Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jess Arce. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Jess, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Talk to us about building your team? What was it like? What were some of the key challenges and what was your process like?

Starting my business was an exciting journey, but it was also intimidating. One of the most crucial decisions I made was whether or not to hire employees. In 2012, I embarked on a journey to share my passion of helping a handful of students who struggled with reading and spelling. I tutored only a couple of hours a week.

Within a year, I had taken on over a dozen students, and I was determined to expand my horizons further. I pursued certification as a tutor and subsequently specialized as a Dyslexia expert. Along the way, I met a remarkable part-time tutor who not only shared my passion but also became a great friend. Our business arrangement lasted for a few years until we went our separate ways, and I went back to tutoring by myself.

In 2019, I faced an exhausting challenge, juggling homeschooling two children and tutoring 30 hours a week. In a bold move, I decided to expand my tutoring business and hired three new part-time tutors. Among them was a stay-at-home mom looking to make a difference with her new found free time. I mentored her closely and took great pride in seeing her grow and flourish.

Unfortunately, the experience wasn’t without its share of difficulties. One of my part-time tutors took advantage of my kindness and started her own tutoring company, taking six of my students with her. However, I learned a valuable lesson and remained committed to my vision of building a successful tutoring company.
Later that same summer, I got a phone call from an experienced Orton-Gillingham tutor who was relocating back to California and was looking for work. I trained her using my program, and she has been a blessing every day since then. The third tutor didn’t really want to work and fizzled out when COVID hit.
In early 2020, I added a new tutor to my team and opened a tutoring center. But when COVID arrived in March, I believed it would only be temporary and planned to shut down for a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, by May, I realized that I had to close the center permanently due to the pandemic. Despite the difficulties, I remained determined and decided to switch to a completely virtual tutoring model to continue my business.

With the help of a talented virtual assistant, who’s business model is to help new companies stand on their own tow feet, I recruited and trained three new tutors and two foreign virtual assistants, enabling me to grow my business significantly.

By August 2020, I was determined to shift 3D Learning Experts permanently to operation as a virtual platform. I recognized the need for an extra pair of hands and decided to hire my first virtual assistant to help me grow my tutoring business. Her contribution was invaluable, and she played a crucial role in expanding our workforce. As the demand for our services picked up in December 2020, I recruited three new tutors to join our team and in January 2021 we hired two foreign virtual assistants.

Leveraging my wealth of experience gained from the past decade, training and mentoring new hires came naturally to me. However, as I had no prior experience leading an administrative team, I sought to upskill myself by learning new management strategies. By December 2021, I had developed the necessary expertise to run the company independently, without the assistance of my first virtual assistant, who was not intended to be a permanent member of the team. In April 2022, I welcomed my third virtual assistant to the company, confident in my ability to manage a growing team of talented individuals.

Jess, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

3D Learning Experts, formerly known as Lexia Learners, is a company that has been assisting students who are struggling with reading, writing, spelling, and mathematics because of Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, or Dyscalculia since its establishment. The company helps hundreds of students every year to improve their confidence and academic abilities from the comfort of their own home through online private tutoring.

At 3D Learning Experts, their goal is to assist students in achieving academic success, and a positive sense of well-being through personalized emotional and academic support utilizing proven, systematic, multi-sensory techniques to teach our students, incorporating auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learning styles in all of the subjects we teach. Our team of professional tutors utilizes Orton-Gillingham based reading and spelling instruction. We provide tutoring services to students who are seven years of age and older and have difficulty learning due to neurodiversities. Our aim is to equip our students with the necessary tools and strategies to overcome their learning challenges and achieve long-term academic success.

The online tutoring program provided by 3D Learning Experts gets to the root of the issues, allowing students to make connections and understand the material, resulting in a lifetime of improved reading, writing, spelling, math, and verbal communication skills. It provides a comprehensive solution that goes beyond traditional tutoring to enable life long success.

