StudyPoint's founders had a simple idea: to create a better alternative to impersonal learning centers. With that goal in mind, co-founders Richard Enos and Greg Zumas began StudyPoint (then StudySmart, Inc.) in Boston in 1999. They focused on the needs of families who wanted a higher level of customer service and convenience and on students who would benefit from individualized, one-to-one instruction. Early on, the company invested heavily in curriculum development and training standards, so that its tutors could deliver consistent and reliable academic and test prep results to families. As the company grew it added additional services and programs, ranging from individualized needs assessments to online homework tools to college admissions support.