Child Education Industry Report - Part 1

Following the birth of their daughter Bill and Marina Schmidt of Bradenton, Florida began looking for quality child care in their area. It turned out to be more difficult than they had anticipated. With a passion for education and a wholehearted belief in the idea that “community begins here”, the Schmidts saw an opportunity to use their skills gained in other industries in an educational arena while bringing a much-needed service to the area. This was particularly true for Marina who had a Masters degree in early childhood education, but had become burnt out in the corporate world as a vice president of human resources for a Fortune 500 company. After looking at various options for a little over a year, they decided on opening a Kiddie Academy franchise.

Like many new business owners, the Schmidts faced challenges. At the time of their opening in March 2008, the economic market conditions were the worst they had been in many years. Homes throughout the country were being foreclosed on, unemployment rates were at an all-time high, and Florida was no exception. However, as in most cases, the challenges had a silver lining. In this case, economic hard times had created an abundant work force for the Schmidts to hire from. That was a big positive for the couple who use customer service as the foundation on which their employees provide the level of service they feel families deserve. The increased size of the hiring pool in their area allowed the Schmidts to choose people who they felt most closely matched their vision.

But, the Schmidts were not only focused on customer service. They also placed a large amount of focus on grassroots marketing and initiatives, including events such as book readings, parent date nights and local partnerships. As a result of the couple’s passion and attention to customer service along with considerable community outreach efforts, they are enjoying marked success evidenced by a stellar reputation in their area, and tremendous community and parental support. The Schmidts also remain very integrated in their franchise operation hosting new hire orientations, service trainings and monthly staff meetings where role playing is included to facilitate offering the highest quality service they can to their customers.

Sound like a story you’d like to be a part of? It’s been said that there may be no more wonderful feeling than to know that you had a positive impact on a child. One of the ways to have a positive impact on children is contributing to experiences that teach them. If you think that the education franchise industry might be for you, read on for more information about this impactful industry, including some thoughts from Joe Novak, Mathnasium Senior Vice President of Franchise Marketing & Development, and a look at 17 industry franchises.

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