Franchises that provide engagement, activity, and essential skills for kids
by Gina Makkar
Families with children make up nearly 42 per cent of Canada’s population. Whether educational or recreational, these child-focused franchise concepts earn gold stars from kids, parents, and franchisees alike.
Angus Valley Montessori Schools
Research shows that early learning is essential for child development. First established in 2013, Angus Valley Montessori Schools (AVMS) offer licensed childcare in Ontario for infants, preschoolers, and school-age kids. The concept blends Montessori materials, Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and the exploration of art, music, movement, drama, and play for a unique childcare experience.
In contrast to the traditional childcare centre, Angus Valley’s calming design is a backdrop for self-directed activity, hands-on learning, and collaborative play. “Consistent with Montessori learning, AVMS offers a new, more integrated approach to education with a holistic focus on health, wellness, and nature,” says Murtaza Hasan, founding partner of AVMS.
The nutrition program, created by AVMS executive head chef Guillermo Russo, offers fresh, seasonal menus, with meals prepared daily. They are easily rolled out across all locations for a quality, cost-effective result.
Hasan blended existing U.S. childcare models and studied multinational accounts to fine-tune operations and position the company for success. Today, AVMS has expanded to five locations. In addition to expanding across Ontario and Western Canada, AVMS also seeks to open smaller locations tailored to serve smaller communities.
As a franchisor, Hasan enjoys sharing his passion for providing a balanced approach to emotional, social, cognitive, and language development delivered by qualified educators. “Of course, the pandemic interfered with our franchising plans, but frankly, it also created a massive demand for franchises,” he says. “During that time, when a lot of corporate executives working from home decided they wanted to control their destiny, be in business for themselves not by themselves, and provide a service to the community, our potential franchisee list tripled.”
Potential Angus Valley franchisees are business-savvy individuals ready to launch their location within the franchise framework. In return, they’ll work with the world-famous Montessori model and receive unparalleled support. Once on board, the AVMS team helps select the location and oversees the planning and construction of the location. They also assist with curriculum planning, licensing, hiring, and more. Along with other best-in-class companies, AVMS holds a strategic supply arrangement with Longo’s, Sysco, and Ecolab to enhance the brand. “I believe we offer our franchisees more than any other franchise in the education sector,” says Hasan.
Hasan’s advice to franchisees? “Work hard and realize that we are business partners dependent upon each other to succeed.
Little Kids Daycare Center
For little adventurers with a natural curiosity for life, a day of fun at childcare can be magical. President Debbie Cunha joined her mom when she opened her first Little Kids Daycare in 2002, later purchasing the business in 2010. As she embarks on franchising, Cunha strives for slow, steady growth. “I don’t want to spread myself too thin or delegate too much. I really like to be hands-on. I love meeting with prospective franchisees and when we go looking at new locations, we have a lot of fun together,” says Cunha.
With two franchisees onboard and sights set on more throughout Ontario, Cunha is in search of prospective daycare owners with a strong and consistent work ethic. “This isn’t a passive business. It needs someone who loves children and families and is willing to put in work. Those two things go hand in hand.”
Franchisees train on-site, shadowing a supervisor to better understand the day-to-day facets of running a daycare. “Every day is different,” says Cunha. In addition, franchisees also spend time reviewing manuals on licensing, policies and procedures, and health requirements. Once a centre is up and running, Cunha is on-site for additional training and troubleshooting. “It’s all very hands-on, and you can’t rush it.” As the franchise grows and expands, a solid management team is in place, ready to shift the focus to mentoring and coaching.
With recently announced changes to childcare fees in Ontario, there are additional challenges for franchisees. “It leaves the industry with so much uncertainty as to how it’s going to roll out,” says Cunha, who sits on a committee to advocate for the childcare sector. “There are meetings going on and negotiations happening behind the scenes. Last year, our committee was pivotal in renegotiating that first contract.” For Cunha and her team, small steps now will mobilize a stronger industry later.
Cunha advises franchisees to perform a self-evaluation to determine if the industry is the right fit. “Do a self-check. ‘Do I love children and families? Do I want to put my blood, sweat, and tears into a business?’ If yes, then all the other things fall into place. You have to have your heart in it, otherwise you’re in the wrong business.”
School of Rock
School of Rock takes centre stage with its patented performance-based music program. “Traditional music education approaches rarely teach students how to perform with other musicians,” says Demi Iskandar, the brand’s marketing director. “The patented School of Rock Method is different. We combine one-on-one instruction with group rehearsals and live performances, teaching students how to play together as a band. Our version of recitals are real rock shows at real venues in front of live audiences. By doing this, they are more inspired to learn and practice,” says Iskandar.
School of Rock began as a single location in Philadelphia in 1998 and has expanded to over 340 locations across 15 countries. “This has cemented the brand’s reputation as the largest and most revolutionary music education program in the world,” says Iskandar. “School of Rock built deep connections with iconic music brands and fostered long-lasting partnerships with world-renowned festivals, like Summerfest and Rock in Rio, to provide authentic and valuable musical experiences for its 60,000+ students.”
Going forward, the brand is looking to expand in areas where music education is in demand, especially in Canada. “Owning a School of Rock franchise allows people to become their own boss, have a meaningful career, and make a positive impact on their community—and they don’t have to be a musician to do so,” says Iskandar. “Our franchisees come from an array of backgrounds and past careers. Many of them became owners after they witnessed the positive impact of our programs first-hand through their own children.”
Prospective franchisees tour established locations to get a feel for daily life at School of Rock. Once on board, Iskandar adds, franchisees are provided access to world-class resources and tools, and business owners from across the enterprise connect in a supportive, collaborative environment. There is ongoing and hands-on training in everything from marketing to operations to ensure that owners have the tools they need to succeed.
Iskandar’s advice to franchisees is to take in the experiences offered and have one-on-one conversations with the team to make sure it’s the right fit. “Take in the magic of the School of Rock community and jump in with both feet. This is an amazing franchise to be a part of.”
Water Babies
Water Babies swim classes are structured to align with a child’s key physical and cognitive milestones, allowing them to grow their swim skills by leaps and bounds. CEO Shawn Goldmintz says unlike traditional, age-based classes, Water Babies’ progression-based model allows children to develop at their own unique pace.
Before getting into the water, teachers do their own deep dive, completing more than 120 hours of swim education. “We mentor them, we continually assess them. Ultimately, our product is expert teachers delivering our program,” says Goldmintz. “They are the ones responsible for making the magic, so we put in a lot of time and effort.”
With no brick-and-mortar locations and low start-up costs, Goldmintz says it’s an attractive business venture for those who want to cannonball into a job with work-life balance. Water Babies seeks investors who want to help people and develop relationships. Franchisees are often those with exposure to aquatics who want to stay in the industry, and parents of children who have attended the program. “They tend to be first-time entrepreneurs that are looking for flexibility and want to do something different.”
Franchisees embark on both wet and dry training and run through the same curriculum as the swim teachers before touching on the administrative aspects of running a franchise. “I think it’s important to have a well-rounded view of what you’re going to be doing, even if you’re not doing it,” says Goldmintz.
With its first location in Eastern Canada, the brand is looking to strategically expand and gain a foothold in other parts of the country like Ottawa and Alberta.
Goldmintz advises franchisees to be open to learning and rolling out the system as it’s intended to be run before looking to change things. “Don’t come in with preconceived notions. The reason you buy a franchise is because you know it works. If you live the values, if you live the concepts we create, and run the systems as they are laid out, it’s going to work.”