dyslexia, including difficulties with spelling, decoding, reading fluency, and word retrieval. Dyslexia is genetic and affects approximately 20% of students.
We use the Barton Reading and Spelling System, an Orton-Gillingham–based program that is widely respected and strongly supported by research. This evidence-based approach is known for its direct, systematic, multisensory, and individualized instruction. It builds strong foundational language skills by engaging multiple senses—sight, sound, touch, and movement—to help students master phonics and decoding.
Because there is such a high demand for dyslexia intervention, families often struggle to find a qualified specialist with availability. By employing and training multiple tutors, I am able to serve students more quickly and rarely maintain a waiting list. I am intentional and selective in my hiring process and invest significant time in training, ensuring that families receive high-quality, effective instruction from exceptional tutors.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
People are often surprised to hear I was just a very average student. People often think that because I own a business and went to BYU, I must have been a very high achieving student. But, that is really not the case. I am driven and a very hard worker and I try to relay that to my students and parents. You do not need to have the very best grades or ACT scores in school to be successful in life and your career.
Pricing:
- $60/50 minute session
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.beautifulmindtutoring.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michele-chisholm-b0996a87/
