Custom Admin Platform for Scalable Tutoring Operations

Client Overview

Viva Phonics is a structured, research-based reading program that delivers one-on-one phonics instruction to students who need additional literacy support. Grounded in evidence-based practices and trusted by families and educators across the U.S., Viva Phonics is on a mission to make reading success accessible for every child.
Their platform connects students with trained tutors for flexible, personalized sessions — helping learners build foundational skills and confidence in reading. As their program scaled, Viva Phonics sought a smarter, more scalable way to manage their growing operations behind the scenes.

The Challenge

As Viva Phonics expanded, managing their day-to-day operations through Google Sheets quickly became unsustainable. The team relied on complex, manual spreadsheets to coordinate tutor schedules, assign students, track payments, and calculate revenue — all while trying to maintain accuracy across hundreds of data points.

This system worked in the early stages but began to break down as volume grew. Small errors became hard to catch, reporting became slower, and the administrative overhead started pulling focus away from core educational goals. Viva Phonics needed a centralized platform — one that could streamline operations, reduce manual work, and provide real-time visibility into the business.

Evolution of the Idea

What began as a request to digitize a spreadsheet grew into a much larger opportunity to streamline the way Viva Phonics runs its core operations. During our early collaboration, it became clear that the team wasn’t just looking for better data entry — they needed better decision-making, better visibility, and a system that could grow with them.

As we unpacked the day-to-day challenges — from managing tutor availability to tracking Stripe fees and calculating net revenue — the scope evolved. Together, we designed a solution that not only solved today’s problems but laid a flexible foundation for the future.

Key Features & Innovations

Technology Stack

The platform was developed using the MERN stack — a modern, scalable technology suite chosen for its speed, flexibility, and strong support for real-time data handling.

• MongoDB – Provides a schema-flexible database to store and manage tutor profiles, student records, and financial data
• Express.js – Powers the backend with efficient API endpoints and streamlined routing for admin interactions
• React.js – Delivers a responsive, fast-loading interface that allows admins to navigate complex workflows with ease
• Node.js – Supports scalable backend logic, enabling the system to process assignments, calculate payouts, and deliver analytics reliably

Impact

Since launch, the new admin platform has significantly improved how Viva Phonics manages its operations behind the scenes. By replacing error-prone spreadsheets with a centralized system, the team now benefits from greater control, efficiency, and financial clarity.

Key Results:

• Reduced admin workload: Assignments, availability tracking, and payout calculations now take minutes instead of hours
• Improved financial accuracy: Tutor payouts, Stripe deductions, and weekly profit summaries are calculated automatically, reducing manual errors
• Real-time visibility: The team now has live insight into revenue, tutor performance, and overall business health — all in one place
• Ready for scale: The platform is equipped to handle increasing volume and feature expansion as Viva Phonics continues to grow

Outcome

With the launch of the new admin platform, Viva Phonics now operates with significantly more control, speed, and confidence. Manual processes that once relied on spreadsheets have been replaced by a system purpose-built for growth — one that streamlines operations and increases financial clarity.