Professor and Mother of Three Wants to Empower Local Youth Through STEAM Education with IDEA Lab® Kids

As a mother of three young girls, Mag Atem’s franchising journey began with a desire to find a program that catered to her children’s own diverse interests. She discovered IDEA Lab Kids, a franchise with a rich STEAM curriculum, which also aligned with her own background in project management and engineering. Recognizing it as more than a business opportunity, Atem saw it as a chance to make a significant impact in her community.

“When I found IDEA Lab Kids, I realized I could have a place for my kids to go while also giving to my community. That really attracted me to it,” she said. “This is more of an avenue and platform to provide enrichment programs to boost knowledge and experience, rather than just a business.” 

Now, Atem is bringing the franchise to Southwest Cabarrus County in North Carolina in early 2025. Her goal is to create an environment where all children feel empowered and capable of achieving their dreams. She envisions a place where kids can learn exceptional skills and pursue any career they desire without feeling inadequate or limited by societal expectations.

1851 Franchise spoke to Atem about her franchise journey with IDEA Lab Kids and her plans for the future. 

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

Mag Atem: I am a mom of girls who are 11, 7 and 6 years old. I'm a professional mom; I also teach at university and have a consulting business that I run. I started looking for a program for my kids — one of them loves science and coding, another one loves art and the other one loves fashion and culinary. I was intrigued with all these different interests. As I began looking around, I came upon IDEA Lab Kids. I loved the rich STEAM curriculum. That really drew my attention. My background is in project management and engineering, so the STEM aspect of it was very intriguing. 

In a way, this program was really close to my heart because I saw how all my girls could be represented. I also saw how I could be a channel of blessing to my local community. Based on my background and experience, this is a great bedrock to bring this to the community. Just volunteering as a big sister with Big Brother Big Sister and teaching classes at Sunday school, I’ve had experiences with quite a few kids already. I saw the need. This could really help boost these kids’ confidence and give them the opportunity they would not otherwise be exposed to.  

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

Atem: I currently still work full-time; I work as a project manager within the hospital system. Just working in that service industry was very fulfilling for me. So I started my consulting business, but some part of me wanted to do service again — build a legacy to help serve the community long term and show my kids how to do it as well. I actually wrote a program for my kids just as a way to serve the community. I saw how much of an impact I could make. It would be an extension of my entrepreneurial journey, but providing some type of service pro-bono. When I found IDEA Lab Kids, I realized I could have a place for my kids to go while also giving to my community. That really attracted me to it. 

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

Atem: I love IDEA Lab Kids because I can see how much of an enriching program it will be for my kids and all the kids around me. Also, I’m excited to offer a unique additional venue for birthday parties, after school and summer camps in our community. 

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

Atem: My goal is that any kid who walks through the doors can leave with the feeling that they can be anything they want to become. They can learn phenomenal skills and gain a base of knowledge for any future career in the STEM space. They won’t feel like they aren’t intelligent enough or aren't in the class of people.

I am also excited to offer our curriculum to schools in the area, as an extension of their academic day, STEM Club or as part of their after school program.. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Atem: I am where I am today as an assisted professor at UNC Charlotte because people lent me their shoulders to grow. We are originally from Cameroon, and there we say it takes a village to raise a child. I have been able to get to where I am because of all of my loved ones. I want to give back to the community by being that pillar a child can stand on or that hand they can hold to have a positive role model to be who they want to be in their career. I lost my dad at 19, so I understand. I want to offer that space where they can come and they have people who believe in them, and are happy to teach them skills they can build on. A great place to hone those skills so they can be a positive addition to the community. 

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

Atem: I don’t know if all brands are like this, but IDEA Lab Kids really lays out all the steps for you to walk through. I don’t have any time where I felt like I was going to fail. I felt like I had been a part of the IDEA Lab Kids family for a long time. If you feel in your heart it is the right direction, sometimes you just need to test the waters. I also spoke to other franchisees within the IDEA Lab Kids system and the legal team, and even hired a business coach. I did my homework. All the feedback I got was that it is a great franchise. Look at the results, see how fulfilled the other franchisees are. I knew this was the right place to be. 

ABOUT LYRICOS® LEARNING, LLC:

Lyricos® Learning, LLC is the home to IDEA Lab Kids and is also the creator of STEAM on Demand, a leading provider of streaming interactive content and tools for planning and leading standards-aligned, engaging, and fun TK-8 STEAM hands-on lessons.

ABOUT STEAM ON DEMAND®:

STEAM on Demand® is a technology platform that offers science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) interactive lessons “on demand” which are designed to be used in a collaborative classroom setting or online. Hundreds of interactive video lessons have been developed as part of the platform’s core content. These kid-tested videos spotlight topics that align with national and state level curriculum standards across all STEAM subjects and guide teachers and students through hands-on projects. Also included is access to a variety of coding pathways for students of all levels. The platform provides all the content and tools needed to plan and conduct entire afterschool programs.

ABOUT IDEA LAB® KIDS:

IDEA Lab® Kids was founded as a way for kids to explore their love of science, technology, engineering, art, and math subjects. The award-winning Houston-based education franchise system offers after-school classes, camps, birthday parties, open labs, and much more to children. The brand has positioned itself to be a leader in the growing STEAM education space with franchises in the U.S., Canada, and internationally.  IDEA Lab Kids franchises are only offered or sold in states where they are registered or compliant with applicable franchise laws.