KidStrong Franchising, LLC

FRISCO, Texas —&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kidstrong-q3-growth-2025-2730649" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">KidStrong</a>, the science-based child development franchise helping kids grow stronger, smarter and more confident, announced another record-breaking quarter marked by major expansion, record attendance and continued franchise momentum.“It was a big quarter,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-patrick-49576a90?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kidstrong-q3-growth-2025-2730649" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Josh Patrick</a>, senior vice president of franchise development. “We’ve traditionally been a suburban brand, but now we’re starting to enter more urban markets. We opened our first location in Manhattan. The center is already growing quickly, and we have two more locations coming soon to that area. It’s a really exciting step forward for us.”In total, KidStrong opened 10 new locations in Q3 across the United States and Canada, including strong growth in the Southeast. The brand also signed 10 new franchise partners and saw four existing franchise owners acquire additional territories, bringing the total to 45 franchise licenses sold this quarter alone.“We’ve seen great traction in key markets like Atlanta,” Patrick said. “It was a really strong quarter for us overall — a mix of new franchise partners joining the system and existing ones doubling down. That tells you a lot about confidence in the brand.”Year-to-date, KidStrong has sold 114 franchise licenses and signed 37 new franchise partners, with 12 existing franchise owners expanding into additional territories.As KidStrong grows, so does the impact of its programming. The brand saw its highest attendance records in company history during Q3.“For all of our members attending classes, participation is at its highest it’s ever been,” Patrick said. “It shows that what they’re getting from the program is valuable. We’re seeing that reflected in our net promoter scores as well. The experience is resonating, and parents are seeing real results.”KidStrong’s curriculum combines physical, cognitive and character development for kids ages 1 to 11. Backed by a team of experts in child development, occupational therapy and sports performance, the program helps children build strength, confidence and leadership skills during their most critical developmental years.Looking ahead, Patrick says the brand is focused on continuing its nationwide expansion with a clear long-term vision.“We should end the year with about 177 open locations, which will mean roughly 43 new centers opened in 2025,” Patrick said. “Next year, we expect to open 60 units, and it’s really shaping up to be a great year. 2026 should be our best year yet, and we’re building the infrastructure to handle 15 to 20 openings per quarter. Q4 is setting the pace for what’s ahead.”From its roots in a Kentucky gym to more than 150 open locations and 65,000 kids served weekly, KidStrong’s growth story continues to accelerate. With a lean, scalable model and purpose-driven mission, the brand is redefining what it means to invest in youth enrichment — and the momentum shows no signs of slowing down.For more information on franchising with KidStrong, visit<a href="https://www.kidstrongfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kidstrong-q3-growth-2025-2730649" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> www.kidstrongfranchise.com</a>.About KidStrongKidStrong was founded in 2015 by Matt and Megin Sharp because they wanted a program focused on developing strength and confidence for their daughter Ella and other kids like her. Together, they partnered in 2017 with Matt's best friend and Co-Founder Lincoln Brown to help grow the program. Later, Megan Stein joined as a Co-Founder. Together they developed KidStrong, a science-based kid's training program focused on brain, physical and character development for ages walking through 11 years old. 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&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kidstrong.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=kidstrong-q3-growth-2025-2730649" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.kidstrong.com</a>.

KidStrong Opens Manhattan With 45 New Franchises in Q3

KidStrong Q3 Growth With 45 Franchises, Manhattan Launch

1851 Franchise

This mission-driven child development franchise is seeing explosive growth across North America as it prepares for an even bigger 2026.

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A 61-Unit Development Agreement Puts Joe Pedatella at the Top of KidStrong's Development Ranks

From Multi-Unit Fitness Portfolio to KidStrong Franchising: Manuel Torres’ Journey Across Seattle, Indianapolis and Texas

