I am De Lawrence Burns and I am the Dallas City Coach and business owner. I've been with The Knight School for about 10 years but I've been a city coach for five years and this is going into my sixth year. I knew nothing about chess before I started. My grandfather and I used to play checkers, and I grew up in a family of teachers and always said I never wanted to be a teacher. And now I'm like a business owner and a teacher now with The Knight School.
I feel like The Knight School is great because it gives you an opportunity to own your own business. You work with kids. It's really gratifying - gratifying is the word! I literally get to party all day every day with the kids and watch them get smarter. I love that! I feel so grateful for this opportunity and I get to make money while I'm doing it. It's awesome! Chess just makes you smart. It involves a lot of critical thinking, logic, strategy - it really increases one's confidence.
The Knight School is very different than all the other chess programs. To me, a lot of other chess programs are strictly just chess and no
fun. Fun first and chess second: that's what The Knight School is all about. The Knight School (TKS) curriculum works very well because it's a proven curriculum. The program speaks
for itself in the fact that we've been around for at least 10 years (The Knight School was founded in 2007) and this company is [still] growing. It's proven that kids want to be a part of The Knight School.
The Knight School supports city coaches all the time. Dr. Brooks, The National Founder and Executive Director, sets the guidelines for us to follow. Everything is clear. Everything is black and white, so you can understand what's going on. If you don't understand something, you can talk to him about it. In order to be a successful city coach, in The Knight School you have to have people skills. You don't have to know how to play chess, because it's easy to learn. You can learn it! I didn't know how to play chess. You have to have a drive to want to make your business grow.
The biggest challenges that I faced were just getting the word out there because when we would do a demo class the schools would love us. Looking back on it, even the schools that didn't want us then [definitely] want us now. In the first year, I probably had seven schools. In 2019, I had about 25 schools and over 300 kids. The Knight School embraces and boasts kid-centered learning, world-class support for business owners, and the power to change lives.
I get to be in the community. I get to go to different communities outside of the community that I live in. I first knew that I had become a part of the fabric of the community when I saw a Knight School magnet on a car in Dallas Texas. I knew that the reason the magnet was on the car was because I brought The Knight School to Dallas, Texas.
This is the best job I've ever had. Being a Knight School city coach is the best job I've ever had! Learn more at www.theknightschool.com.
WHAT IS OWNING A TKS BUSINESS LIKE?
WHY TEACH CHESS?
Profound Impact
Profound Impact: Chess is the best and most well-researched way to positively impact young lives and make a meaningful difference for the next generation. Read more.
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Sustainable Business: Most kids' programs and activities are limited by 1-2 semesters of curriculum. Chess, however, is unique in that it takes a lifetime to master and continues to help kids grow indefinitely. That means with chess, kids continue to return, enrolling year after year.
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Easy for Beginners to Learn: With our seasoned guidance, you can quickly learn the chess you'll need to be an amazing chess teacher and chess business owner, even if you're starting completely from scratch.
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More than Trending: Chess has been played for 1,500 years at this point, and it's more popular now than it's ever been in history. If you're starting a business, you will need something you can count on sticking around.
More than Trending
Easy for Beginners to Learn
Sustainable Business
WHERE IS THE KNIGHT SCHOOL NOW?
The Knight School is sweeping the nation due to its revolutionary approach and its proven and veteran-educator-developed national curriculum.
New Owners that join now will be getting in near the ground floor of this fast-growing national phenomenon!
Check out this list of locations we plan to expand to very soon! Locations are protected and first-come, first-served!
WHAT SUPPORT DOES THE KNIGHT SCHOOL PROVIDE?
Large Protected Territories: Unlike most other after-school program businesses, TKS's territories are large and sustainable for business owners. Compared to some organizations, our territories are over 10 times as large.
Educator Established and Proven: When you start a TKS Business, you get a nationally standardized curriculum that was created by veteran classroom educators in 2007 and since has been honed and proven year after year and in location after location.