Jess Arce, the renowned CEO, and Director of 3D Learning Experts and America’s Dyslexia Expert is a force to be reckoned with in the world of education. Her passion for helping struggling students with learning challenges to succeed both in school and in life has made her a best-selling author, host of “The Learning Disability Experts” podcast and YouTube channel, and a sought-after speaker at conferences and events virtually and across the country.

As a Dyslexic herself, married to a Dyslexic, and a mother to four children with nine neurodiversities, Jess’ personal journey of discovery led her to dedicate her life to helping others on the neurodiverse journey. Jess’s unwavering commitment to empowering students with learning challenges has earned her numerous accolades, including features on several conferences and podcasts such as A Winning Cup Podcast, Pam Prior Show, Transformation Talk Radio, Homeschooling Children with Special Needs Summit, and Women’s Entrepreneur Network.

With her magnetic personality and impressive credentials, Jess is a true trailblazer in the field of Dyslexia education, inspiring and empowering students, parents, and educators alike to achieve their full potential.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Growing up Dyslexic, resilience is my middle name. I believe that is a “Superpowers” all neurodiverse individuals have in common. We need to be resilient in order to do what others can do naturally – one of the reasons why people like me are often considered resilient is because we have to learn to adapt and find alternative ways of learning and processing information. Dyslexia can make reading and writing challenging, but it can also give rise to unique strengths and abilities, like exceptional spatial reasoning skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities. We face challenges throughout our lives that require us to develop coping strategies and resilience. It can be frustrating and anxiety-inducing, especially in academic settings, but many of us learn to manage these feelings and find ways to succeed despite our difficulties. With appropriate accommodations and support, we can thrive in a variety of settings and achieve our goals. So, while Dyslexia can be challenging, it can also give rise to exceptional resilience and success, and that’s something we should celebrate.

At fifteen years old, I desired to attend a unique public high school, one that could cater to my individuality and offer me the flexibility I craved. However, my hopes were dashed when I was rejected following the admission interview. The panel expressed concerns about my academic capabilities, apprehensive that I would not graduate or be college-ready. Their decision not to accept me was a crushing blow, but I refused to give up on my dreams to graduate high school.
Determined to find an alternative, I confided in a friend who had discovered a private alternative high school. The institution offered a program that was tailor-made for me – small class sizes, a pliable curriculum, and an accelerated pace.

Despite the challenges, I persevered, working hard to overcome every obstacle in my path. I focused on my studies, and my hard work paid off as I graduated, not only on time but a year ahead of schedule. Even more remarkably, I was able to embark on my college journey at the tender age of 17.
My journey was not without its setbacks, but I learned that resilience is the key to success. By never giving up and always striving for excellence, I was able to achieve my goals and make my dreams a reality.

Have you ever had to pivot?

COVID-19 was a transformative event for people all over the world, and I was no exception. When the pandemic hit, I had just opened a new tutoring center three months earlier, however, I was forced to close the doors to the physical location due to the outbreak. It was a difficult setback, and I was left feeling lost and uncertain about my future. In addition, my business closed due to the pandemic.

It was a time for personal growth, and I began by allowing myself to be vulnerable by crying in public for the first time. I had the time to read my first book cover to cover, something I had never had an opportunity to do before.
Instead of hurrying around in my Suburban, shuttling my four children to their many commitments, we all stayed home and I learned how to build relationships on the small computer screen. It was a challenging experience, at first, however it helped me to develop and adapt as a person, which has been invaluable to me. I

Contact Info:

• Website: 3DLearningExperts.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/3dlearningexperts
• Facebook: facebook.com/3DLearningExpert
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/3DLearningExperts
• Youtube: youtube.com/@3DLearningExperts
• Other: anchor.fm/theldexperts wow.link/spotify-theldexperts wow.link/google-theldexperts

Image Credits
Jess- Pamela of 28 Sunflowers Photography The Brain Guy Ti Alexander girl – prostock-studio via Canva boy – Lunamaria via Canva