This DC entrepreneur makes tutoring a safe, supportive space for all learners

Inspired by his dream to change the world for the better, Daniel Ryave joined the Peace Corps at 22 years old as a volunteer teacher. While in Togo, West Africa, teaching high school  English as a second language, he fell in love with empowering the next generation and building connections through education. 

“[It] really gave me the desire to keep working one-on-one and making those meaningful connections with people,” Daniel said.  

After returning to the United States and spending several years completing graduate school and working in healthcare and tech, Daniel returned to teaching to continue making an impact. First, as a contractor with a third-party organization, and later by launching his own company, SATPrepTutor, in 2024.

SATPrepTutor specializes in 1:1 tutoring for high school students taking the SAT exam. Headquartered in Washington, D.C, but working with students worldwide, the tutoring service covers a variety of courses in math, reading and writing through 55- to 85-minute sessions. With accessibility and inclusivity as core values, the company offers multiple discounts and financial aid packages to students who need them. 

“There are so many brilliant students who can't access tutoring that's high quality because they don't have the money for it. And should those students not be able to get such a good score? Absolutely not,” Daniel said. 

Since starting SATPrepTutor, Daniel has worked with over 50 students and amassed over 237,930 followers across his social platforms, successes he attributes to his adaptive teaching style, digital savvy and the unique experience and perspective he brings to his work. While it took him some time to incorporate his full personality and identity in his sessions, as an eager and openly queer tutor, Daniel found that being his authentic self created a more inclusive environment for his students and encouraged learners of all identities and abilities to seek his services. 

“A lot of my students that seek me out just happen to be queer students or minority students of some kind. And I don't think it's a coincidence. I think it's because they feel safe and comfortable in knowing that I'm being who I am, and I'm not fighting it or hiding it,” Daniel said. 

Like many small business owners, Daniel is pursuing his entrepreneurial passions while maintaining full-time employment, a balancing act he credits to knowing his limits and effective time management. To entrepreneurs starting out and in similar positions, Daniel advises setting realistic goals, being mindful of startup costs and starting before you're ready. 

“You shouldn't wait to start until you're good at it, because the only way you get good at it is by starting. I look back at some of my old videos sometimes, and I'm just like: ‘Wow I would never post something this bad today,’ but it taught me. I wouldn't have learned those lessons if I had waited to watch 1,000 hours of tutorial videos,” Daniel said.