From Solo Tutor to a Thriving Agency: How Greenhill Academics Built Five-Figure Months
In September 2023, Russell Greenhill had a clear goal in mind: to turn his freelance tutoring business into an agency that could truly make a difference. For Russell, a livelihood wasn’t going to cut it; he was looking to build the foundations of a legacy.
As many freelancers know, the transition to building an agency is rarely smooth sailing. Russell found that out quickly enough, when he faced a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: “Do I get the tutors and not have any clients, or do I get the clients and not have any tutors?“ Whichever choice he made, he feared he might look unprofessional or even damage his reputation.
At the same time, Russell’s marketing strategy stalled. Word of mouth had carried him through as a freelancer, but this approach was finding its limits. He considered paying for advertising, but with no marketing experience, he was concerned it might be a costly experiment.
As for client communication, well, that was another headache. Everything ran through one long WhatsApp thread, up to “60 messages deep”. A parent’s urgent request could get lost in seconds. Russell describes the feeling as constantly firefighting: replying late, scrambling to remember details, and hoping nothing slipped through the cracks. It wasn’t just inefficient; it threatened his ability to grow.
Behind Russell’s ambition was a sense of strain. He was working long hours while wearing every hat in the business: tutor, marketer, admin assistant, operations manager. And yet, still feeling like he was treading water. Russell’s desire to grow never waned. But without outside help, he knew he was facing an uphill battle.
Curiosity and changing course
Russell had shared the latest news of his business on LinkedIn, which caught the attention of Elisavet from GrowthMentor. Elisavet reached out to him, confident that mentorship was the key to Greenhill Academics reaching its next level of growth.
Curious, Russell decided to give GrowthMentor a try and booked a call with mentor Kevin Veitia. Instead of validating Russell’s plan to pay for ads, Kevin offered Russell an alternative: why not focus on partnerships and relationships as a growth channel?
The advice paid off. Within months, Russell had partnered with a grammar school to provide Oxbridge tutors for students recovering from long COVID. Momentum grew as new partnerships led to new tutors, which in turn led to new clients. Growth didn’t come from paid ads, after all, but from Russell organically building his network.
Multiple upgrades lead to high-level focus
Mentors Kevin and Mischa van Wieringen helped Russell introduce a CRM that pulled in WhatsApp messages, tagged them, and set reminders. The impact was immediate. “We reduced our errors by at least 80%… it stopped us dropping balls,” Russell says.
Russell Greenhill, founder of Greenhill Academics“We reduced our errors by at least 80%… it stopped us dropping balls.”
Russell went a step further by hiring a virtual assistant, another idea from Kevin. For the first time, routine admin and inbox chaos no longer consumed his attention. Russell could focus on sales, strategy, and building his team. In other words, high-value work that actually moved the needle.
Marketing also got a makeover. With guidance from GrowthMentor founder Foti and designer Alek Manov, Russell not only refreshed his website but built an entire content strategy around it.
The numbers tell the story:
- 5× increase in web traffic since launch
- Clicks up from four to 16-20 per day
- Visitors rising from 10 to 50 per day
Christopher’s advice on using AI for content creation was especially valuable, giving Russell a way to increase content production while maintaining quality.
Making the pie bigger
For Russell, stepping out of his comfort zone paid dividends. “There are people with their fingers on the pulse in other industries, and tutors can apply those lessons to their own businesses. Look to industries that are more competitive,” he advises.
And to other freelancers trying to make the transition to agency founder, he says: “Don’t do things alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help…good founders have an abundance mindset. They make the pie bigger.”
The return on investment is clear. Between himself and his colleague Noah, who joined in 2024 as a full-time associate, they’ve had dozens of calls with mentors. Russell estimates the calls would have cost £10,000 if booked independently. Instead, he pays a flat subscription. “You can get unlimited calls with consultants for £75 a month… it’s insane value… I would say it’s a secret weapon”, says Russell.
Russell Greenhill, founder of Greenhill Academics“You can get unlimited calls with consultants for £75 a month… it’s insane value… I would say it’s a secret weapon.”
Within weeks of joining GrowthMentor, Russell could already see things starting to change. What began with him tutoring on his own has grown into an agency with 40 tutors and a steady flow of students. More than just advice, GrowthMentor gave him the network and belief to build something that once felt out of reach.