When Josh Thomas first began exploring franchise ownership, he wasn't looking specifically at early childhood education.
"My background is actually not in education," Thomas said. "My undergrad is electrical engineering. I graduated and got a job at Caterpillar doing that. I then was recruited to Amazon and stayed in their operations space, running fulfillment centers. I ran one, then three, then 10 and then 28. Recently, I moved over to a community-based role where I run all of our external partnerships."
Today, Thomas owns two Building Kidz schools in Maryland, with a third location currently in development, making him the franchisee with the most development agreements in the Building Kidz system.
Thomas came to Building Kidz after considering franchise opportunities in several different industries. He was still working in Amazon’s fulfillment operations and wanted a business that worked for his family as well as his long-term goals.
"The reason I started looking into franchising is that I had an opportunity to invest in something else," Thomas said. "I was looking at all types of businesses. I was looking at mosquito businesses, pooper scooper businesses and everything in between. My wife at the time was a teacher. She had been teaching for 10 years. We ended up discovering Building Kidz and loved the model."
What stood out most to Thomas was something he had already seen at home. His daughter became more confident through a performing arts program, giving him a personal reason to believe in Building Kidz’s educational model.
"My daughter used to be very shy," Thomas said. "At the school where my wife taught, they had a performing arts element, and I watched her come out of her shell. I saw firsthand how it builds confidence and character. I didn't even need to be sold on that part. That was the real selling point for us."
That mission aligned naturally with Building Kidz's arts-integrated educational philosophy, which combines academics with music, dance and theater through its proprietary Learning Through Life Experiences curriculum.
"It was also a lower-investment option than some competitors," Thomas said. "That was great. We had a lot of support as we started out. Knowing what to look for, licensing, all of the documentation, the operations team — having that support made a huge difference."
Nearly three years after opening his first school, Thomas has expanded to two operating locations and is preparing to open his third. His confidence in continued growth comes from seeing how parents respond to the Building Kidz experience.
"It's been about three years since opening our first location," Thomas said. "Last year, we opened Building Kidz of Temple Hills, our second location. Then we signed another agreement to open Building Kidz of Odenton."
The demand, he says, has consistently reinforced that Building Kidz stands apart in a crowded marketplace. "Parents really believe in the Learning Through Life Experiences elements," Thomas said. "When you go and look at all the different concepts, they all start to blend together at some point. But when you walk into a Building Kidz school and see these learning experiences and all of the structures around performing arts, those are memorable things that stick out. They're real differentiators."
Those differentiators have translated directly into enrollment. "We couldn't even keep up with the demand," he said.
While Thomas continues to leverage his corporate leadership experience, Building Kidz has also created opportunities for his family that would have been difficult to replicate in traditional careers.
His wife, who spent a decade in the classroom before joining the business, has experienced one of the biggest lifestyle changes. "She definitely enjoys being able to pop into the schools, and the time she has gotten back from not being stuck on a schedule is amazing,” Thomas said. “The ability to have that flexibility instead of being forced into a specific schedule has been great."
Building Kidz leadership sees Thomas' expansion as an example of what happens when strong operators pair disciplined execution with a purpose-driven business model.
“Josh and Hasina truly embody what we look for in Building Kidz brand ambassadors,” said Sanjay Gehani, Managing Partner, CRO and CFO for Building Kidz. “They are exceptional franchisees and preschool operators, but they are also entrepreneurs with a genuine heart for the communities they serve. Their engagement with families is authentic and effortless, and they truly love creating world-class experiences for children every day.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/buildingkidzschool.
Building Kidz School
SPONSORED
Amazon leader Josh Thomas is opening his third Building Kidz school, proving that a purpose-driven model and differentiated education can drive long-term franchise growth.
When Josh Thomas first began exploring franchise ownership, he wasn't looking specifically at early childhood education.
"My background is actually not in education," Thomas said. "My undergrad is electrical engineering. I graduated and got a job at Caterpillar doing that. I then was recruited to Amazon and stayed in their operations space, running fulfillment centers. I ran one, then three, then 10 and then 28. Recently, I moved over to a community-based role where I run all of our external partnerships."
Today, Thomas owns two Building Kidz schools in Maryland, with a third location currently in development, making him the franchisee with the most development agreements in the Building Kidz system.
Thomas came to Building Kidz after considering franchise opportunities in several different industries. He was still working in Amazon’s fulfillment operations and wanted a business that worked for his family as well as his long-term goals.
"The reason I started looking into franchising is that I had an opportunity to invest in something else," Thomas said. "I was looking at all types of businesses. I was looking at mosquito businesses, pooper scooper businesses and everything in between. My wife at the time was a teacher. She had been teaching for 10 years. We ended up discovering Building Kidz and loved the model."
What stood out most to Thomas was something he had already seen at home. His daughter became more confident through a performing arts program, giving him a personal reason to believe in Building Kidz’s educational model.
"My daughter used to be very shy," Thomas said. "At the school where my wife taught, they had a performing arts element, and I watched her come out of her shell. I saw firsthand how it builds confidence and character. I didn't even need to be sold on that part. That was the real selling point for us."
That mission aligned naturally with Building Kidz's arts-integrated educational philosophy, which combines academics with music, dance and theater through its proprietary Learning Through Life Experiences curriculum.
"It was also a lower-investment option than some competitors," Thomas said. "That was great. We had a lot of support as we started out. Knowing what to look for, licensing, all of the documentation, the operations team — having that support made a huge difference."
Nearly three years after opening his first school, Thomas has expanded to two operating locations and is preparing to open his third. His confidence in continued growth comes from seeing how parents respond to the Building Kidz experience.
"It's been about three years since opening our first location," Thomas said. "Last year, we opened Building Kidz of Temple Hills, our second location. Then we signed another agreement to open Building Kidz of Odenton."
The demand, he says, has consistently reinforced that Building Kidz stands apart in a crowded marketplace. "Parents really believe in the Learning Through Life Experiences elements," Thomas said. "When you go and look at all the different concepts, they all start to blend together at some point. But when you walk into a Building Kidz school and see these learning experiences and all of the structures around performing arts, those are memorable things that stick out. They're real differentiators."
Those differentiators have translated directly into enrollment. "We couldn't even keep up with the demand," he said.
While Thomas continues to leverage his corporate leadership experience, Building Kidz has also created opportunities for his family that would have been difficult to replicate in traditional careers.
His wife, who spent a decade in the classroom before joining the business, has experienced one of the biggest lifestyle changes. "She definitely enjoys being able to pop into the schools, and the time she has gotten back from not being stuck on a schedule is amazing,” Thomas said. “The ability to have that flexibility instead of being forced into a specific schedule has been great."
Building Kidz leadership sees Thomas' expansion as an example of what happens when strong operators pair disciplined execution with a purpose-driven business model.
“Josh and Hasina truly embody what we look for in Building Kidz brand ambassadors,” said Sanjay Gehani, Managing Partner, CRO and CFO for Building Kidz. “They are exceptional franchisees and preschool operators, but they are also entrepreneurs with a genuine heart for the communities they serve. Their engagement with families is authentic and effortless, and they truly love creating world-class experiences for children every day.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/buildingkidzschool.
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