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When a new&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a> center prepares to open, the marketing machine doesn’t wait for the doors to unlock. It starts months before the first class ever runs. For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/courtneymoscovic">Courtney Moscovic</a>, Vice President of Marketing at&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong</a>, that intentionality is everything. With more than a decade at Yum! Brands, supporting powerhouse concepts like Pizza Hut, agency experience and seven years as a KidStrong mom herself, Moscovic brings both franchise rigor and personal passion to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/franchise-recurring-revenue-model-2731506">the brand’s growth strategy</a>.1851 spoke with Moscovic to learn how that blend of enterprise-level strategy and mission-driven belief shows up in every phase of KidStrong’s marketing playbook.<h2>Building Momentum Before the Doors Open</h2>KidStrong’s presale window typically begins 10 to 14 weeks before opening, the moment a center is officially able to sell memberships. But the groundwork starts even earlier.“We start digital marketing - aggressive paid digital marketing - to generate leads to get the presale members,” Moscovic said. “We do that intentionally to set centers up for success early in their KidStrong journey. We want them to be profitable as soon as possible and the more members they open with, the more momentum they’ll have.”Before paid ads turn on, however, the team focuses on priming the market. “Prior to that, we have a team that leads you through brand awareness initiatives in the market, which includes a VIP list of early leads so that you have a strong starting point in your sales funnel,” she said. “And then we turn up the dial on paid advertising.”Digital is the primary engine, with social media, particularly Instagram, driving a significant portion of early leads. But KidStrong doesn’t rely on a single channel.“All throughout presale, we do digital marketing as well as on-the-ground events,” Moscovic said. “Digital will drive the majority of your lead volume, especially through social media, like Instagram. That’s where we see a majority of millennial moms spending their time, so we want to meet them where they’re at and that requires investment. The philosophy is simple: invest early, win early.”“We also do a series of events and in-market activities throughout presale,” she said. “Some cities have never heard of KidStrong so inviting them into our centers can make a huge difference. When you can see and feel the KidStrong difference, even before classes start, it can really ramp sales.” That layered approach - awareness, VIP list, paid acquisition and in-person events -&nbsp; is designed to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/top-5-reasons-to-buy-a-kidstrong-franchise-in-2026-2731525#featured">help centers open with meaningful membership volume</a> from day one.<h2>Turning Openings Into Community Moments</h2>Opening week at KidStrong is a multi-phase experience. After launch, Moscovic’s team encourages new centers to activate their space immediately.“After opening, we want you to run a few open houses, which have 15-minute mini classes,” she said. “You get all of those people who didn’t sign up during the presale phase out onto the floor to experience what KidStrong is.”Thirty days later, it’s time to celebrate bigger. “After about a month, we want you to have a big grand opening - have the mayor come, cut a ribbon, food trucks, all of the fun stuff you expect at a grand opening,” Moscovic said. “Take a deep breath and celebrate the opening and your new community.”While&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/franchise-recurring-revenue-model-2731506">KidStrong provides structure and proven tactics</a>, it also leaves room for local creativity. “We have a playbook for what we know works,” she said. “But with grassroots marketing, we let the local franchise owners choose their own adventure with how big they want to go.”<h2>Marketing That Never Turns Off</h2>For Moscovic, marketing isn’t just a launch-phase activity. It’s a permanent operating function.“Marketing does not have to be your first stop every day, but it should at least be your second,” she said. “The KidStrong marketing never turns off. You will always be losing members, which means you will always need new members, which means more leads, which means you need marketing. Love it or hate it, our marketing team will be by your side for the entirety of your KidStrong journey.”That ongoing engine includes always-on paid digital campaigns, camp and party promotions, triggered email and SMS automations, and structured organic content support. Centers are encouraged to amplify that messaging locally.“Franchise owners also have their own socials and we encourage them to post about their local centers,” she said. “We also provide a national marketing calendar that comes out quarterly so they can plan ahead.”While the systems are centralized, innovation doesn’t flow in just one direction. “The biggest thing that leads to success in franchise marketing is collaboration,” Moscovic said. “A good idea can come from anywhere. We have a lot of smart franchise owners in our system and they often come to us with ideas.”Rather than shutting down new concepts, her team leans into experimentation. “We don’t want to say no,” she said. “How can we treat this as a test and replicate it elsewhere? I always want franchise owners to bring ideas to us.”<h2>Hands-On Support From Day One</h2>Overall, Moscovic is clear that marketing at KidStrong is not passive support. “We are extra supportive and responsive with the franchise owners,” she said. “We are hands-on with every single center, all the time.”From presale launch plans to quarterly calendars to day-to-day campaign optimization, the marketing team acts as an extension of each franchise owner’s business. That hands-on structure, combined with aggressive early investment and always-on digital execution, is designed to&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/franchise-manuel-torres-seattle-indianapolis-texas-2731544">create momentum that compounds over time</a>.For franchise owners, that means they’re not starting from scratch in a new market. They’re stepping into a tested system with national expertise, local flexibility and a team that treats marketing as a growth lever.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong">https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong</a>.