Packaged Lessons: Every lesson for every age group throughout every single week of the school year and summer has been packaged and can be digitally accessed by TKS owners.
Business Training: When you are starting out, TKS will take you from A to Z to make sure you are equipped and ready. We cover everything from sales to customer service and from classroom management to training of your own future staff.
Chess Training: We don't assume you even know how to name the pieces when you start. If you want to help kids and you have the qualifications listed later on this webpage, we will teach you the chess you'll need to get started during our onboarding process.
Consultation and Ongoing Support: Helping you succeed at having a thriving business is TKS's #2 priority, only after the wellbeing of the kids themselves. TKS is quick to respond and always willing to go the extra mile.
Autonomy: Sometimes the best support is providing autonomy. While we will always be available for consultation, once you are up-and-running, we won't require constant, monthly updates and reports like many other businesses.
Software: TKS Business Owners have free access to enrollment and attendance software as well as training to get set up.
Supplies: TKS Business Owners have access to premium quality chess sets, all 52 unique silicone wristbands (representative of the lessons in our combined national curricula), trademarked t-shirts, and many other items.
Kid-Centered Spirit: With TKS, you are starting a rare gem of a business that, from beginning to end truly places kids first and is genuinely making the world a better place. No gimmicks. Just authentically helping change kids' lives for the better.
Much More: Just a handful of the additional ways that TKS supports its business owners are: tools to train your staff, tools to manage your business, regular newsletters that can be used in your own city for your families, access to our proven marketing plan, our innovative tech pack system for operating classes, and the network of other TKS Business owners.
Click LEARN MORE below for additional details about how TKS supports its Business Owners!
Much More
Kid-Centered Spirit
Supplies
Software
Autonomy
Consultation and Ongoing Support
Chess Training
Business Training
Packaged Lessons
Educator Established and Proven
Large Protected Territories
WHAT ARE THE KNIGHT SCHOOL BUSINESS OWNERS SAYING?
As a former classroom teacher, it is such a gift to provide such a positive and fun environment for kiddos to learn and grow in! Is there anything better than playing games, telling jokes, and having fun while simultaneously helping to instill critical life lessons and build independent thinkers and learners?
-Samantha Pellittieri,
TKS North Austin, TX
Business Owner/City Coach
Being a City Coach for The Knight School is the most fun I’ve ever had at work, and the entire system of The Knight School America really works to ensure the success of my business. I can’t imagine any other business being as rewarding as The Knight School.
-Davis Talley
TKS North Atlanta, GA
Business Owner/City Coach
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Becoming a city coach with The Knight School is the best decision I have ever made. My passion has always been to help make an impact on how kids think and their self-esteem. This job allows me to fulfill that passion in such a creative and fun way! Not only do I love going to work every day, but I also have the freedom and financial stability to have the personal life I desire.
-Bria Druilhet,
TKS San Antonio, TX
Business Owner/City Coach
Being a Knight School City Coach is the best job in the world.
Having the flexibility of running my own successful business while making a positive difference in young lives is a win-win.
I feel so fortunate to have found this opportunity!
-REB Phillips,
TKS Jacksonville, FL
Business Owner/City Coach
INVEST IN YOUR COMMUNITY!
Change Lives: Chess may be the best possible way to change lives and invest in the next generation!
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Scholarships: Most TKS Business Owners are able to give many, many partial and full scholarships to families that need it, making all the benefits of chess accessible to everyone.
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Sponsored Classes: There are many grants available and donors interested in providing chess to entire schools in their communities due to its many investments. Check out this School Mates Program video for example.
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Free Classes: Many of our TKS Business Owners offer some of their classes or camps totally for free. TKS Business Owners have the option to launch these free classes and are encouraged to do so as soon as they are comfortable with their new businesses!
Free Classes
Sponsored Classes
Scholarships
Change Lives
MAKE A POSITIVE AND LASTING IMPACT ON YOUNG LIVES!
