Justin Leggett spent nearly two decades in IT, building software systems and working with cutting-edge technologies for a major financial services firm in San Antonio. His days were full of complex problem-solving, and his work took him to tech hubs like Silicon Valley and Montreal. But eventually, even as his career advanced, he started to wonder what it would be like to build something of his own.

“I had a true love for writing code, for problem solving, and I had a career in that field for almost 20 years,” Leggett said. “At the end of my career — before getting into being a franchisee — I was working on some of the newer technology. It’s not as new now; it’s been eight years since I was doing that, but kind of related to bots and virtual agents, those sorts of things.”

A Friend’s Leap Sparks a New Path

As an IT architect, Leggett served as a bridge between technical teams and the business side — a role that gave him a broad perspective, and, eventually, the entrepreneurial itch. For years, he scratched that itch by investing in real estate. Then, a former coworker took things further: he left their company to open two franchise preschools. That move stuck with Leggett.

“I kind of watched him and how it changed his life,” he said. “It created some freedoms and obviously he had some financial success.”

Discovering Children’s Lighthouse

Leggett began scanning business-for-sale listings in his spare time. One night, he came across a listing for a franchised childcare center — though the name of the brand wasn’t disclosed. After months of building trust with the broker, he learned the school was a Children’s Lighthouse.

“We went through the process of evaluating the financials, health of the business — those sorts of things,” he said, “and decided to make the leap in the summer of 2017.”

Leggett and his wife weren’t looking to build a school from scratch — they were looking for something they could step into and grow. Buying an existing location gave them a head start, but they still faced a steep learning curve. That’s where the Children’s Lighthouse team made a difference. With established systems, hands-on training, and ongoing guidance, the franchisor helped bridge the gap between their passion and the operational know-how they needed to succeed. 

“Neither of us, other than raising children, had direct experience with childcare,” he said. “There’s no way we would have been able to get our arms around everything it takes to run a school the size of a Children’s Lighthouse. So, almost by default, it made sense. I don’t think for us it would have been an option to start from the ground up.”

That franchise foundation — combined with a school that was already in good health — set the stage for a smooth transition into ownership.

All In on a Big Transition

Leggett and his wife were raising three young children at the time — all under the age of eight — and she had been a stay-at-home mom for nearly a decade. Despite the risks, Leggett didn’t hold onto the security of his corporate position as a backup plan. “A lot of folks that do this, they’ll stay in their corporate career for a while as they get the school up and running,” he said. “But I made the jump out altogether and kind of have never looked back.”

Navigating Challenges With a People-First Approach

Taking over an existing school came with its own set of challenges. The transition meant inheriting staff, systems and families from the previous owners, and managing subtle shifts in culture while maintaining stability. Then came COVID. Leggett said one of their proudest moments was finding ways to support families who couldn’t attend in person by creating and sharing classroom videos — a gesture that many parents deeply appreciated.

Leggett’s philosophy for weathering pressures associated with running a business is straightforward. “We try to treat people, our employees and customers alike, treat them well, and it seems to make it run relatively smoothly,” he said.

Freedom, Family and Fulfillment

That mindset has not only helped the business grow but has transformed his family’s day-to-day life. For years, Leggett worked long corporate hours. Now, he has more time — and more presence — for the people who matter most.

“In my old job, I was gone from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day,” he said. “Things like coaching my son in baseball, which I did for years — just the time that we get to spend with them has been invaluable. The freedom that it has created, right, owning a business of this size — I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.”

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