The Winning Franchisee | McKinney CPA Business Owners and Parents Sign to Open Texas’ First Lightbridge Academy in Dallas Market

Dina and Lloyd Peters both immigrated to the United States to further their education, although they did so a decade apart. Dina immigrated from Indonesia in 1991 to obtain a master's degree in accounting; wanting to gain the full American experience, she decided to attend West Texas A&M.

After his uncle encouraged him to further his education, Lloyd came to the United States from Grenada in August 2001 to pursue a bachelor’s degree in accounting at Midwestern State University, and Lloyd received his CPA Certification in July 2011. Both grew to become fond of the Lonestar state and, meeting at church in 2006, decided to settle down and start a family. In 2014, the Peters opened their own accounting firm called Peters CPA, LLC in Dallas.

Deciding it was time to expand their business portfolio, the Peters attended Dallas’ Franchise Show in January 2022 in hopes of finding a franchise that matched their community's needs and values. They discovered Lightbridge Academy*, the NJ-based early childhood education brand, and immediately were drawn to how passionate the corporate team was about the brand. With knowledge of North Texas’ booming population, the Peters knew that the Dallas market would need a high-quality early childhood education concept.

Knowing what they would have wanted from a childcare business for their own daughter, the Peters are confident that Lightbridge Academy will replicate its Northeast success in Texas.

They have signed to open the state’s first location with plans to help expand brand awareness with additional locations in 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?

Dina Peters: I’m originally from Indonesia and obtained my bachelor’s degree in accounting while attending college there. I then came to the United States to get my master’s in accounting in 1993. I was originally going to attend Cal State in Fresno, but there is a large Indonesian presence there, and I really wanted to expand my horizons and explore American culture. So, I transferred to West Texas A&M near Amarillo and have not left the state of Texas since. Lloyd and I met at church in 2006, and in 2014, we started our own business Peters CPA, LLC in Dallas, Texas. After opening our own business, we decided we wanted to expand our business portfolio and thought franchising was a great way to do so.

Lloyd Peters: I came to the United States from Grenada in the Caribbean in 2001 to attend college after my uncle encouraged me to continue my education. I attended Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas, and as Dina said, we met in church shortly after. We decided franchising was for us after looking at the data and benefits of being a franchisee and having brand awareness and support behind us.

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?

Dina: We didn’t have a perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee. We were aware of the initial investment but always had an open mind as we looked to expand our business portfolio. With franchising, the corporate team has already done the market research and determined a need for the business in open territories, saving us a lot of time.

1851: What makes you stand out as business owners in your local community?

Lloyd: We’re established business owners in the local community and pride ourselves on being very involved in various organizations. We’re passionate about giving back and even started a nonprofit organization called Grace First Foundation before the pandemic. The mission of this organization is to help provide scholarships to single parents to help further their education.

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

Lloyd: Dina and I attended the Franchise Show in Dallas this year, where we discovered Lightbridge Academy. What immediately spoke to me about the franchisor was that they weren’t pushy in selling the brand. All the information we requested, we received with full transparency, and they put us in contact with Lightbridge Academy franchisees to learn about their experiences with the brand. I could tell they wanted us to be successful and would provide necessary support as we introduced the brand into the Texas market.

There are several other childcare concepts in the greater Dallas market, but we see the potential with Lightbridge Academy based on the brand’s success in the Northeast.

Dina: The North Texas community is booming, creating a need in the market for high-quality childcare services. While there’s a lot of competition in the market, what sets Lightbridge Academy apart is the corporate team's passion for the brand and the Circle of Care.

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

Lloyd: We would certainly like to expand Lightbridge Academy’s presence in Texas after opening our first location in the Dallas market.

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

Dina:  We are both strong believers in education.  We believe that education should start at an early age.  Having a childcare center is a good investment not only for the community but also for the families.  We can help to shape and improve the lives of children who, eventually, will be the ultimate benefit for individual families and the community.  We hope that we can be that caring institution that will nurture their children in a safe environment so that Parents can have one less item to worry about – the safety of their child. Parents will seek the best for their children and will look for programs that match their standards. Hopefully, we can have programs that are of a high standard and be an ideal match for parents. The children will also have opportunities to learn social skills and develop their own personalities. Seeing the children excel and advance in their education is very rewarding to us.

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

Lloyd: My biggest piece of advice would be to seek out multiple options and do your due diligence. When you find a brand that you connect with and can be passionate about, go for it.