Multi-Brand Franchise Owners Sign on to Bring Lightbridge Academy to Cincinnati

Over the last two decades, early education and child care franchise Lightbridge Academy has expanded far beyond its home state of New Jersey, establishing a strong presence in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions. As the brand continues its impressive growth this year, Lightbridge Academy has entered several states for the first time, including North Carolina, Florida and Texas. Most recently, the Lightbridge Academy team celebrated its first signing in Ohio. 

Maulik (Max) Patel and Naimishkumar (Nick) Patel are the two franchisees behind the recent Cincinnati signing. The long-time friends who met in college are both established entrepreneurs and business owners, with a portfolio that includes franchise and independent retail and restaurant locations. 

“I came to the U.S. in 2005 to look for opportunities after migrating from India,” Nick said. “After graduating college and working my way up from the front desk, I eventually bought my first hotel in 2013, which I still operate as a general manager. That is where I first really learned all about franchising, including the due diligence you have to do and the compliance you need to adhere to. Now, five years later, we have a solid portfolio in both hospitality and retail.”

Max says he comes from a very similar background. “I was eight years old when I migrated from India, and my parents got into the convenience store business,” he said. “I started helping them throughout high school, and when I graduated, my brother and I bought our first franchise with a Subway location. We also eventually invested in three Dunkin’ Donuts locations. Today, we are focused more on hospitality and currently own a hotel.”

As entrepreneurs with in-depth franchising experience, Nick says they understood the advantages of the franchise business model and were looking to expand their portfolio outside of their comfort zone with an education concept. 

“While we have extensive business management experience, we don’t have an early childhood background, but being a franchisee allows us to take advantage of the brand’s model and processes, which have already been proven for you,” said Nick. “Franchising provides that extra layer of protection. Someone is behind you to help provide the support and training you need to overcome any obstacles.” 

While researching several education-based franchise concepts, Nick says Lightbridge Academy quickly rose to the top of the list. “We loved the team, the business model and the way they operate,” he said. “The brand itself is great, and their numbers and growth tell their story of success. We wanted to earn money while also providing a high-quality early education service in a clean, nurturing, happy environment where the children can thrive educationally, developmentally and in life. Our history is in hospitality and retail, but with Lightbridge Academy, we knew we could be more involved with our community.” 

Max agrees, noting that as a father of two young children, he saw first-hand the essential value of child care during the COVID-19 pandemic. “With Lightbridge Academy, we’d really be able to provide a meaningful service and support the families in our community,” he said. “The more we learned about the concept, the more we fell in love with it.”

Max and Nick are the first franchisees to sign an agreement to develop in Ohio, planning on building three units in Cincinnati. Nick says they are proud to be the franchisees bringing the Lightbridge Academy name to the state for the first time and have big plans for the future. 

“We are looking forward to a great partnership,” said Nick. “We want to expand throughout the whole state of Ohio, and there is a lot of potential in the area. In the next 10 years, we would like to own as many Lightbridge Academy centers as possible.”

CEO of Lightbridge Academy Gigi Schweikert says the team is thrilled to welcome Max and Nick to the system and is confident that the duo will be the perfect entrepreneurs to introduce the brand to the state of Ohio.

“We’re excited to partner with Max and Nick in Cincinnati. They share our core values and will bring the Lightbridge Academy Circle of Care® philosophy to life,” said Schweikert. “By placing equal importance on the needs of children, their families, staff, and center owners, the entire community benefits. As Lightbridge Academy continues to grow in new states, Ohio is a perfect fit, and we are looking forward to entering more communities and making a real difference.”

Lightbridge Academy continues to offer franchise opportunities in the Cincinnati and Cleveland area.

For more information on single or multi-unit franchising opportunities with Lightbridge Academy, visit https://lightbridgeacademyfranchise.com/multi-unit/.