READY TO JOIN THE FRANCHISE CHANGING THE EDUCATION INDUSTRY?

Nick Powills: Rhye and Jenny, give me the background on how you go from idea to business to franchise.

Rhye McLeod: When you go into education, there are a couple of reasons why you do it. For us, it was about helping learners connect with the future. Our jobs aren't complete until students have careers. We wanted to address the misconception that students have resource issues, rather than classroom issues.

Jenny has been in education. I came from the industry side, specifically film. Education fails for reasons beyond the process or implementation. It fails in helping young people relate to the information they receive. We started Central Creativity to grow powerful thinkers. If you can't process information, you can't take advantage of it. The tools available at the time weren’t suited to transferring ownership of information to learners. Jenny, as a brand-based educator and researcher, saw the gaps and opportunities.

We initially created a regional resource, which grew as its success expanded. We didn't set out to be franchisors, but as we saw the potential to scale impact, franchising became the best way to grow community engagement.

Powills: Jenny, your version?

Jenny McLeod: I was a former teacher and consultant, traveling the country, observing classrooms, and listening to educators and students. I saw gaps in learning and opportunities to provide hands-on experiences. That’s where we stepped in.

Powills: Is education shifting in real time? Are communities even aware of it?

Jenny: Absolutely. Students, no matter their ability level, do better with hands-on, active learning. Whether in preschool or the workforce, everyone learns best by doing. Central Creativity is built on real-world applications of content. Teachers need flexibility to adapt information based on student needs. It takes all these puzzle pieces to grow impact.

Powills: What’s your take on AI in education?

Rhye: AI is a useful tool, like calculators in math classrooms in the ’70s and ’80s. The issue isn’t AI itself but the relationship between learning and the learner. AI can’t replace intuitive comprehension or critical thinking. Central Creativity is a collaborative partner for public schools, private schools, home schools, after-school programs and museums. Regardless of background, every learner needs support in comprehension and ownership of knowledge. AI will evolve, but meaningful engagement remains the priority.

We are a community engagement partner. When we enter a community, we collaborate with industry, education and citizens to create common resources that drive the common good. Learning isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are the solutions. We take a flexible approach, ensuring meaningful outcomes.

Powills: Who is the ideal franchisee? Educators? Salespeople?

Jenny: It’s for anyone passionate about building a more vibrant community. Educators, salespeople, businesspeople — anyone who wants to improve their local education system. We provide franchisees the flexibility to tailor offerings to their community’s needs.

Powills: Franchisees aren’t the educators themselves; they facilitate products and services. What else do they do?

Jenny: They build networks, embed themselves in schools and provide programs like after-school initiatives, camps and signature school partnerships. They can also establish a presence within schools to drive educational impact. Success comes from collective effort, not working in isolation.

Powills: Do franchisees need to lead camps, or is that outsourced?

Rhye: We offer both options. Franchisees can lead camps or partner with instructors. Our turnkey solutions require only securing a location. We provide training, implementation support and world-class programs like NASA AstroCamp and STEM initiatives. The challenge in education is making a difference in ways communities understand. We equip franchisees with resources, analytics and best practices to elevate learning opportunities. We see ourselves as learning collaborators, not competitors.

Powills: Jenny, this isn’t just for educators and students; it’s for school districts, too?

Jenny: Absolutely. We don’t develop anything unless there’s a need. Camps aren’t just summer programs — they happen year-round. We address universal challenges, giving teachers their time back while providing students with engaging activities that help shape their career paths.

Powills: Is there urgency behind this, driving the decision to franchise?

Rhye: Yes. Learning is about relationships, and every community is different. Traditional education models have been one-size-fits-all, often failing to meet individual needs. Central Creativity gives teachers freedom to bring real solutions into classrooms. We focus on outcomes, not just curriculum. Success is about qualitative and quantitative proof. We invest heavily in R&D, creating over 2,000 new learning experiences annually.

Education is evolving rapidly. We partner with organizations like NASA and NAPA to provide innovative resources. Meaningful services create viable business models. This franchise opportunity is for those who understand the problems and want to make a difference.

Powills: Jenny, what’s the vision for the business?

Jenny: Our goal is to improve by 1% every day. If we can reach one learner, make one teacher’s job easier or inspire one student to pursue a new career path, we’ve succeeded. We want Central Creativity on as many street corners as possible, ensuring every student, teacher and community has access to the resources they need.

Watch the full interview here.