In the world of early childhood education, one brand is quietly but powerfully capturing the attention of high-performing franchisees looking for more than just ROI. Children’s Lighthouse, a nationally recognized preschool franchise, continues to attract entrepreneurs who value strong systems, meaningful impact, and the ability to scale.
Whether they come from tech, hospitality, law, or the military, franchisees are choosing — and staying with — Children’s Lighthouse for three big reasons: its curriculum-first approach, authentic family feel, and attractive investment built to maximize profitability.
For Alexis Legg, a former teacher and hospitality leader, it was the brand’s research-backed curriculum that sealed the deal.
“I was really surprised and impressed by their curriculum,” Legg said. “It’s STREAM-based — science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics — but what really blew me away was the character values component. Every month, the children are learning things like integrity, responsibility, honesty — really important life skills that make well-rounded little human beings.”
Legg is now a multi-unit franchisee, having already signed her second agreement after opening the brand’s first urban location in Houston during the pandemic. The curriculum, she says, helps Children’s Lighthouse stand apart in a competitive market.
“We’re not just warm bodies watching your babies all day. We are people trying to educate your children,” she said. “We’re dealing with parents’ two most valuable assets — their children and their money. So it’s incredibly important for us to build trust.”
Franchisee Steve Kulawik echoed the same sentiment. “The model was awesome. It was small, family-oriented, and we felt like we could really be part of something.”
That sense of community isn’t just talk — it’s baked into the culture of Children’s Lighthouse, from the founding family to the newest franchisee.
“My first call with someone at the corporate office, it just felt right,” Legg said. “They’re still family-owned and operated. They put a lot of emphasis on being family-focused, which I really appreciated — both as a potential franchisee and as someone who values education.”
Kulawik had a similar experience when he first met founder Mike Brown. “It felt like I was talking to my best friend,” he said. “He made taking the plunge a whole lot easier.”
Now nearly 20 years into franchising, Kulawik says the culture hasn’t changed. “We’ve said, ‘We’re getting bigger,’ but it doesn’t feel like it. That’s thanks to the Brown family and the way they’ve maintained a close-knit, family-oriented atmosphere. I don’t have any fear of it turning into something it’s not.”
That authenticity matters to franchisees who are building schools in the communities where they live. “I live in the same community where my school is,” Legg said. “So to me, it was really important to have that exemplary school, because we didn’t have anything like that at the time.”
Beyond its educational impact, Children’s Lighthouse offers a highly attractive investment model in the more than $65 billion childcare market. One benefit that sets it apart, for example, is commercial real estate ownership. Franchisees not only build a business — they build long-term equity.
“You’ve got a 10,000-square-foot building sitting on almost two acres of land,” said Matt Kelton, Vice President of Franchise Development. “In 15 years, you can potentially sell it for a significant multiple of what you paid for it. “When you compare it to other types of commercial real estate, it’s on the lower slope — and it comes with strong unit-level economics.”
Similarly, franchisees also appreciate the brand’s small marketing fund, a major differentiator in the early education space.
“One of our key differentiators is that we’re still owned by the Brown family — Michael is the president — whereas many of our competitors are backed by private equity,” Kelton said. “That means they typically have more fees and are more driven by P&L. We’re not. Our national ad fund covers everything and is just half of one percent monthly. Competitors are often charging 3 to 4 percent, which can add up to $80,000 to $90,000 more per school on average. They also tend to tack on additional fees across the board. Our goal isn’t to have 800 schools — it’s to have the best of the best. We want to deliver best-in-class support and ensure our franchisees are running incredibly profitable businesses. When we evaluate fees, we’re focused on making sure they deliver real value.”
Unlike other franchise models, Children’s Lighthouse is designed with scalability and lifestyle in mind. “You’re not open nights or weekends,” Kulawik said. “Once you’ve got good managers in place, you can oversee things without being there every day.”
That freedom has been life-changing for franchisees like Justin Leggett, a former IT architect in San Antonio. “In my old job, I was gone from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day,” he said. “Now, just the time we get to spend with our kids has been invaluable. The freedom that it has created — I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.”
It’s not just that franchisees are buying into Children’s Lighthouse. It’s that they’re staying — and expanding.
“They truly want to see everyone succeed,” Legg said. “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.”
That’s reflected in the numbers and the stories. Children’s Lighthouse has never had an SBA loan failure in its system, for example. Multi-unit owners like Ramesh Sakarepalle and Jyothi Oblum now operate five schools and say the consistency of the model makes it easy to scale.
“Once you have mastered the model, your investment can turn into financial benefit which you can invest in multiple units,” Sakarepalle said.
With a growing demand for high-quality childcare, a curriculum that goes beyond academics, a business model that offers both financial returns and lifestyle flexibility, and a culture that feels like family, it’s no surprise that Children’s Lighthouse is becoming the go-to franchise for serious operators looking to grow with purpose. The brand has available white space in key growth markets such as Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Orlando, and Denver.
“It’s really an intriguing model,” Kelton said. “Banks like it. Private equity loves it. And you’re still offering a critical service to your community. It’s a great business, a community service, and a long-term asset. That’s hard to beat.”
To learn more about investing in a Children’s Lighthouse franchise, visit 1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
Children's Lighthouse
SPONSORED
Children's Lighthouse attracts and retains high-performing franchisees through its curriculum-first approach, authentic family feel, and business model built for long-term growth and profitability.
