Geologist Becomes IDEA Labs Kids Franchisee after Attending Goddaughter’s Birthday at the Houston Location

Ryan Baker was working in the oil and gas industry when he serendipitously stumbled upon IDEA Lab Kids by attending his goddaughter's birthday party in Houston, Texas. Immediately, he was captivated by the concept and the way it offered kids an opportunity to explore the STEM subjects he is passionate about and feels are so important to a child’s future. Two days later, he reached out to the brand to inquire about franchise opportunities. Now, he looks forward to opening two locations in Alberta, Canada: one in St. Albert and one in southwest Edmonton.

1851 Franchise spoke with Baker about his journey into franchising with IDEA Lab Kids and his plans for the future. 

PROFILE QUESTIONS

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

Baker: ??I originally graduated from university with a Bachelor of Science in geology and spent over a decade working in the Canadian oil and gas industry, so I am a professional geologist. 

Given my degree, I started working in very scientific roles, but as time went on, the roles I had became more business and corporate-focused, and I started to feel the entrepreneurial spirit tug at my brain. Eventually, it just became too loud to ignore.

After previously relocating to Calgary for my career, my wife and I have more recently moved back to Edmonton; this is where we both grew up. We wanted to be closer to our family while raising our kids, and I started thinking about going into business for myself. I don't have the next million dollar idea, nor did I want to commit that type of capital or time and effort into building something completely from scratch, so franchising seemed like a natural stepping stone into entrepreneurship for me. 

One day, I happened to be visiting my family in the Houston area and attended a birthday party  for our goddaughter at IDEA Lab Kids. I had never heard of the brand before, but I was immediately captivated by what they had to offer. When I saw that they do franchise locations, I reached out, only two days after I was introduced to the concept. I've never seen anything like this in Canada before.

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?

Baker: My initial perception of franchising was basically sandwich shops and fast food. I thought it only included businesses that have a very carbon copy template that try to grow as quickly as they can. 

As I really started looking into it, and even attended a few franchise expos, I realized that there are so many creative outlets in terms of franchising that I was not aware of. You're representing that company, but you also have a lot of creative flexibility with certain franchises. You are paying for the brand that has been developed already, so you're saving a lot of time, a lot of effort and a lot of money. 

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

Baker: I've worked for both a small startup company and a large corporation before. IDEA Lab Kids is a smaller company that’s focused on growing, and I love that it doesn’t feel like a huge corporation. 

With now being a parent of two younger children, they are actually entering the age window to be going through the programs that are offered by IDEA Lab Kids, and it’s something I’d love for my own kids to experience. I have the opportunity to have so much fun while still running a business because I’ll be working with kids; kids are so genuine, curious and innocent. They just want to learn and have fun. I have the opportunity to provide kids with an outlet to be learning all these skills that are so important going forward, and I am getting the chance to make a positive impact on my community.

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

Baker: My near-term plan for IDEA Lab Kids is to get the center in St. Albert off the ground. I plan on trying to find strategic partnerships with other child care providers in the city and also be present in the community at functions so I can encourage parents and children to be thinking about STEM. 

I feel so passionate about the fact that science and STEM topics are so important in the world and are going to be in high demand. I just want to share that wealth of knowledge to the world.

IDEA Lab Kids is completely new here, so I want to focus on building brand awareness. I also look forward to opening my second center in Edmonton and ideally pursuing a third location in the Edmonton area, as well. 

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

Baker: I'm a big advocate for mental health. In this post-pandemic era, I think a lot of people faced some challenging times from a mental health perspective, and I would definitely say that I was one of those people. However, being able to find support and taking advantage of that can really help. 

Managing and getting through those times of hardship can lead to new periods of enlightenment where you're more confident to take on an entrepreneurial venture or do something that you feel benefits your family and yourself. 

I have the perspective that you're never stuck, and in periods when you may feel stuck, you can always take action to support yourself. 

Looking at where my career trajectory was with my career in the energy industry a couple of years ago, I was very happy with it. I really loved my job. It was not an easy decision to exit that role and take on a venture for myself. However, I feel so proud of myself for doing so, and I feel empowered by jumping in the deep end and taking the chance.

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

Baker: I'm a super detail oriented person, and I like to do my homework; that's probably the science geek in me. I need to know the facts. I would say, to anyone that's considering a franchise business, just do your homework. If you’re prepared and the franchisor knows you well, it's ultimately going to be mutually beneficial. You know what you're going to get into with the franchise, and they know who they are dealing with.

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.