Kumon

In 1958, Toru Kumon was a math teacher in Osaka, Japan, who believed homework could be different. Instead of one worksheet, he created sequences designed to build mastery through progression. The worksheet started simple and increased in difficulty in precise increments. His son excelled. Kumon realized he'd found something scalable. The insight was elegant. One standardized curriculum could work for anyone. A franchise could open a kimon center with no customization. The worksheets existed. The structure existed. The business model was simple. Parents paid monthly, students came after school, worked through worksheets, and progressed. Minimal staffing, minimal variation.