Lightbridge Academy Multi Unit Franchisee Reinvests in the Brand, Gears Up to Open Third Location

Lightbridge Academy continues to build momentum in 2019. The early education and child care franchise currently has more than 70 centers in development throughout Maryland, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Recently, Lightbridge Academy opened a center in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on March 19. The owner of the new location, Peter Patel, is no stranger to Lightbridge Academy, having already opened two other centers in the New Jersey cities of Clifton and East Windsor in 2013 and 2016, respectively.

Originally from India, Patel started working in the U.S. at the age of 15, taking a job at his father’s convenience store, where he learned first-hand what it takes to run a business. After studying engineering in college, Patel realized his true calling was to become a business owner himself. This revelation led him to follow his passion.

”I’ve always had a love for business ownership,” said Patel. “I remember working with my father, helping him to run his store. Once I made the choice to become a business owner myself, I opened a few convenience stores and a wholesale business.”

While having his own stores gave him a foundation for being a business owner, Patel still felt he wanted something more.

“I wanted to join a business model that gave back to the community,” said Patel. “I learned about the need for child care from family members and friends who had children, and instantly started doing research online, which is where I discovered Lightbridge Academy. Since the Lightbridge home office was local and close to where I live, I felt comfortable knowing that I would have support from the company and they would assist me in building my centers from the ground up.”

With continued investment in Lightbridge Academy, Patel has maintained growth and success over the last six years, while having had the opportunity to provide an exceptional child care service to families in the communities he serves. Patel’s commitment goes beyond simply operating a quality business, he believes in the core values that surrounding the Lightbridge Academy  “Circle of Care” and keeps the needs of children, parents, staff and the community in the forefront when making any business decision.

“We were built on a foundation of family values,” said President and COO of Lightbridge Academy, Gigi Schweikert. “Lightbridge Academy is a place where parents, children and staff members, as well as the community and franchise owners, come together as a family to create a trusted Circle of Care. We know that when franchise owners truly embrace this philosophy and bring it to life, it creates a culture of care that is truly unlike any other child care brand. It is proven to resonate with parents and fuels the success of our centers.”

Lightbridge Academy looks to open a record number of locations in 2019, with the goal of having more than 10 new units open by the end of 2020.

The startup costs for a Lightbridge Academy center range from $549,228 to $767,635. The franchise fee is $40,000. To learn more about owning a Lightbridge Academy franchise, visit https://lightbridgeacademyfranchise.com/.