UPS Store Franchisee Ajit Sidhu Diversifies Investments with KidStrong, Hoping To Help Kids Gain Confidence Early in Life Through His KidStrong Franchise

Ajit Sidhu knows about the transformative power of fitness firsthand. Growing up shy and introverted, he credits physical training with giving him the confidence to speak up and grow into the person he is today. That deep belief in the connection between physical strength and self-belief is what ultimately led him to the youth enrichment franchise KidStrong. After launching two successful UPS Store locations and exploring opportunities to diversify, Sidhu spotted a KidStrong gym in his hometown of Livermore and immediately felt a connection. 

Sidhu saw a brand that not only aligned with his values but offered the kind of impact he wished he had growing up. With four centers now in the works across Northern California, Sidhu is building a business that empowers kids to develop confidence early, so they don’t have to wait until adulthood to feel strong, capable, and ready to lead.

1851 Franchise spoke with Sidhu about his path from the corporate world to multi-unit franchise ownership with KidStrong and how he hopes to empower the next generation through fitness. Here’s what he had to say:  

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Ajit Sidhu: I started my professional career in technology. I worked in the banking domain at various banks for about seven to eight years. Once the pandemic hit, we started working remotely. I was remote for about two years total. At that time, I started getting more interested in opening a business because I had so much more free time without having to commute to and from work. 

I started out with a UPS franchise because I had family and friends who did it, and I noticed that they were hitting a lot of the top lists on Forbes and Entrepreneur. I opened my first location in the Bay Area in 2021, and once the pandemic was wrapped up, I decided I wanted to go full-time with the business. So I gave my two-week notice to the corporate job and went full-time with UPS and grew that to a second location the following year. 

I saw a KidStrong gym here in my hometown, Livermore, California, which caught my attention when we were walking around downtown. I also noticed a couple of my friends posting about it on social media. Their kids were going there as well. So I started looking into their concept, probably mid-2024, almost a year ago. We were talking back and forth. I was looking to change up my portfolio and expand into other domains. KidStrong really just made sense because I have a big belief in fitness. My self-confidence — everything, really — has really come from fitness, thinking about when I was younger and how I am now. Fitness has played a huge part in my physical and cognitive development and my self-confidence.

KidStrong's core values are something I really aligned with. I wanted to get into a business that I truly felt compatible with. The UPS Store is a great business, but there’s nothing I really love or can compare myself to. But KidStrong really felt like a great business for me to expand with. So I reached out to KidStrong mid-last year, and then once I saw that they had hit number one in category on Entrepreneur.com, that’s when I was like, “Okay, we’re on to something. Let’s go ahead and sign up.”

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchise owner, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

Sidhu: I always knew I wanted to do franchising versus a private mom-and-pop business, just because the systems and processes are there. Yes, we have to pay royalties and other fees — startup fees, too — compared to a private business, but the ability to scale is there.

The biggest thing for me, being a bit younger, is that I want to scale substantially. So I need a strong franchise that has systems in place, processes in place, the tech, the data, the infrastructure, the training — everything to help me scale to multiple locations. That’s what drew my attention to franchising versus a private business.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Sidhu: The main thing that sold me on the company is that it's science-backed emotional, mental and physical training. It’s unique in the sense that there are go-to sports like swimming, basketball, tennis, track and field — whatever it may be — but there was this gap in the industry. There wasn’t an overall fitness gym for children. There were specific sports and activities, but not a full, well-rounded fitness program. That’s what caught my attention.

I started going on their website and reading their mission statement, and everything really aligned with what I believe. I also have a 10-month-old now, and when he was born, I knew we definitely wanted to do something kid-related. We have one of our own now, too, so we hope to put him into KidStrong in the next couple of months once he passes 1 year old.

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Sidhu: What I plan to achieve is opening at least one center per year. If we can do that from scratch, that would be ideal. I’m currently signed up for four centers. I’m also open to acquiring existing locations—for example, the one in my hometown, Livermore. If it ever went up for sale, I’d purchase it.

My goal is to continue scaling and growing with the company. I know they’re growing substantially and doing really well, so I’d like to catch on to that trend and grow with them.

1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?

Sidhu: Just that I’m a strong believer in fitness. Growing up, I was a lot more introverted, quiet and shy. I started working out toward the end of high school, maybe early college, and that’s when my self-confidence really grew. I felt more confident walking around, talking to people and being myself. But by then, I felt like it was a little too late. I was already done with middle school and high school and just starting college.

I wish I had that self-confidence earlier on. I could’ve put myself into sports, into activities, in front of the class. I feel like I missed out on a piece of that growing up. So if we can implement these strategies in children at a younger age, I really believe we’ll be able to give them a more meaningful and fulfilled life.

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?

Sidhu: I definitely recommend it. I talk to all my friends and family and encourage franchising because of the systems and processes in place. You can’t beat it; it’s a proven model. You get to go through training, talk to current owners and multi-unit owners, and really learn from the network. The existing infrastructure and support are why I would absolutely recommend going with a franchise.

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