Now is the Time to Franchise with Lightbridge Academy in Orlando Before the Market Sells Out

Lightbridge Academy®, the fast-growing early education and child care franchise, is actively seeking franchisees to expand its presence in the thriving city of Orlando, Florida. Founded in New Jersey, the brand has been focusing its efforts on growth in new states throughout the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast over the past few years, and Florida is at the top of the list.

“Orlando is one of the fastest-growing MSAs in Florida,” said Craig Murray, Lightbridge Academy Chief Development Officer. “The surrounding communities in Orlando are also very family-driven and have grown significantly since the pandemic. Despite this, there aren’t enough high quality child care providers to meet the increased demand. Lightbridge Academy is prepared to fill that void by providing The Solution for Working Parents®.”

Orlando has experienced a significant increase in population over the past few years. In 2019, the MSA grew by 2.4% to reach a population of just above 2.5 million people — four times the rate of growth of the United States, and the second-fastest growth rate of the 30 largest cities in America.

Orlando's booming population is also accompanied by a shift in its demographics. With a median age of 33.9 years, the city boasts a youthful, vibrant and diverse population. This younger demographic, many of whom are starting or growing their families, creates an increased demand for child care services in the region.

Lightbridge Academy’s Circle of Care philosophy places equal importance on the needs of children, their families, staff, center owners and the community. With this in mind, the brand offers enhanced services and continues to stand out from competitors with industry-leading programs like ParentView® Internet Monitoring, a parent eCommunication app, extended hours and state-of-the-art security systems. In 2020, the brand also introduced The Lightbridge Promise®, the Gold Standard in health and safety for child care, which included installing enhanced air purification and filtration systems in all centers, along with heightened cleaning and sanitation processes.

Now, Lightbridge Academy’s research indicates significant opportunity in Orlando and its surrounding suburbs, including Winter Garden, Winter Park, Meadow Woods and Oviedo. Murray says the team has identified room to add five to seven Lightbridge Academy centers in the Orlando area.

When it comes to overall Florida growth, Lightbridge Academy is gearing up to open its first center in Port St. Lucie, with many more to come. The team is also prioritizing a new Fast Track strategy in order to proactively lease sites at the corporate level before franchise owners are signed. This allows Lightbridge Academy to leverage its development partnerships and shorten the time frame from signing to opening. This provides prospective franchise owners the opportunity to get into market quickly while giving the landlord the lease guarantee that they desire.

“Throughout the state of Florida, we are currently looking to move ahead on 10 locations and are already searching for ideal sites,” said Murray. “In the next year and a half, we hope to have 10 locations under lease, including centers in the Orlando market.”

To jumpstart the networking process with potential franchise owners, the Lightbridge Academy team will be attending The Franchise Show in Orlando from May 20 to 21. Prospective franchisees can ask questions, learn about the Lightbridge Academy offering and meet company leadership.

Learn more about franchise opportunities at https://LightbridgeAcademyFranchise.com/