Stay-at-Home Mom Returns To Work by Bringing KidStrong to Utah County

For years, Dani Pointer has poured her energy into raising her three daughters and focusing on their development. So, when the opportunity arose to bring KidStrong, the science-based child development franchise, to Utah County, she saw a chance to turn her lifelong passion for child development into a meaningful business venture.

Pointer has long pictured herself running her own business, which is why she studied accounting and business management. When she came across KidStrong and its mission to “help kids win at life,” it clicked right away. The franchise model gave her a way to step into a proven system instead of building something from the ground up, while still doing what matters most to her: supporting kids and families in her own community.

Now, as the second group of franchise owners bringing KidStrong to Utah, Pointer is focused on building something bigger than a business. With the support of her experienced business partner who has opened multiple KidStrong and other franchise locations, she’s setting out to help kids across Utah County build the strength, confidence and resilience they need to thrive in every part of life.

Pointer spoke to 1851 Franchise about her franchising journey with KidStrong and how the brand’s focus on building kids’ confidence and skills aligns with her background and goals for her Utah community. Here’s what she had to say:

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?

Dani Pointer: I have been a stay-at-home mom for the past several years. I have three little girls and have been at home with them, but I’ve always wanted to start my own business. In school, I decided to study accounting, less out of a passion for accounting and more as a tool to build a business of my own one day. When I learned about KidStrong, it just felt like the right fit at the right time. It was kind of a no-brainer to say yes to franchising. It felt like such a great opportunity that our whole family could join, help out and be involved in.

1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Pointer: I love kids and have always enjoyed child development. I also have a background in sales, accounting and business management, so it just felt like the right fit for me. I’m excited to bring KidStrong to where I grew up — I actually grew up in American Fork — so I’m excited to bring that to the community.

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?

Pointer: It’s funny. Since starting this process, I’ve thought a lot back to my first job, which was for a very well-known franchise. I think a lot about the owners and the high standards they had. You can go into different franchises, and they all have different standards, but I really admired those owners. They had very high expectations for us, and the business did really well because of it; they kept things clean and were very involved in the business.

Looking at it now as an owner, I want to be the same way: involved and present, knowing my employees and the value we bring to our community. I think the great thing about franchises in general is that you’re not starting from scratch. There’s a great playbook at KidStrong. They have such a strong program, great research and a great team at HQ. I’m really excited to bring KidStrong to my community and to my family. Being able to bring that to the community is such a cool opportunity, and not having to start from the ground up is amazing. There are great resources and a great mission to start with.

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

Pointer: As a stay-at-home mom, I’ve been very involved in my kids’ lives, so it felt like a natural progression.. I love being a mom, and the mission of KidStrong — helping kids win at life — really resonated with me. Kids are so diverse. They learn in different ways and excel at different things. I really like how the KidStrong program provides kids with different tools to develop different skills that are so essential in everyday life.

That was a huge part of why I decided to get involved. I’m very passionate about helping kids, so this franchise just felt like the right fit for me. Like I said, we have a great team at HQ, and they’ve provided so many resources for us: a great playbook and great programming.They really support their franchisees. 

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

Pointer: KidStrong is fairly new to Utah. There’s currently only one other location in the state, so we’re bringing it to a fairly new market. We think it’s such a valuable program for kids, helping them grow, develop and build confidence, strength and other skills that help them win.

We’re excited to bring that to our friends, our neighbors, and the people we’ll meet through the process in the community. I’m really excited to bring it home and see the impact it can make.

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

Pointer: I have a strong business partner. He’s opened other KidStrong locations, as well as multiple other franchises. He’s had a lot of experience in franchising, and having the right partner was really important to me.. His influence will be really helpful as we start this journey.

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

I would say just find the right fit for you. I don’t think every franchise is the right fit for every person, so it’s important to do your research and find something that really resonates with you, something you can feel passionate about and get involved in. Do your homework and make sure it’s the right fit.

About KidStrong

KidStrong 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 www.kidstrong.com.