Photo of child participating in KidStrong

From national brand campaigns and lead generation to local playbooks and hands-on coaching, KidStrong’s marketing team gives franchise owners a competitive edge from day one.

Inside KidStrong’s Playbook: The Marketing Engine Powering Franchise Success

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As demand for structured youth fitness continues to grow,&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a> has entered 2026 with momentum that few children’s concepts can match. From strong system health to new revenue-driving programs, the brand has positioned itself for its next phase of expansion.&nbsp;Here are the five reasons prospective owners are choosing to invest now.<h2>1. A Healthy, Profitable Franchise System That Owners Are Doubling Down On</h2>One of the clearest indicators of franchise health is what existing owners do next. In KidStrong’s case, they are signing leases and buying more territory.“The fact that franchisees are signing leases tells me the entire system is very healthy,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-patrick-49576a90">Joshua Patrick,</a> senior vice president of franchise development. “They don’t sign leases if they’re not making money. If they’re not feeling supported, if they’re not happy with the franchisor, they will not sign additional leases.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong</a> closed out 2025 with 148 licenses sold in the year, including 27 licenses purchased by franchisees who already own locations and chose to grow further within the system.<h2>2. Strong Retention Driven by Weekly Programming Innovation</h2>Retention is one of the biggest profit drivers in membership-based businesses, and KidStrong has made it a central focus. By updating its programming weekly, the brand was able to keep classes fresh for families without losing the repetition kids need to build skills.“We changed our programming weekly, but still gave kids the reps they need,” Patrick said. “Our churn almost immediately dropped by about two points, which had a huge financial impact for franchise partners.”Additional enhancements, including showcase weeks, milestone rewards and in-center leaderboards, have further strengthened engagement and encouraged consistent attendance.<h2>3. Built for Multi-Unit Ownership With Actionable Data</h2>KidStrong’s franchise base is largely made up of multi-unit developers, and the brand has invested heavily in tools that support scale. A centralized data warehouse allows owners to view KPIs across individual locations and entire portfolios.“One of the biggest points that gets easily missed in a franchise system is data,” Patrick said. “As a multi-unit operator, do I have a place where I can go in and see my reports and the KPIs I need on a portfolio basis and an individual basis? We pulled all of our data together so franchisees can drive action off the numbers that matter.”Franchisees can benchmark performance across the system, with field business coaches using the same data to support operations.<h2>4. Real Estate and Marketing Support That Removes Guesswork</h2>The brand works directly with franchisees on site selection and marketing, offering AI-supported real estate analysis and hands-on support from its real estate and construction team.“Franchisees can send an address to an email and within seven minutes they have a full custom KidStrong report,” Patrick said. “It’s not just a demographic report. It includes the leading things we look at because we don’t just look at kid counts and income.”On the marketing side, KidStrong runs digital campaigns at the corporate level using systemwide data to drive lead generation. Individual locations typically see hundreds of leads each month, while franchisees focus on local, grassroots efforts in their communities.<h2>5. New Growth Levers Expanding the Addressable Market</h2>Looking ahead, KidStrong is unlocking additional growth through format innovation and new programming. A smaller, one-floor prototype is being tested to reduce build-out costs and open the model to underserved markets.“If we’re successful, we could open up another 200 to 300 markets in the U.S. alone,” Patrick said.The rollout of BabyStrong adds a new membership option for pre-walking children, helping centers better use morning hours and easing families into the core KidStrong program.<h2>Why 2026 Is the Right Moment</h2>With franchisees reinvesting in the system, better retention and a focused real estate strategy, KidStrong is heading into 2026 with solid momentum. For entrepreneurs looking at youth fitness, the timing to enter the system is right.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong.">https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong.</a>&nbsp;

Top 5 Reasons to Buy a KidStrong Franchise in 2026

KidStrong’s combination of franchisee reinvestment, retention gains and disciplined expansion strategy has positioned the brand for continued growth in 2026.

