Nadene Habboush built her career around education, so Children’s Lighthouse was a natural fit when she began looking at franchising. Today, she owns multiple locations in North Texas, including a newer school in Princeton that saw enrollment climb quickly after opening.
“First and foremost, I am a mother of two,” Habboush said. “My background is entirely in education; I studied to be an elementary school teacher in South Africa.”
After moving to the United States, Habboush immersed herself in early childhood education, working in roles ranging from teaching two-year-olds to a being kindergarten educator. Her career decisions were always guided by one priority: staying closely connected to her children’s development.
“When we moved to America, I didn’t know the system here, and I struggled with the idea of who I was leaving my children with,” she said. “My solution was to work where they were.”
That hands-on experience, combined with years of observing what makes a strong educational environment, eventually sparked a bigger idea. “My husband and I eventually wanted to start a business, but we wanted it to be fulfilling,” she said. “That homework eventually led us to realize that this was a model we could successfully bring to our community ourselves.”
While Habboush had deep expertise in education, she recognized the operational complexities of running a preschool business. That realization led her to explore franchising — and ultimately to Children’s Lighthouse.
“My husband came across a video from [President] Michael Brown at Children’s Lighthouse, and I told him immediately, ‘We need to meet these people,’” she said. “They felt warm, inviting, and aligned with my values as a parent.”
Beyond cultural alignment, the franchise model offered something critical: structure and support.
“Opening a school is like drinking from a fire hose,” she said. “I needed the guidance on the business side — marketing, finance, and contracts — so I could focus on my strength: the operational excellence of the classroom.”
For Habboush, franchising offered a way to pair her education background with the practical systems needed to run a school day to day. She knew what she wanted the classroom experience to look like, but Children’s Lighthouse gave her support in areas like marketing, finance and operations.
“I originally thought about opening an independent school, but I would not have a fraction of the knowledge I have now if I hadn’t gone the franchise route,” she said. “They have the systems in place. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”
After opening her first location in Allen, Texas, during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Habboush experienced firsthand how challenging (and rewarding) the business can be.
“My first school in Allen opened during the height of COVID with only 12 kids,” she said. Fast forward to 2025, and her second location in Texas is telling a very different story. “Our Princeton location is booming,” she said. “We hit 111 children by month three.”
Princeton’s early enrollment also reinforced Habboush’s confidence in the brand behind the school. As families came in, she said the support from Children’s Lighthouse helped her stay focused on communication, accountability and the day-to-day trust required in early education.
“The support and the integrity of the brand are phenomenal,” she said. “They are incredibly transparent. If we make a mistake, we own it and share the correction with parents. That honesty is vital when you are dealing with little children’s lives.”
Serving families across Princeton, Greenville, New Hope, Farmersville, Lowry Crossing, and McKinney, her school is quickly becoming a trusted resource for early education in the region.
Habboush isn’t slowing down. With strong early performance in Princeton, she’s already thinking about expansion. “In Princeton, we actually have an extra piece of land attached to the school,” she said. “Our plan is that as we get closer to capacity, we will build an additional section with extra classrooms to accommodate more families.”
Long term, multi-unit growth is part of the vision. “We always have a third location in the back of our minds,” she said. “My goal isn’t just to hit a number, but to ensure that every time I walk into my school, I can say, ‘Yes, I would leave my own child here.’”
A key part of Habboush’s mission is changing how families think about early childhood education. “I want parents to know that we aren’t a daycare — we are an early learning school,” she said. “My children attended a school that laid a very strong foundation for them, and it changed their entire academic career. I wanted to give other families that same advantage.”
It’s a mission she sees reflected every day in the classroom. “When I see the ‘little light bulbs’ go on in a child’s eyes, I know we’re doing exactly what we set out to do,” she said.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
Children's Lighthouse
SPONSORED
After years in the classroom, Nadene Habboush found a franchise model that gave her the structure to bring her vision for early childhood education to life.
Nadene Habboush built her career around education, so Children’s Lighthouse was a natural fit when she began looking at franchising. Today, she owns multiple locations in North Texas, including a newer school in Princeton that saw enrollment climb quickly after opening.
“First and foremost, I am a mother of two,” Habboush said. “My background is entirely in education; I studied to be an elementary school teacher in South Africa.”
After moving to the United States, Habboush immersed herself in early childhood education, working in roles ranging from teaching two-year-olds to a being kindergarten educator. Her career decisions were always guided by one priority: staying closely connected to her children’s development.
“When we moved to America, I didn’t know the system here, and I struggled with the idea of who I was leaving my children with,” she said. “My solution was to work where they were.”
That hands-on experience, combined with years of observing what makes a strong educational environment, eventually sparked a bigger idea. “My husband and I eventually wanted to start a business, but we wanted it to be fulfilling,” she said. “That homework eventually led us to realize that this was a model we could successfully bring to our community ourselves.”
While Habboush had deep expertise in education, she recognized the operational complexities of running a preschool business. That realization led her to explore franchising — and ultimately to Children’s Lighthouse.
“My husband came across a video from [President] Michael Brown at Children’s Lighthouse, and I told him immediately, ‘We need to meet these people,’” she said. “They felt warm, inviting, and aligned with my values as a parent.”
Beyond cultural alignment, the franchise model offered something critical: structure and support.
“Opening a school is like drinking from a fire hose,” she said. “I needed the guidance on the business side — marketing, finance, and contracts — so I could focus on my strength: the operational excellence of the classroom.”
For Habboush, franchising offered a way to pair her education background with the practical systems needed to run a school day to day. She knew what she wanted the classroom experience to look like, but Children’s Lighthouse gave her support in areas like marketing, finance and operations.
“I originally thought about opening an independent school, but I would not have a fraction of the knowledge I have now if I hadn’t gone the franchise route,” she said. “They have the systems in place. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel.”
After opening her first location in Allen, Texas, during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic, Habboush experienced firsthand how challenging (and rewarding) the business can be.
“My first school in Allen opened during the height of COVID with only 12 kids,” she said. Fast forward to 2025, and her second location in Texas is telling a very different story. “Our Princeton location is booming,” she said. “We hit 111 children by month three.”
Princeton’s early enrollment also reinforced Habboush’s confidence in the brand behind the school. As families came in, she said the support from Children’s Lighthouse helped her stay focused on communication, accountability and the day-to-day trust required in early education.
“The support and the integrity of the brand are phenomenal,” she said. “They are incredibly transparent. If we make a mistake, we own it and share the correction with parents. That honesty is vital when you are dealing with little children’s lives.”
Serving families across Princeton, Greenville, New Hope, Farmersville, Lowry Crossing, and McKinney, her school is quickly becoming a trusted resource for early education in the region.
Habboush isn’t slowing down. With strong early performance in Princeton, she’s already thinking about expansion. “In Princeton, we actually have an extra piece of land attached to the school,” she said. “Our plan is that as we get closer to capacity, we will build an additional section with extra classrooms to accommodate more families.”
Long term, multi-unit growth is part of the vision. “We always have a third location in the back of our minds,” she said. “My goal isn’t just to hit a number, but to ensure that every time I walk into my school, I can say, ‘Yes, I would leave my own child here.’”
A key part of Habboush’s mission is changing how families think about early childhood education. “I want parents to know that we aren’t a daycare — we are an early learning school,” she said. “My children attended a school that laid a very strong foundation for them, and it changed their entire academic career. I wanted to give other families that same advantage.”
It’s a mission she sees reflected every day in the classroom. “When I see the ‘little light bulbs’ go on in a child’s eyes, I know we’re doing exactly what we set out to do,” she said.
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
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