Hana and Sasi Yajamanyam are expanding Building Kidz, the 50-plus-unit early childhood education franchise, across Northern Virginia. After opening their first preschool in Fairfax, the couple is preparing to launch a second location in Arlington and is already working toward a third. While they saw the business potential in franchising, they also wanted to invest in something they believed would make a difference.

"The business part is the business part. You can make money in a lot of businesses and a lot of franchises," Sasi said. "The reason we picked Building Kidz is that it aligns strongly with what we think it does for society and the community around us."

Before becoming franchise owners, Sasi built a 25-year career in technology, software, financial services and consulting. As he started thinking about the next stage of his career, he began exploring franchise ownership. Hana earned a degree in finance and worked in the corporate world before becoming a preschool teacher, a career she had always wanted to pursue.

"I was really happy being a preschool teacher," Hana said. "When Sasi first suggested opening our own preschool, I wasn't thrilled because it felt like a big risk. But he believed it was something we could build together because of my experience and passion for early childhood education."

As the couple researched franchise opportunities, they wanted a business where they could connect with both the mission and the customers. Building Kidz first caught their attention when they watched an interview with the brand's leadership. They were drawn to the company's strategy of acquiring and rebranding existing schools, the story behind the company's founding and its performing arts-based curriculum.

"What really spoke to me was the focus on learning through life experiences," she said. "That's something I believe in as an educator. Building Kidz provides a strong curriculum while still giving us the flexibility to make each school our own. Even though we're franchisees, there's still room to bring our own vision to the classroom."

Corporate Support Beyond the Classroom and in Expansion

Although Hana had years of experience running preschools, the couple said Building Kidz helped them learn the business side of ownership before opening, and the support continued after the acquisition.

“They helped us evaluate opportunities, determine whether we were paying the right price and work through licensing,” Sasi said. “At that point, I had no idea what questions to ask, so having that support was extremely valuable. When we first took over the school, one of their representatives spent time on-site helping us understand how to operate the school as a business.” 

Expanding Across Northern Virginia

The couple's second Building Kidz location will open in Arlington, a market they had been pursuing since they first began researching opportunities. The location's demographics, community need and partnership with a local church made it difficult to pass up. At the same time, the Fairfax school has reached a point where the couple feels confident in its leadership team.

"We know Arlington needs more preschool options," Sasi said. "The values of the church also aligned with what we want our business to represent, including kindness, respect and serving the community. We have a great director and a strong staff [in Fairfax]. The school is getting to the point where it can operate without our constant involvement, which gave us the confidence to continue growing."

While expanding from one location to three in a short period is ambitious, the Yajamanyams say their long-term vision extends beyond growth alone. As first-generation immigrants, they want their business to reflect the values that helped shape their family.

"We were fortunate to build a comfortable life here," Hana said. "But we also know what it's like to start with very little. We want our boys to understand that not everyone has those opportunities, and we want our business to give back."

That philosophy has already led the Fairfax school to host fundraising events benefiting a local food bank, with plans to partner on future community service projects. The couple says Building Kidz's charitable mission also resonated with organizations evaluating potential school partnerships.

"We're trying to build something that's part of the community and contributes back to the community," Sasi said. "Watching what Building Kidz does inspired us to think about how our individual schools can make a difference too."

Growing with Building Kidz

Although the couple is preparing to operate three schools, they expect to focus on strengthening those locations before pursuing additional growth.

"Our goal over the next few years is to make these schools as strong as they can be," Hana said. "Once they're well established and we have the time to dedicate to another opportunity, we'd absolutely be open to growing again."

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/buildingkidzschool.