KidStrong: How One Family Turned Profound Loss Into a Mission To Honor Their Daughter

For most potential franchisees looking to enter entrepreneurship, the journey starts with market research. For Tom and Dorie Fredericks, it began with an unexpected and tragic loss. Earlier this year, their 2-year-old daughter, Brooklyn, passed away —a tragedy that reshaped their mission, and how they wanted to work. That purpose now guides them as they prepare to launch their KidStrong franchise in Brooklyn’s honor.

While KidStrong helps children improve mental and physical development in a science-based environment, it also focuses on character development, helping kids build self-esteem, resilience and social skills.

As KidStrong members prior to becoming franchise owners, Tom and Dorie saw firsthand the impact it had on Brooklyn, boosting her confidence and overall strength.

“Brooklyn got involved in the classes, and we saw her blossom. We saw her change, open up. Her confidence was boosted, and she got stronger. She lit up when it was time for class,” Tom said.

“It was a completely different side of our little girl than we’d ever seen,” Dorie said. “When we walked into KidStrong, they made us feel like family. It was so comforting. Because of the brand and how much it meant to Brooklyn and us, we decided to honor her. We decided the best course of action would be to open a KidStrong in our current location.”

Relocating following a work-related move to Colorado, the Fredericks are launching their first KidStrong franchise in Alexandria, Virginia where Brooklyn was born. Delivering a children’s training program focused on brain, physical and character development for ages 1 through 11, KidStrong now operates more than 160 locations.

For the Fredericks, their journey into entrepreneurship is about serving their local Virginia community while honoring Brooklyn’s legacy via their first KidStrong franchise.

1851 Franchise sat down with Tom and Dorie to discuss honoring Brooklyn’s legacy as they transition into the youth enrichment sector as KidStrong franchise owners. Here’s what they had to say:

1851 Franchise: Can you frame your personal story for us? What do you want people to know about your franchising journey?

Tom Fredericks: Our daughter Brooklyn is not with us anymore. She’s now in heaven. We got her involved in KidStrong when she was 2 in January this year. Our family had moved from Virginia, where we’re at now, to Fort Collins, Colorado. We were looking for things to get her involved in, and Dorie found KidStrong. Brooklyn got involved in the classes, and we saw her blossom. We saw her change, open up. Her confidence was boosted. She got stronger. She lit up when it was time for class.

Dorie Fredericks: It’s very important to know about Brooklyn that she was a very shy little girl. She clung to the two of us. Stranger danger was a real thing, but whenever she was going to KidStrong, she walked in there like, “I’m here.” It was a completely different side of our little girl than we’d ever seen. It completely changed her and she had only been going there for not even eight weeks.

Brooklyn tragically passed in March of 2025, in Fort Collins, Colorado. We decided to move back to Virginia to be with our support system. She was our only daughter. When we walked into KidStrong, they made us feel like family. It was so comforting. Because of the brand and how much it meant to Brooklyn and us, we decided to honor her. We decided the best course of action would be to open a KidStrong in Virginia. Tom came up with the decision. He said, “We need to do this for her.” And that’s our mission now.

1851 Franchise: What did you do before franchising?

Tom: We both come from business backgrounds and both have business degrees from the same college, Christopher Newport University. I went directly into real estate after college and have been in the business for roughly 20 years on the residential side. I started a residential real estate brokerage company in 2020. When we thought about opening a franchise, I was able to see the vision for opening a business and play off the strong suits I’ve experienced over the years with sales, operations and accounting.

Dorie: Like Tom said, we met at the business school in college. I always like to say we took a 13-year break. I’m originally from New York and moved back home after college. I was working in media in New York City selling retail TV commercials. For the 2016 presidential election, I relocated to D.C. with my company to sell political commercials on TV. Tom and I reconnected when I moved back to Virginia, so we had a later start in life.

At that time, I also worked part time as a sales rep at Orangetheory Fitness. I love Orangetheory workouts with the coach and motivation it provides. I feel KidStrong is like a mix of this. It was similar to what I enjoyed and gave me the knowledge and experience to understand the background of how one runs and operates.  Tom and I both have a love for fitness. 

