Alverno Entrepreneur: Bonnie Edwards

After a fulfilling career as a middle-school teacher, Bonnie J. Edwards '99 '03 '04 '14 was looking forward to enjoying her retirement with her husband. But it wasn't long before a new path — entrepreneurship — presented itself.

“I have a part of me who is still in the classroom. So I thought, why don't I go online to see if there is some work I can perhaps do from home,” says Bonnie, who earned her bachelor's and master's degrees at Alverno as well as two advanced teaching licenses. “The opportunity came to us.”

That opportunity was to purchase and open a franchise of Club Z! Tutoring Services, which provides in-home and online tutoring to students of all ages throughout the United States. After extensive research, as well as several heart-to-hearts with the company's founder and chief executive, Bonnie and husband Cary Edwards stepped out of their brief retirement to open Club Z! Tutoring of Milwaukee and Brookfield. They celebrated their grand opening in May and haven't looked back.

“We meet some of the most amazing families — parents who care about their children,” Bonnie says. “It's a family business and for our clients, it's a family affair.”

Bonnie and Cary have since hired 10 tutors and are working with several families, with plans for continued growth throughout the new school year.

“Our motto is that we educate, we elevate, and then we celebrate,” Bonnie says, while signing a certificate of completion for a fifth-grader who completed her six-week tutoring session. “She's shown growth, and mom and dad are very happy.”