When it comes to building a business that delivers both financial returns and emotional rewards, few franchise opportunities compare to Children’s Lighthouse. With a proven model, strong community impact, and deep franchisor support, Children’s Lighthouse offers an ideal platform for multi-unit ownership. From brand-new franchisees to seasoned operators, owners across the country are expanding within the system — and reaping the benefits of growth.
Many franchisees begin their Children’s Lighthouse journey with one school — but thanks to the brand’s systems and support, expansion often follows.
Take Randy and Sandy Craft, for example. What began as a personal search for quality childcare grew into a thriving business with two successful locations in Texas.
“All I knew about childcare is how to drop off and pick up my kids,” Randy said. “But Children’s Lighthouse promised they would teach us to be successful operators, and they delivered on that promise.”
The Crafts now own locations in Fairfield and Jordan Ranch. With their first school more than a decade old, the couple attributes their success to following the Children’s Lighthouse model and embracing the support network.
“The franchise has given us immense freedom, both financially and in terms of time,” Randy said. “We’ve been able to travel extensively and enjoy time with our family.”
Their expansion wasn’t driven by backgrounds in education, but by a commitment to the brand’s values and systems. That repeatable success story is common across the Children’s Lighthouse network.
After opening her first school in Houston four years ago, franchisee Alexis Legg is actively working to launch her second location — a decision rooted in both passion and performance.
“My goal for school number two is to replicate the success and community impact we’ve achieved with school number one,” Legg said. “I feel like we’ve created a warm, welcoming place, and I want to bring that to more families.”
Legg, who transitioned from hospitality into education, was drawn to Children’s Lighthouse for its family feel, detailed curriculum, and high standards.
“They really wanted to help people, which I really appreciated,” she said. “They truly want to see everyone succeed.”
Now, she says, expanding feels like a natural next step. “If you're successful in school number one, then opening school number two is a no-brainer. The brand is super supportive of expansion and growth.”
For Steve Kulawik, a longtime franchisee and former attorney, opening a Children’s Lighthouse franchise meant investing in both a business and a better lifestyle.
“You’re not open nights or weekends,” he said. “Once you’ve got good managers in place, you can oversee things without being there every day.”
Kulawik and his wife were originally hesitant to leave behind steady careers, but after more than 20 years as franchisees, they now view their decision as one of the best they’ve ever made.
“Now it feels like we’re semi-retired,” he said. “We’ve built something we’re proud of, and we still have freedom. It’s hard to walk away from that.”
The Kulawiks are preparing to open a second location and say the model is still as attractive today as when they first started — with recession-resistant demand and a collaborative culture that hasn’t changed, even as the brand grows.
Franchisees consistently highlight Children’s Lighthouse’s ongoing training, franchisee tools, and transparent leadership as critical to their ability to grow.
“The relationship with Children’s Lighthouse headquarters is a partnership,” said longtime franchisee Hubert Vaz-Nayak. “They trust us to understand our local markets better, and they listen when we suggest changes to fit local needs.”
Vaz-Nayak, who came from a corporate background, was initially skeptical of franchising. But after hitting cash flow breakeven in under 10 weeks at his first school, he quickly realized the potential for expansion.
“This business was making enough profits that, if I owned a couple of these, I could make more than a senior VP in a Fortune 500 company,” he said. “Why would I want to work for ‘the Man’ when I could do this myself?”
With over 70 schools open and more in development, Children’s Lighthouse has white space available in major markets such as Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Denver, Orlando, and beyond. This room for growth — combined with a recession-resistant industry and strong demand from dual-income families — makes it an ideal time to invest.
“We’ve developed a robust process to identify and meet this demand in various markets,” said President Michael Brown. “And our approach differs notably from other brands, primarily because of the culture and foundation my dad and uncle established.”
Whether you're looking to build a legacy business, expand your portfolio, or create more freedom in your life, Children’s Lighthouse offers the systems, support and scalability to get you there.
Or as Randy put it, “Children’s Lighthouse said, ‘Follow our script, and you will be successful.’ And they’ve kept that promise.”
For more information on franchising with Children’s Lighthouse, visit: https://1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
Children's Lighthouse
SPONSORED
Explore why Children’s Lighthouse is the perfect franchise for multi-unit expansion. Hear directly from franchisees who scaled successfully with this family-focused brand.
