Helen Doron English: two centres and over 600 students

Two learning centres, more than 600 students and a possible third location. That is where Dagmar Stodůlková’s business stands today, twenty years after she joined the Helen Doron English franchise with almost no capital. Her story, published on the Czech franchise website Franchising.cz on 26 October 2026, offers a concrete example of building an education business over the long term in the Czech market.

From the first enquiry to two centres

Dagmar Stodůlková’s journey began with a phone call to Marek Halfar in Opava, the master franchisee for Helen Doron English in the Czech Republic. Twenty years later, she has two centres attended by more than 600 students in total. She is now considering expanding further with a third centre.

The word ‘considering’ matters here. This is not an announcement of a new branch opening or a confirmed expansion date. The news concerns the current scale of her business and her thoughts about the next step. For prospective franchisees, this case is therefore an illustration of a long-term journey rather than a promise of rapid growth.

The statement that she started with almost no capital also needs to be read carefully. It refers to her personal experience twenty years ago, not to the brand’s current entry requirements. It cannot be used to infer today’s licence fee, premises costs or the funding needed to start teaching. A historical success story can be inspiring, but it should not replace an up-to-date financial plan.

The Czech network operates in more than 92 locations

Helen Doron English has operated in the Czech Republic since 2004. According to the figures given in the October article, it has a presence in more than 92 locations and teaches over 13,000 students. Worldwide, the network comprises more than 1,200 learning centres across 40 countries.

These figures put one franchisee’s experience into a broader context. Dagmar Stodůlková’s two centres are part of a brand with more than twenty years of experience in the Czech Republic and an international network behind it. However, the size of the network alone says nothing about the financial performance of individual centres or how quickly a new partner can attract students.

It is also worth distinguishing between the measures used. The Czech figure refers to locations where the brand is represented, while the global figure counts learning centres. It would therefore be unwise to assume that every Czech location is a separate, full-scale centre of comparable size. For anyone considering a particular area, local conditions and the chosen way of joining the network matter more than a simple comparison of headline figures.

Three ways to join, rather than a single model

The brand offers several ways to work with it. Prospective partners can start as independent teachers, open a mini learning centre or establish a full-scale centre. The story of an operator with two centres therefore represents one possible way of working within the network, not a required starting point for every new partner.

When making a decision, it helps to separate two questions: how large a teaching operation you want to build, and what work you want to do personally. Teaching independently and managing a centre are not the same business goals. Before choosing an option, it makes sense to clarify your available time, experience and expectations for your day-to-day involvement.

Prospective partners should ask the franchisor to explain exactly what each option involves. Practical questions include premises requirements, teacher training, the level of support, contractual obligations and the total budget. These are points to verify, not published terms of this offer. The label ‘mini centre’ alone is not enough to judge the demands involved or its suitability for a particular town or city.

What to take from the possibility of a third centre

More than 600 students across two centres is a tangible result of one person’s long-term business experience. It is not, however, a measure of profit, return on investment or staffing levels. This distinction matters when assessing a franchise opportunity in the Czech Republic: customer numbers indicate the scale of an operation, but a financial assessment also requires information about costs and revenue.

Dagmar Stodůlková’s consideration of a third centre also raises practical questions about further growth. Before taking a similar step, it is worth assessing demand in the proposed location, staffing capacity and whether expansion could compromise the service provided to existing students. This is not a description of her own decision-making process, but a set of questions anyone considering multiple locations can ask.

Practical takeaway: Treat an established franchisee’s experience as a prompt to carry out your own due diligence. First choose the form of involvement that suits you and request the current terms; only then draw up your budget and growth plan.