From franchisee to owner and CEO, Christopher Rego is building Bricks 4 Kidz up to new heights
By Roma Ihnatowycz
When Christopher Rego was considering buying a Bricks 4 Kidz franchise, what tipped the scales in its favour was that LEGO happened to be his son’s much-loved toy at the time. That, and the fact that Rego himself had an extensive software background, meant everything was pointing in the direction of a brand that used LEGO bricks to teach science, math, and other STEM subjects to kids.
“I was initially looking to invest in a food franchise, but then I came across Bricks 4 Kidz and I knew how much my son Emmanuel loved building with LEGO,” says Rego, who’s now the owner and CEO of the company. “His passion made me pause and rethink things. It made me realize that the Bricks 4 Kidz brand was more meaningful, fun, hands-on. More importantly, it was STEM education and I was a software guy.”
Everything dovetailed perfectly, and in 2013 Rego bought three Bricks 4 Kidz franchises in California’s Bay area. The brand was at its peak, with around 700 franchises worldwide, so it looked like the perfect opportunity for a “software guy” to branch into business ownership. “I had worked in technology, in both small and big companies, and had founded my own software company, Teknowland,” says Rego. “Everything we’ve been implementing at Bricks 4 Kidz has made use of my technology background.”
In addition to starting his own software solutions firm—which today powers all the software and hardware for the brand—Rego also worked for a host of major tech players over the course of his career: Oracle, Yahoo!, and Intuit, to name a few. He had dipped his toe into business ownership as a young man as well, buying and running a vacation resort in India just after completing his MBA.
So it was no surprise that Rego found success with his first three Bricks 4 Kidz franchises, and then, two years later, was able to purchase the master franchise for the brand in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). While the UAE was oceans away, literally, and would require regular trips from his home base in San Jose, California, it represented a golden opportunity Rego couldn’t pass up.
“Seeing how STEM was a mandatory class in the UAE from Grade 1 all the way to Grade 12, I thought ‘Wow, this is something I should get into,’” he reflects. “I understood how important STEM education is for them. Robotics coding was something they wanted in every school. I decided this would be a great investment.”
The right decision
The decision proved fortuitous. The UAE franchise chain has now taught nearly a million children through its programs, says Rego, with dedicated teaching modules developed for each grade in the local school system. This was something the franchise worked closely with the local boards of education to develop and implement. “We introduced STEM labs hosted in the cloud, all mapped to the curriculum,” Rego says.
Timewise, Rego’s work in the UAE coincided with a wave of tech advancements that he felt needed to be better integrated into the Bricks 4 Kidz educational offerings. Things like AI, robotics, and drone technology were all gaining ground. The brand’s original, exclusively LEGO-based learning model needed to be broadened to incorporate new technology and suitable teaching methods for it, says Rego.
But that wasn’t happening fast enough. The Bricks 4 Kidz teaching model, says Rego, was not keeping pace and was falling behind, losing franchisees in the process. At its lowest point, “a 700-unit franchise chain had dropped down to less than 300 franchises,” says Rego, and its stock price fell precipitously low as well.
Rego felt he had the skillset and experience to turn things around and actively sought to do just that. After petitioning for more involvement in leading the public company, he was voted in as its CEO in 2020, a move widely welcomed by its franchisees. “They were saying, ‘Wow, we have a franchisee right now controlling this company, and as a franchisee, he understands all of our challenges,’” says Rego.
Two years later, Rego bought out the business fully and he now operates it as a privately owned company. This wasn’t a decision he, or his family, took lightly. “It was a big risk, and there was a lot of liability,” he says. “My wife said, ‘Are you crazy?’ But without risk, there is no way you can be successful. You cannot stay in your comfort zone. If you stay in your comfort zone, you will never grow.”
Challenges and solutions
Both developments—becoming CEO and then buying the company and taking it private—marked a turning point not just for Rego, but for the brand. He brought in his own team of specialists and set to work reviving and modernizing the franchise chain. It has been growing and strengthening its product offering ever since.
Not all, however, has been smooth sailing: in the early 2020s, just after taking on a leadership position, Rego had the COVID-19 pandemic to contend with. “I had to pivot,” he says. “A lot of our business was brick-and-mortar based, with franchisees going into schools and participating in camps and birthday parties. These were not things that were done online; they were onsite. That was a big challenge.”
Rego tapped into his tech background and, together with his new team, quickly created Bricks 4 Kidz eLearning, switching everything to an online platform. This allowed franchisees to teach online classes using the company’s new software. It worked brilliantly and helped many franchise owners survive the pandemic restrictions with healthy earnings. Other new developments followed, including regular annual conferences to bring franchisees together for education, networking, and relationship-building,
Under Rego’s leadership, the Bricks 4 Kidz educational offerings have expanded to include everything from robotics and coding—with children turning their LEGO creations into robots—to video-game design and animated programming. In the works for next year is an AI-powered STEM curriculum and digital marketing program. Also of note is that the brand’s original “STEM” focus has been broadened, and is now STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) based. A program on children’s wellness is also being integrated, teaching them coping mechanisms to deal with stress.
Bearing positive results
Rego’s overhaul is making an impact. Franchise numbers are growing and the brand now has 450 franchises spread across 55 countries. The Canadian market, in particular, is experiencing a revival. Once home to almost 100 franchisees, that number had dwindled to zero when Rego became CEO. Today, there are 12 locations in the country, with another seven in the works and more planned for the coming year. “We will have over 40 locations in Canada by the end of 2026,” Rego says.
Ideally, Bricks 4 Kidz franchisees need to have some sort of experience running a business, as well as an engineering or education background. Most importantly, they need to be aligned with the company’s vision, fully engaged in the concept, and confident in their abilities.
“I tell franchisees to lead with purpose because you have to believe in yourself,” Rego explains. “Then, you just need to follow the system. It’s a very easy system to follow. All of our franchisees around the world are extremely successful because we give them the tools to succeed.”
Rego himself is an example of leading with purpose and vision. He is proud of his role in running a company that, in his words, is shaping tomorrow’s innovators. And despite his lofty C-suite title, he still rolls up his sleeves and gets out to schools and camps to teach children himself, experiencing firsthand the positive impact his business is having on young people.
For Rego, what started as a simple plan to own a handful of franchises has grown into something much bigger than he had imagined at the outset. Through perseverance, passion, and a willingness to step out of his comfort zone, he is truly building tomorrow’s innovators, one brick at a time.
Learn more about franchising with Bricks 4 Kidz