When it comes to building a business that delivers both financial returns and emotional rewards, few franchise opportunities compare to Children’s Lighthouse. With a proven model, strong community impact, and deep franchisor support, Children’s Lighthouse offers an ideal platform for multi-unit ownership. From brand-new franchisees to seasoned operators, owners across the country are expanding within the system — and reaping the benefits of growth.
Many franchisees begin their Children’s Lighthouse journey with one school — but thanks to the brand’s systems and support, expansion often follows.
Take Randy and Sandy Craft, for example. What began as a personal search for quality childcare grew into a thriving business with two successful locations in Texas.
“All I knew about childcare is how to drop off and pick up my kids,” Randy said. “But Children’s Lighthouse promised they would teach us to be successful operators, and they delivered on that promise.”
The Crafts now own locations in Fairfield and Jordan Ranch. With their first school more than a decade old, the couple attributes their success to following the Children’s Lighthouse model and embracing the support network.
“The franchise has given us immense freedom, both financially and in terms of time,” Randy said. “We’ve been able to travel extensively and enjoy time with our family.”
Their expansion wasn’t driven by backgrounds in education, but by a commitment to the brand’s values and systems. That repeatable success story is common across the Children’s Lighthouse network.
After opening her first school in Houston four years ago, franchisee Alexis Legg is actively working to launch her second location — a decision rooted in both passion and performance.
“My goal for school number two is to replicate the success and community impact we’ve achieved with school number one,” Legg said. “I feel like we’ve created a warm, welcoming place, and I want to bring that to more families.”
Legg, who transitioned from hospitality into education, was drawn to Children’s Lighthouse for its family feel, detailed curriculum, and high standards.
“They really wanted to help people, which I really appreciated,” she said. “They truly want to see everyone succeed.”
Now, she says, expanding feels like a natural next step. “If you're successful in school number one, then opening school number two is a no-brainer. The brand is super supportive of expansion and growth.”
For Steve Kulawik, a longtime franchisee and former attorney, opening a Children’s Lighthouse franchise meant investing in both a business and a better lifestyle.
“You’re not open nights or weekends,” he said. “Once you’ve got good managers in place, you can oversee things without being there every day.”
Kulawik and his wife were originally hesitant to leave behind steady careers, but after more than 20 years as franchisees, they now view their decision as one of the best they’ve ever made.
“Now it feels like we’re semi-retired,” he said. “We’ve built something we’re proud of, and we still have freedom. It’s hard to walk away from that.”
The Kulawiks are preparing to open a second location and say the model is still as attractive today as when they first started — with recession-resistant demand and a collaborative culture that hasn’t changed, even as the brand grows.
Franchisees consistently highlight Children’s Lighthouse’s ongoing training, franchisee tools, and transparent leadership as critical to their ability to grow.
“The relationship with Children’s Lighthouse headquarters is a partnership,” said longtime franchisee Hubert Vaz-Nayak. “They trust us to understand our local markets better, and they listen when we suggest changes to fit local needs.”
Vaz-Nayak, who came from a corporate background, was initially skeptical of franchising. But after hitting cash flow breakeven in under 10 weeks at his first school, he quickly realized the potential for expansion.
“This business was making enough profits that, if I owned a couple of these, I could make more than a senior VP in a Fortune 500 company,” he said. “Why would I want to work for ‘the Man’ when I could do this myself?”
With over 70 schools open and more in development, Children’s Lighthouse has white space available in major markets such as Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Denver, Orlando, and beyond. This room for growth — combined with a recession-resistant industry and strong demand from dual-income families — makes it an ideal time to invest.
“We’ve developed a robust process to identify and meet this demand in various markets,” said President Michael Brown. “And our approach differs notably from other brands, primarily because of the culture and foundation my dad and uncle established.”
Whether you're looking to build a legacy business, expand your portfolio, or create more freedom in your life, Children’s Lighthouse offers the systems, support and scalability to get you there.
Or as Randy put it, “Children’s Lighthouse said, ‘Follow our script, and you will be successful.’ And they’ve kept that promise.”
For more information on franchising with Children’s Lighthouse, visit: https://1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