After several years, I left media sales to work at a veterinary diagnostic company. They recruited me because I used to be a veterinary technician. When this company reached out on LinkedIn, it was the perfect fit—my love of animals and my sales, business and marketing background. I was the sales rep for the DC metro area for 7 years. Now I work as an analyst, helping sales reps throughout the company.

1851 Franchise: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming owners, and what do you want people to know now that you’re in it?

Tom: That’s an interesting question. We’re so new to it. From the second we started talking with KidStrong, it was quick, but so organized and so supportive on their end.

Dorie: I’m blown away by what an amazing franchise it is and how helpful they are. I wasn’t necessarily expecting this. I didn’t know if we were going to be thrown to the wolves. But no. KidStrong is backing us and supporting us, and the love I feel already — it just feels like family. I had no idea.

Tom: I had no idea the backbone of their operation was so large. They hold your hand through the entire process. Dorie likes looking at commercial real estate. She would sit here online and search on her own, but they have a whole team dedicated to helping us find locations and other teams and departments helping us in many other areas. We’re new to it, so we’re sifting through all of it. From what we see and have experienced, it’s top notch from the top down — from the founders and the president all the way down. They’re like-hearted and like-minded people.

1851 Franchise: What excites you most about KidStrong?

Tom: Bringing to our community what we experienced so other kids can win at life, and families will experience the same support, kindness, joy and morale boosting for their children that we experienced as parents.

When we came back to Virginia, our entire support group was devastated but extremely supportive. It was a revolving door of friends and family coming through our house to help hold us up. We talked to all of our friends about KidStrong. At that point, there were only two around us that were open — one in Fairfax and one in Stone Ridge.

Dorie: None of our friends or family had really heard of it. As we started telling everyone, they said, “This is amazing. We need this!” Now our friends are screenshotting posts they see that say anything like. “Hey, this opened in Maryland. Is this coming to Virginia?” They will send this to us and say, “Guys, look! There are people in our mom groups that want this!”

To be the ones who can bring that joy and confidence that Brooklyn had to our friends and family — it’s all for Brooklyn. We’re doing it for her.

1851 Franchise: What are you hoping to achieve with the business? Is there a plan for growth?

Tom: We want to be successful in our first location and then the second next year. After that, we want to explore what other options exist within KidStrong at that time, whether it’s in a different state or here. Dorie’s from New York. Maybe we go up to her hometown and see if there’s a location available there.

Dorie: Maybe we go out West again toward the Utah-Colorado area and try to open one there. We do want to expand, but we want to take it one step at a time and make sure we have everything accounted for and that we do it right first — for Brooklyn.

1851 Franchise: What advice would you offer potential franchise owners?

Tom: If a potential franchise owner is mission and purpose driven, and in it for the right reasons — for kids and families — they will find their community within the KidStrong franchise.  Make sure you do your initial research as well as talk with current KidStrong franchise owners to find out their experiences.

Dorie: One of the quotes I love is “the greatest risk is on the opposite side of fear.” You might be scared to do it. I never thought we’d be owning a franchise. Before Tom and I were dating, I said, “I’m never going to own a house.” Now we own a house. I never thought I would lose my child. You never think this would happen to you. If it can happen to us, it can happen to anyone. It’s eye-opening that life is short. Take the risks and go for what is important to you. Do something you enjoy.

Tom’s been talking about wanting something he’s passionate about. I never thought we’d be able to say that we own a franchise. And we do.

So never say never. Go for the risks in life.

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

About KidStrong:

KidStrong was founded in 2015 by Matt and Megin Sharp in Lexington, Kentucky, for their daughter Ella. Their goal was to make her stronger and more confident. This simple goal led them to partner with child development experts and create a unique curriculum focused on the critical skills kids need to succeed. Megin and Matt partnered with Lincoln Brown to turn the idea into a scalable business. The goal was to help as many families as possible.

KidStrong offers a science-based curriculum that is parent-focused and taught by professionals to help accelerate milestone development and promote social and emotional strength. Today, KidStrong has grown exponentially, with more than 400 franchises sold to date since the company opened its first center in 2015. Over the next five years, KidStrong plans to have 500 open centers nationwide. For more information, visit www.kidstrong.com.