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<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a>, the science-based child development franchise helping kids grow stronger and more confident, character and strength, is targeting Utah for franchise development. With one location currently open in South Jordan, the rest of the state is largely untapped.&nbsp;“Utah really lines up with who we serve,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-patrick-49576a90/">Josh Patrick</a>, senior vice president of franchise development. “You have a large and growing base of young families, and that creates steady demand for a program like&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong</a>.”<a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2025/06/young-old-counties.html">Utah is the youngest state in the country</a>, with a median age of 32.4 years. Not only that, but Utah leads the country in birth rates. These population trends closely align with KidStrong’s core customer base: families with young children.Much of the whitespace is concentrated along the Wasatch Front, where cities like Salt Lake City, Provo and surrounding communities form a dense and connected corridor.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksl.com/article/51420504/utahs-growth-experienced-a-significant-shift-in-2025-these-were-the-fastest-growing-counties">Utah County</a> alone added nearly 16,000 new residents in 2025, more than any other county in the state.​That setup enables more efficient expansion and a stronger market presence for KidStrong.&nbsp;“The Wasatch Front gives operators the ability to grow in a connected way,” Patrick said. “You can open in one community and build into the next, which makes it a strong market for multi-unit development.”That proximity makes it easier to build brand awareness and operate multiple locations within a single region.<h2>How KidStrong Fills a Need in the Market</h2>While the population continues to grow, access to structured, high-quality youth programming has not kept pace in many of these areas. Families are looking for options that go beyond traditional activities, especially those that combine physical and cognitive development.“In a lot of these communities, families are already looking for something like KidStrong,” Patrick said. “There just aren’t enough options yet, which gives early operators a real opportunity to establish themselves.”KidStrong’s model is built around weekly, coach-led classes that focus on strength, confidence and overall development. Families attend on a recurring basis, which creates consistency for both the child and the business while building long-term engagement.That combination of a structured curriculum and a recurring membership model helps locations build a reliable base of families early on.<h2>Whitespace and Growth Markets</h2>KidStrong franchise owner&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniellepointer/">Dani Pointer</a> was among the first to recognize the opportunity in Utah. With a background in accounting, business management and sales, she recognized that Utah County was the fastest-growing county in the state. She also saw that KidStrong had just one location in Utah and decided to act on it.&nbsp;She is now part of only the second group of franchise owners to bring KidStrong to the state, backed by a business partner who has opened multiple KidStrong locations and other franchise concepts across several markets.&nbsp;"There's a great playbook at KidStrong,” she said. “They have such a strong program, great research and a great team at HQ. Not having to start from the ground up is amazing."&nbsp;With only one location currently operating, there is still significant room to expand across key markets such as Salt Lake City, Bountiful, Layton and South Ogden. Each new location serves as a local hub for families while helping establish the brand across the region.<h2>Why Now Is the Time to Invest</h2>Entering a market at this stage allows operators to secure strong territories and build early momentum as demand continues to grow.“Markets like Utah don’t stay open for long,” Patrick said. “There’s still room right now, and the operators who move early have a chance to build a strong presence as the market continues to develop.”With strong fundamentals already in place, Utah is positioned to play a meaningful role in the brand’s next phase of growth.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong">https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong</a>.

image of kidstrong growing in utah franchise growth opportunity

With one location open and plenty of whitespace across the state, Utah is shaping up as a strong growth market where KidStrong can expand alongside one of the youngest populations in the country.

KidStrong Targets Utah for Growth as Demand From Young Families Continues to Rise

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<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a>, the science-based child development franchise helping kids grow stronger and more confident, character and strength, is targeting Colorado for growth. With locations open in Littleton, Highlands Ranch, Parker and Fort Collins, the franchise has established an early presence but still sees significant room for expansion.“Colorado checks a lot of boxes for us,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joshua-patrick-49576a90/">Josh Patrick</a>, senior vice president of franchise development. “You have strong population growth, high-income communities and parents who are very intentional about the programs they choose for their kids.”Much of that growth is concentrated along the Front Range, where cities like Denver, Boulder and surrounding communities form a connected stretch of high-density, family-oriented markets. The region continues to attract young professionals who are settling down, starting families and putting down long-term roots.“The Front Range is a great setup for multi-unit operators,” Patrick said. “You can grow within a defined region, build awareness across neighboring communities and scale in a way that’s efficient.”That environment creates strong demand for structured, premium youth programming.<h2>How KidStrong Meets Market Demand</h2>Families across Colorado are already investing in health, wellness and development, both for themselves and their children. That mindset can carry over into how they evaluate activities, with many looking for programs that go beyond traditional sports or one-time classes.“In Colorado, you have parents who value an active lifestyle and want that for their kids as well,” Patrick said. “They’re looking for something that builds confidence, supports development and gives their kids a foundation they can carry forward.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong’s</a> model is built around weekly, coach-led classes that focus on strength, confidence and overall development. Families attend regularly, creating consistency for both the child and the business while fostering long-term engagement.That consistency, paired with a structured curriculum, allows locations to build a strong and reliable membership base over time.<h2>Why Now Is the Time to Invest</h2>Colorado has plenty of space for growth, particularly across key markets such as Denver, Boulder, Lakewood, Arvada, Longmont and Greeley. While the brand has an early foothold, there is still room to grow across these high-demand areas. KidStrong has already shown it can perform in the state, and strong territories are still available.“Colorado is still in a position where you can get in and build something meaningful,” Patrick said. “There’s demand, there’s growth and there’s a path to scale.”With strong population trends, engaged parent communities and a lifestyle that aligns with the brand, Colorado is positioned to play an important role in KidStrong’s continued growth.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong">https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong</a>.