WHAT ARE THE QUALIFICATIONS?
No Chess Background Needed: We make sure all our new TKS Owners have the chess knowledge they need by the time they launch their businesses - even if they didn't know any at the time they first connected with us.
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TOP 5 QUALIFICATIONS FOR TKS BUSINESS OWNERS
No Chess Background Needed
Desire to Make a Positive Impact
#1 Desire to Make a Positive Impact: The most important factor is that City Coaches need to care deeply about making a difference in their communities and investing in the lives of young people. The Knight School was founded and is run to this day by educators and people with a desire to improve the lives of others.
Drive
#2 Drive: Owning a TKS Business can be a great path to personal autonomy, flexibility, and business-ownership. While we provide new TKS Business Owners the tools they need to succeed, their ultimate success, especially the first couple years, is determined primarily by their own commitment, effort, and determination.
Great With People
#3 Great With People: TKS City Coaches are emotionally intelligent, warm, and professional human beings that exude positivity, regardless of whether they are interacting in-person, over the phone, or even over email. Local TKS Business Owners are the face of TKS for their respective cities, and The Knight School is very selective in this regard.
Dependable
#4 Dependable: TKS City Coaches are people that have extremely strong attention-to-detail and can be counted on to follow-through on any and all commitments they make. They never cut corners, and they take their word seriously to the degree that it's a noticeable personality trait.
Leadership
#5 Leadership: TKS Business Owners must be positive and supportive leaders for the School Coaches in their respective locations. Great candidates should either have prior leadership experience or understand that leadership is both a privilege and a responsibility and be committed to being a servant-leader for their future team.
Do you have what it takes to be successful and impact your community as a TKS Business Owner? Click below to connect with us or learn more!
7 STEPS TO START YOUR TKS BUSINESS
Depending on what time of year you start, you could be launching your business and running your first class in as little as 3 months from the day you first connect.
WHAT LOCATIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE?
Click on your state below to find out whether TKS is now looking for a TKS Business Owner in your location!
TKS is very selective in choosing who it awards the opportunity to run a TKS business, but all business locations are protected by TKS once awarded and are no longer eligible for new TKS businesses. If your preferred location is still available, consider connecting today!
GET FREE INFO ABOUT OWNING A BUSINESS WITH THE KNIGHT SCHOOL
The Knight School is looking for a few amazing people to bring into our family. What we offer to those who meet our qualifications is almost impossible to believe: a career where you choose your own hours, be your own boss, earn a great living, radically improve your community and its children, and go to sleep very happy and unstressed every night. Complete the form above to learn more today!
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The Knight School is an equal opportunity employer.
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Nothing on this page is meant to indicate any job offer or any award of TKS business ownership. Applicants that receive employment offers or that are awarded the opportunity to own a franchise will be notified accordingly in writing.
​This website and the franchise sales information contained herein do not constitute an offer to sell a franchise. The offer to sell a franchise can only be made through an individually addressed, explicit offer in writing to do so combined with the delivery of a franchise disclosure document. Currently, the following states regulate the offer and sale of franchises: California, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Moreover, we will not offer or sell franchises in those states until we have registered the franchise (or obtained an applicable exemption from registration) and delivered the franchise disclosure document to the prospective franchisee in compliance with applicable law.
RESIDENTS OF NEW YORK: This advertisement is not an offering. An offering can only be made by a franchise disclosure document filed with the Department of Law of the State of New York. Such filing does not constitute approval by the Department of Law of the State of New York.
OUR WEBSITE HAS NOT BEEN REVIEWED OR APPROVED BY THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL PROTECTION AND INNOVATION. ANY COMPLAINTS CONCERNING THE CONTENT OF THIS WEBSITE MAY BE DIRECTED TO THE CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF FINANCIAL PROTECTION AND INNOVATION AT WWW.DFPI.CA.GOV.​