1851

After working in financial services for 15 years, Charlotte-resident&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathan-padgett-73068813?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-finance-to-childcare-local-resident-embraces-passion-for-kids-with-lightbridge-academy-franchise-in-greater-charlotte-area-2722462" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Jonathan Padgett&nbsp;</a>decided to combine his passion for business with his love for working with children, inspired by experiences with church mission trips, YMCA camp counseling, mentoring through Big Brother/Big Sisters and his own experience as the parent of a toddler. When Padgett discovered&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/lightbridgeacademy">Lightbridge Academy*</a>, he immediately connected with the brand’s&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/lightbridgeacademy/backed-by-its-circle-of-care-philosophy-lightbridge-academy-grows-in-eastern-pennsylvania-6208">Circle of Care philosophy</a>, the mission of the leadership team and the overall goals of the brand. Additionally, Padgett was able to take advantage of the brand’s&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/lightbridgeacademy/lightbridge-academy-secures-real-estate-to-speed-the-development-process-for-franchise-owners-first-site-in-wesley-chapel-on-fast-track-to-open-2720205">“land-banking” strategy</a>, in which the team identifies and secures prime sites in advance for incoming franchisees.&nbsp;Now, with plans to open two&nbsp;<a href="https://lightbridgeacademyfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=from-finance-to-childcare-local-resident-embraces-passion-for-kids-with-lightbridge-academy-franchise-in-greater-charlotte-area-2722462" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Lightbridge Academy</a> centers in the Lake Norman area, Padgett aims to create an environment where children can learn and grow at their own pace while providing parents with a comfortable and trustworthy space to leave them. As a parent of a toddler himself, Padgett understands how difficult it can be to find quality child care and is excited to support families in the community and be a positive presence in their lives.1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us.&nbsp;What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Padgett:&nbsp;After working in the financial services industry for 15 years, I was looking to do something that I was more passionate about. I’ve always loved working with kids, whether that be through church mission trips, YMCA camp counseling or the Big Brother/Big Sisters program.&nbsp;In what I do for my corporate job, I have also come across several clients who own and operate child care centers, and I’ve seen that it is treating them well. So, I combined that business mindset with my own passion, and I decided to start researching some business opportunities within the child care industry.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Padgett:&nbsp;I never considered starting a child care center from scratch — I knew that dealing with state regulations, the curriculum requirements and the details that go into running a child care center would be tough to do on my own. That’s why I chose franchising. I wanted to connect with a franchisor that had all of that already figured out. I didn’t need to reinvent the wheel. All the pieces were in place, which made it much easier.1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Padgett: We were looking at multiple child care brands, but we wanted to lease a building. Several brands require ownership of the building and the land, and we are not in a place where we can do that easily. Lightbridge Academy already owned the building and could retrofit it for us, which made a lot of sense.&nbsp;Lightbridge was also more of an up-and-coming brand that wasn’t already saturated in our market. There are a lot of child care franchises in our area, but we wanted to stand out and be different. When we learned about the Circle of Care philosophy, met the leadership team and came for discovery day, we just connected with everybody and the mission.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Padgett:&nbsp;Our overall mission is to create an environment where kids can come learn age-appropriate lessons and grow at their own pace. We also want to make it a place where parents can feel comfortable dropping their kids off. They can trust the teachers to take care of their kids for 8 to 10 hours a day. We really just want to be a light to these families who need some support.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?Padgett:&nbsp;My wife and I currently have a toddler in child care, so we have seen first-hand what works and what doesn’t. We have a lot of friends who also have kids, and they share their stories. We are going to be taking that experience and applying it to the type of culture we create with Lightbridge, taking those personal experiences and incorporating them into our business.&nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?Padgett: Take your time, ask a lot of questions and make sure you are comfortable with everybody on the team. You should have as many conversations with current franchise owners as possible. Their experiences were very valuable information for me and my wife.&nbsp;About Lightbridge Academy:&nbsp;Established in 1997, the company was founded as a family business based on core values and a Circle of Care philosophy that places equal importance on the needs of children, their families, teachers, center owners and the community. Now celebrating its 25th anniversary, Lightbridge Academy provides quality early education and child care programs to children aged six weeks through kindergarten. The company currently has over 140 child care centers either open or in development throughout Florida, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia. In response to COVID-19, Lightbridge Academy launched The Lightbridge Promise as the Gold Standard for health &amp; safety in the child care industry. In 2020, the company was featured on the Inc. 5000 ranking, Franchise Times Top 200+ awards, and on Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Best Customer Service. For the 2nd year in a row, Lightbridge Academy was on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest growing private companies. In 2023, Lightbridge Academy was featured for the 9th year on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500.

