We had the good fortune of connecting with Larissa Werner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Larissa, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
There really wasn’t much of a process behind it. It kind of just “happened” during the pandemic, as so many other amazing ideas and businesses did!

At the time, I didn’t have a full time job since I needed the availability to fulfill my internship to achieve my Master’s in Educational Leadership. Of course, little did I know all my big plans would come to a halt when schools closed. I had already been working with a few tutoring students and-given I was pretty much “jobless-decided to wing it by offering to continue lessons online. A few parents agreed without a doubt, others were skeptical, and of course others were going to “wait until everything was back to normal”.

Turns out, weeks turned into months, and more and more families out there began to panic as their children missed out on valuable academic experiences. Little by little, word of mouth brought students pouring in from all over the world. I would work up to 10 hours a day teaching back to back classes on Zoom…all from the comfort and safety of our homes!

Once schools started reopening, I thought I was done. However, it was the complete opposite! Students were willing to continue, but I now had the difficult task of having to cram all of them into an after school schedule since they would be attending school throughout the morning…and there’s only so much I could do on my own. I needed help! Luckily, life has brought some amazing women my way, who have all been an essential part of Learn From Home. They have all come on to the team with a different set of skills and strengths that have allowed us to continue supporting students on a global level.

What should our readers know about your business?
Learn From Home is an online education & tutoring business that fosters a love for learning. Along with my amazing team of tutors, we offer academic support in all core subjects, as well as teach Spanish, English, and French. We work with children as young as two years old and adults.

What sets us apart from others it the fact that we are constantly adapting to each student’s individual needs. No two students are the same and that’s something we should all understand! Even though all of our practices and resources are science and standards-based, we strive to respect each student’s pace and learning style.

In addition to this, but definitely not less important, I would say it’s the human touch of it. As a teacher, both in-person and online, I’ve been told that my greatest asset is the relationships I foster with my students and their parents. For me it goes beyond academics! Learning becomes a lot more significant when you create positive connections and, most importantly, have fun!

Since many potential clients tend to be skeptical about online learning, this is the one factor I’ve probably “drilled” into my team the most…and boy, have they delivered! I see the beautiful and meaningful relationships they build with our students, as well as the care and support they give parents…and it’s a total game changer. It has been the perfect example to back up the fact that even though we’re working online and through a screen, we’re still reaching the goal of making it just as meaningful.

Has it been easy? Probably not. But, totally worth it! For the last few years, I’ve managed to juggle my business along with a full time job as a teacher. It hasn’t left much space or time for anything else. Regardless, with the help of ongoing therapy and an amazing support system, I’ve been able to make time for what’s important -family, relationships, traveling, and overall health- and therefore, reach the certainty that my end goal is to live intentionally and set boundaries where I need to.

Thankfully, I believe I have just reached that point in my life. I’ve recently taken a huge leap of faith on deciding to leave my full time teaching position and going all in on my business. Even though I’m aware an entrepreneur never stops working, I know (and hope) that working on my own terms and schedule will allow me to slow down in so many other aspects of my life which we sometimes take for granted and forget how much more valuable they are over work.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Ahh! Miami and it’s infinite list of fun to-dos! It makes it hard to narrow it down.

When friends are in town, my first thought is Wynwood. There’s just so much to do and see! We’ll usually stroll down their colored streets and will just go with the flow. Some of my favorites around the area are Mister o1 Pizzeria, La Birra Bar, The Taco Stand, and Miam Cafe.

For brunch, I’ve recently become a big fan of Sadelle’s…but honestly, nothing beats the wide variety of Latin restaurants for breakfast foods. As a proud Venezuelan, any place with arepas and tequeños is a must!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am convinced that the individual I am today is thanks to a long list of people and experiences. They are all little pieces that I carry with me on a daily basis.

Career-wise, I come from a family of educators. I grew up within the walls of a classroom and played around on the soil of what is now a prestigious school in my hometown. I’ve watched my grandmother and mother pour their hearts into educating, regardless of the obstacles that were thrown their way. They are my biggest inspiration!

Overall, my family and close friends, deserve a whole lot of credit! They are my biggest cheerleaders and probably the ones who have pushed me to make many of the life-changing decisions I’ve made when it comes to pursuing my own business. They’ve been there through thick and thin!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bymslari/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/larissa-werner-8670a6191/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bymslari

Image Credits
All photos that include children, as well as the close up computer screen one, and the one with more women in it are by Carla Morales from @clickyourmoments

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.