image of kidstrong colorado franchise opportunity

The franchise already has proven success in the Centennial State, but significant whitespace remains as Colorado’s population of young families continues to grow.

KidStrong Targets Colorado’s Fast-Growing Front Range Markets for Growth as Family Demand Increases

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<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/joe-pedatella-91845163/">Joe Pedatella</a>, who already operates 18&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a> locations across New Jersey, Connecticut and New York, has signed a larger development agreement with the science-based youth enrichment franchise. He plans to open four new centers per year, making him the brand’s largest developer.“<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong</a> is at an inflection point where brand awareness, consumer demand and operational maturity are aligning,” Pedatella said. “The concept has moved beyond early adoption into broader market validation, while still having significant whitespace for growth. From an operator standpoint, we now have the infrastructure, leadership bench and data to scale efficiently.”&nbsp;Before entering youth enrichment, Pedatella spent decades building a fitness business centered on families and community. He currently owns and operates Spa 23 Fitness and Lifestyle, a 40,000-square-foot, family-oriented health club in New Jersey offering everything from CrossFit and yoga to swim school, summer camp, massage and a dedicated kids zone. He began his career there in 1998 as a fitness department employee and worked his way up to ownership, steadily expanding the business into a collection of boutique offerings under one roof.That background helped set the stage for this development agreement. The confidence to expand at this scale comes from consistency across his existing portfolio.“We’ve seen repeatable unit economics driven by strong membership retention, stable lifetime value and improving operational margins as locations mature,” Pedatella said. “We now operate with standardized management roles, training systems and operational playbooks that allow performance to be replicated rather than reinvented. When outcomes become predictable across several units, expansion becomes a disciplined scaling decision rather than a risk-based one.”<h2>Scaling With Intent, Not Speed</h2>Even as his footprint grows, Pedatella said the goal has never been to chase unit count. For him, expansion starts with building the infrastructure to support what comes next — staffing, systems, leadership development and culture — before adding new locations.“We always look at it this way,” he said. “If we have five centers, we build it like we’re going to have 25. If we’re at 15, we build it like we’re going to have 100.”That approach shows up most clearly in how he hires and develops leaders. Pedatella prioritizes getting the right people in place early, then simplifying the operating rhythm with repeatable processes that can scale without adding chaos.“Organization comes first,” he said. “Then SOPs you can scale quickly. But none of it works if you don’t have the right people.”Rather than taking a top-down approach, Pedatella involves his leadership team in growth decisions and future planning, creating shared ownership in the expansion process.<h2>Why the Tri-State Region Works</h2>For Pedatella, the opportunity comes down to fit — the kind of suburban, family-heavy communities where parents are already investing in enrichment programs.“The tri-state region benefits from strong demographics aligned with KidStrong’s core customer: family-dense suburbs with high education engagement and parents prioritizing developmental enrichment for their children,” he said.&nbsp;Operationally, the close geography supports more efficient oversight through shared leadership, regional training, marketing efficiencies and cross-location staffing support. Concentrating openings in nearby markets also strengthens brand presence: each new location builds awareness and reduces customer-acquisition friction in surrounding areas.<h2>A Model Built for Scale</h2>Pedatella points to KidStrong’s centralized programming and operating model as one of the brand’s biggest advantages.“Because curriculum, training methodology and customer experience standards are developed centrally, operators can focus on execution rather than content creation,” he said. “This reduces operational variability and ensures consistency across locations.”As his unit count grows, he says complexity does not rise at the same pace. Instead, business becomes more efficient because every location runs on the same proven framework.<h2>The KPIs Behind Disciplined Expansion</h2>With a long-term roadmap in place, Pedatella doesn’t rush openings. Instead, the team watches how quickly membership builds, how well retention holds and how long each center takes to settle into steady performance before moving on to the next market.They also watch leading indicators that show whether a location is truly stable — presale conversion, trial-to-member conversion and whether staffing is in place early enough to deliver a consistent experience from day one.“The goal is disciplined growth, opening new units only when existing locations demonstrate predictable performance and leadership capacity is in place,” Pedatella said.With four new centers planned each year, he views the agreement as a long-term platform anchored in the same principle that has guided his career since 1998: build the people and systems first, and expansion follows.For more information about franchising with KidStrong, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/.">https://franchise.kidstrong.com/.</a>&nbsp;