From Finance to Childcare: Local Resident Embraces Passion for Kids with Lightbridge Academy Franchise in Greater Charlotte Area

1851 Franchise

Discovering a new path, Padgett is excited to combine his business acumen with a love for children by bringing a unique, up-and-coming early childhood education franchise to his community. 

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

from-finance-to-childcare-local-resident-embraces-passion-for-kids-with-lightbridge-academy-franchise-in-greater-charlotte-area

TruBlue Home Service Ally

Be a Community Hero: How TruBlue Franchisees Are Changing Lives Beyond Business

be-a-community-hero-how-trublue-franchisees-are-changing-lives-beyond-business

Caring Transitions

Caring Transitions Wraps Up Record-Breaking Q3 With National TV Launches, Platform Growth and Key Leadership Promotion

caring-transitions-wraps-up-record-breaking-q3-with-national-tv-launches-platform-growth-and-key-leadership-promotion

SweatHouz

SweatHouz SWTHZ Franchise - Hunter and Mallory Mitchem - Franchisee Feature - 1851 Franchise

From Aerospace to Wellness: Hunter Mitchem’s Journey to a SweatHouz Empire

sweathouz-franchise-hunter-mitchem-6g

Onigilly Japanese Kitchen

Onigilly - Low Operating Costs Drive High Returns for Franchisees - 1851 Franchise

Maximize Your ROI: How Onigilly’s Low Operating Costs Drive High Returns for Franchisees

onigilly-franchise-fast-casual-franchise-opportunity

Layne's Chicken Fingers

What Is the Layne’s Franchise Disclosure Document, and What Will I Find in It?

laynes-franchise-disclosure-document

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

What ALEC-Laffer's Report Means for Franchising

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

Bed Bath & Beyond - Franchise Expansion - Retail Strategy - 1851 Franchise

Bed Bath & Beyond Launches Franchise Model as Part of Comeback Strategy

bed-bath-beyond-franchise-expansion-retail-strategy

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

U.S. Government Shutdown - Impact on Franchises - 1851 Franchise

Government Shutdown Stalls SBA Loans: How the Shutdown Could Impact Franchises

government-shutdown-impacts-sba-loans-tourism-franchises

Subway Franchisees Resist Expensive Remodel Directives

subway-franchisees-resist-expensive-remodel-directives

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees - 1851 Franchise

The American Franchise Act: What It Means for Franchisors and Franchisees

american-franchise-act-joint-employer-standard

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Barb Volk and KidStrong logo

Why This Orangetheory Fitness Franchise Owner Is Developing KidStrong Franchises

kidstrong-franchise-owner-barb-volk-2025

1851 Franchisee Spotlight with photo of Mike Rippey and Sola Salons logo

How This Former Franchisor Is Using His Industry Experience To Help Beauty Pros Thrive With Sola Salons Franchise

mike-rippey-sola-salons-franchisee

photo-of-laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

23-Year-Old Entrepreneur Brings Soon to Be Famous Chicken™ to Southern Oregon With 3-Unit Layne’s Chicken Fingers Franchise Signing

laynes-chicken-fingers-dalton-dennis-southern-oregon

1851 Franchisee Spotlight graphic with photo of Robby, Miilie Adams & family, USA Ninja Challenge

Family-Owned and Community-Driven: Robby and Millie Adams Open USA Ninja Challenge Gym in Carrollton, Georgia

usa-ninja-challenge-robby-millie-adams-carrollton-franchise

Top Education Franchises To Consider for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Education Franchises To Consider Investing In for 2025

top-education-franchises-investment-opportunities

Power Eats: Smoothie King Rolls Out Food Nationwide To Fuel Franchise Growth

smoothie-king-food-menu-power-eats

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Early Childhood Education and Child Care Franchises for 2025

early-childhood-education-child-care-franchises

NJCAR v. Ford - New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

New Jersey Supreme Court Limits Standing Under Franchise Practices Act

new-jersey-franchise-practices-act-njcar-v-ford

Top Arts and Creative Learning Franchises for 2025 - 1851 Franchise

Top Arts and Creative Learning Franchises for 2025

top-arts-creative-learning-franchises

From Finance to Childcare: Local Resident Embraces Passion for Kids with Lightbridge Academy Franchise in Greater Charlotte Area

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS