Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy J. Tran.
Jimmy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
My name is Jimmy J. Tran and I’ve lived in Dallas for 20+ years. I first came to Dallas to attend SMU under the generous and prestigious Hunt Leadership Scholarship, which selects 20 students a year to receive a nearly full-tuition scholarship to attend SMU. I’m extremely grateful to both the Hunt Family as well as SMU, which gave me the opportunity to study abroad in Denmark & Australia, hone my leadership skills, and, most importantly, meet my wonderful wife, Lisa.
After SMU, I worked in strategy consulting at Bain and Company and then to graduate school at Harvard, where I obtained both a MBA and MPA. Afterwards, I continued to work in consulting for a few more years, then moved into an in-house strategy role at CBRE, where I was until the COVID pandemic hit.
COVID has granted me the opportunity to take a different direction in my life and career. I have always been passionate about education and have been looking for something that fuses my interests in business, community engagement and fatherhood. After much exploration, I discovered the fastest-growing computer coding franchise in the world – Code Ninjas, which is based just outside of Houston. Amazingly, Code Ninjas did not have a location in Dallas (only in the outer suburbs). Shortly after this realization, I signed an area development agreement to bring multiple locations to Dallas. Our first location will be at the Southwest Corner of Preston and Forest, in the same shopping center as Mi Cocina, First Watch and CVS.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
We haven’t officially opened for business yet but I can tell you that entrepreneurship and starting a business is not easy! I signed my lease in the Fall of 2019. The lease itself required a personal guarantee, which I was nervous about given my well-paying job and relative comfort in the management ranks of Corporate America. Then just weeks after I signed my lease, an EF3 tornado ripped through North Dallas and created massive damage in the Preston Hollow area. I remember being worried about whether our shopping center would still be standing after that Sunday evening. As it turns out, the tornado path was just 1.5 miles south of our location and leveled large structures along the Preston and Royal intersection.
In recent months, I’ve been worried about COVID-19 and the implications this pandemic would have on in-person educational models. I have several friends and acquaintances who own small businesses and it has been devastating to see the impact on their livelihoods. Yet, even with all these obstacles, I am optimistic and look forward to a brighter future ahead. We are in the process of securing permits with the City of Dallas and plan to have our location open toward the end of the year, hopefully just as the pandemic is behind us!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Code Ninjas – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Code Ninjas is the world’s fastest-growing kids coding franchise, with hundreds of locations in the United States, Canada and the UK. Historically, the three core subject areas in a child’s education have been reading, writing and arithmetic. In today’s world, coding is emerging as a fourth critical area and at Code Ninjas, kids learn to code while building their own video games. They gain problem-solving, critical thinking, and STEM skills in a fun, safe, and inspiring environment.
The program is tailored to kids aged 5-14 and is centered around a “belt system,” starting with white belt and ending with black belt. Positivity and fun is baked into every aspect of the program so that kids are engaged in building video games they love, including popular favorites like Roblox® and Minecraft®.
Personally, I’ve always wanted to “own a small business” and was looking for a business that could engage both my family and the local community in Dallas. When I discovered Code Ninjas and learned that no one had committed to open a center in Dallas, I quickly signed on to become a franchisee.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
My hope is to launch our flagship Preston Hollow location first and then follow-on with additional locations in Dallas shortly thereafter. I own franchise rights to Preston Hollow, Park Cities as well as Lakewood, so there is definitely room to expand and I believe there is a demand for a quality after-school program completely focused on coding. Coding is the future!
Our Preston Hollow location will be next door to Behavioral Innovations, which is a therapy program for kids on the autism spectrum. Most people don’t realize this, but many kids diagnosed with autism become great computer coders due to the logic and structure that is core to all computer programming languages. I’ve already discussed partnering with Behavioral Innovations and perhaps even tailoring programs for kids on the spectrum.
In addition, I also plan to partner with local schools, both public and private, as there are a number of great schools in the immediate vicinity. My end goal is to enroll an equal balance of male/female students and also offer need-based scholarships. I aim to run a local, family-operated business that contributes to our local community. Best of all, I already have my first three students ready to start. They also happen to be my three kids: Lila (8 YO), Livia (6 YO) and Jordan (4 YO).
Contact Info:
- Address: 11661 Preston Rd
Dallas, TX 75230 - Website: https://www.codeninjas.com/tx-preston-hollow
- Email: jimmy.tran@codeninjas.com
Image Credit:
SMU, Code Ninjas
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