With 18 locations operating - including 16 open and two in pre-sale - across NJ, CT and NY, Pedatella plans to reach 22 centers by year's end and continue opening at least four locations annually.

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For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/manuel-torres-71129a/">Manuel Torres</a>, franchising has never been about chasing trends. It has been about finding systems that work, building strong teams and scaling with discipline.“I’ve always been an entrepreneur,” Torres said. “I looked at different businesses and, at some point, did a restaurant. I discovered that it’s very hard to do your own thing. When I found&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/franchise-deep-dive-orangetheory-fitness-franchise-costs-fees-profit-and-data-2721213">Orangetheory</a>, I saw that it was so much easier to follow the processes and the proven concept that, obviously, the franchisor has put together.”That lesson — trust the system, execute with consistency — became the foundation of his multi-unit approach. After building within Orangetheory Fitness, Torres began looking for his next scalable opportunity. He found it in&nbsp;<a href="https://franchise.kidstrong.com/">KidStrong</a>, a children’s fitness and enrichment concept that blends physical activity with brain and character development.“I was very impressed with the purpose of it,” Torres said. “What resonated the most for me, similar to Orangetheory, is that it is a purposeful concept, meaning that it has substance, a benefit, a nice outcome that helps people.”The concept hit home personally. At the time, his children were squarely in&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong/info">KidStrong’s</a> target age range.“The concept spoke to me loudly in terms of what it was intended to do,” he said. “Obviously, kids want physical activity, and there are other places they can do that. But I think combining the brain and character development component, I felt that was not only beneficial to an individual family, but truly — and this is not exaggerating — it’s beneficial for communities.”<h2>Scaling Across Markets</h2>Today, Torres operates KidStrong locations in Indianapolis and Seattle, with development underway in Texas. His expansion model mirrors his fitness playbook: leverage trusted leadership, empower operating partners and select markets with precision.One of his first KidStrong opportunities came in Indianapolis, where a longtime team member relocated to launch the brand. Soon after, he repeated the model in Seattle.“Similarly to Indianapolis, I had people who had worked with me for a long time who were from Seattle,” Torres said. “I made them the same deal, it worked, and they moved. Now we have three locations there, and those three locations are exploding.”Geography matters, but demographics matter more. Torres relies heavily on data and disciplined site selection.“With my experience in the other concepts, I know demographic information is the key,” he said. “You have to make sure it has the household income that would be conducive to spending the money that is needed for kids … and it has to be a location that has families with certain niche groups.”He also weighs growth patterns and future trends. “You want to see that young families are moving to the area and it’s not going to be something more for retirement,” he said.Real estate discipline remains central to his philosophy. “The most essential, important thing is to find the right location,” Torres said. “You want to grow, but it has to be the right location, not just open because you want more. You have to open because it’s the prime location.”<h2>Why Kids Fitness, Why Now</h2>Torres believes the children’s fitness category is positioned for long-term growth, driven by cultural shifts around screen time and structured development.“Nowadays, people are in electronics and not very active, with the sedentary aspect of our lives,” he said. “With electronics and how things are, it’s kind of coming back to the basics of physical activity — get active. People want that. It’s coming back full circle.”KidStrong’s structured programming fills a gap many parents feel but struggle to address on their own.“I think activity and development and learning outside of the household is indirectly in parents’ brains,” Torres said. “They’re thinking, ‘I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what my kid can do that is different.’”For Torres, the opportunity is both scalable and meaningful. As he continues to expand in Seattle and evaluate additional growth in Texas, his strategy remains clear: disciplined development, strong operators and a concept with purpose.“This concept, in my view, has been very rewarding,” he said. “I strongly believe it benefits communities, not just a few families.”To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong">https://1851franchise.com/kidstrong</a>.

Photo of KidStrong franchisee Manuel Torres

An operating partner behind franchises like KidStrong and Orangetheory Fitness, Torres shares his expansion strategy and why children’s fitness is the next frontier for operators with scale.

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