In the world of early childhood education, one brand is quietly but powerfully capturing the attention of high-performing franchisees looking for more than just ROI. Children’s Lighthouse, a nationally recognized preschool franchise, continues to attract entrepreneurs who value strong systems, meaningful impact, and the ability to scale.
Whether they come from tech, hospitality, law, or the military, franchisees are choosing — and staying with — Children’s Lighthouse for three big reasons: its curriculum-first approach, authentic family feel, and attractive investment built to maximize profitability.
For Alexis Legg, a former teacher and hospitality leader, it was the brand’s research-backed curriculum that sealed the deal.
“I was really surprised and impressed by their curriculum,” Legg said. “It’s STREAM-based — science, technology, reading, engineering, arts, and mathematics — but what really blew me away was the character values component. Every month, the children are learning things like integrity, responsibility, honesty — really important life skills that make well-rounded little human beings.”
Legg is now a multi-unit franchisee, having already signed her second agreement after opening the brand’s first urban location in Houston during the pandemic. The curriculum, she says, helps Children’s Lighthouse stand apart in a competitive market.
“We’re not just warm bodies watching your babies all day. We are people trying to educate your children,” she said. “We’re dealing with parents’ two most valuable assets — their children and their money. So it’s incredibly important for us to build trust.”
Franchisee Steve Kulawik echoed the same sentiment. “The model was awesome. It was small, family-oriented, and we felt like we could really be part of something.”
That sense of community isn’t just talk — it’s baked into the culture of Children’s Lighthouse, from the founding family to the newest franchisee.
“My first call with someone at the corporate office, it just felt right,” Legg said. “They’re still family-owned and operated. They put a lot of emphasis on being family-focused, which I really appreciated — both as a potential franchisee and as someone who values education.”
Kulawik had a similar experience when he first met founder Mike Brown. “It felt like I was talking to my best friend,” he said. “He made taking the plunge a whole lot easier.”
Now nearly 20 years into franchising, Kulawik says the culture hasn’t changed. “We’ve said, ‘We’re getting bigger,’ but it doesn’t feel like it. That’s thanks to the Brown family and the way they’ve maintained a close-knit, family-oriented atmosphere. I don’t have any fear of it turning into something it’s not.”
That authenticity matters to franchisees who are building schools in the communities where they live. “I live in the same community where my school is,” Legg said. “So to me, it was really important to have that exemplary school, because we didn’t have anything like that at the time.”
Beyond its educational impact, Children’s Lighthouse offers a highly attractive investment model in the more than $65 billion childcare market. One benefit that sets it apart, for example, is commercial real estate ownership. Franchisees not only build a business — they build long-term equity.
“You’ve got a 10,000-square-foot building sitting on almost two acres of land,” said Matt Kelton, Vice President of Franchise Development. “In 15 years, you can potentially sell it for a significant multiple of what you paid for it. “When you compare it to other types of commercial real estate, it’s on the lower slope — and it comes with strong unit-level economics.”
Similarly, franchisees also appreciate the brand’s small marketing fund, a major differentiator in the early education space.
“One of our key differentiators is that we’re still owned by the Brown family — Michael is the president — whereas many of our competitors are backed by private equity,” Kelton said. “That means they typically have more fees and are more driven by P&L. We’re not. Our national ad fund covers everything and is just half of one percent monthly. Competitors are often charging 3 to 4 percent, which can add up to $80,000 to $90,000 more per school on average. They also tend to tack on additional fees across the board. Our goal isn’t to have 800 schools — it’s to have the best of the best. We want to deliver best-in-class support and ensure our franchisees are running incredibly profitable businesses. When we evaluate fees, we’re focused on making sure they deliver real value.”
Unlike other franchise models, Children’s Lighthouse is designed with scalability and lifestyle in mind. “You’re not open nights or weekends,” Kulawik said. “Once you’ve got good managers in place, you can oversee things without being there every day.”
That freedom has been life-changing for franchisees like Justin Leggett, a former IT architect in San Antonio. “In my old job, I was gone from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day,” he said. “Now, just the time we get to spend with our kids has been invaluable. The freedom that it has created — I wouldn’t trade that for anything in the world.”
It’s not just that franchisees are buying into Children’s Lighthouse. It’s that they’re staying — and expanding.
“They truly want to see everyone succeed,” Legg said. “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.”
That’s reflected in the numbers and the stories. Children’s Lighthouse has never had an SBA loan failure in its system, for example. Multi-unit owners like Ramesh Sakarepalle and Jyothi Oblum now operate five schools and say the consistency of the model makes it easy to scale.
“Once you have mastered the model, your investment can turn into financial benefit which you can invest in multiple units,” Sakarepalle said.
With a growing demand for high-quality childcare, a curriculum that goes beyond academics, a business model that offers both financial returns and lifestyle flexibility, and a culture that feels like family, it’s no surprise that Children’s Lighthouse is becoming the go-to franchise for serious operators looking to grow with purpose. The brand has available white space in key growth markets such as Dallas, Houston, Charlotte, Orlando, and Denver.
“It’s really an intriguing model,” Kelton said. “Banks like it. Private equity loves it. And you’re still offering a critical service to your community. It’s a great business, a community service, and a long-term asset. That’s hard to beat.”
To learn more about investing in a Children’s Lighthouse franchise, visit 1851franchise.com/childrens-lighthouse.
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