Lightbridge Academy Continued to Shine Bright in 2020; Plans for an Even More Impressive 2021

The year 2020 started strong for Lightbridge Academy. In February, the early education and child care brand saw its strongest numbers ever serving 7,000 families across four states.

“Our finances were great. Our growth was going very well,” said Guy Falzarano Founder and CEO of the New Jersey-based brand. “Basically, we were at the pinnacle, the very top of our game.”

Then the pandemic hit, sending shockwaves through the industry. Uncertainty reigned, states forced closures and lockdowns, and parents were forced to juggle at-home remote learning with their careers.

Pandemic challenges

Despite these challenges, in many ways, 2020 turned out to be a banner year for Lightbridge Academy: The 24-year-old brand signed agreements for seven new locations and opened 10 new centers — a record for the company. The new openings have also already shown strong, better-than-anticipated enrollment.

In addition to the milestone opening of its 50th location in August in Hampton Township, Pennsylvania, a new Lightbridge location opened in Westchester, New York in October, and has seen consistent increases in enrollment. By the end of February, Westchester’s owners Ram and Joanne Jagadeesan believe all 11 of the classrooms at the facility will be in use. A franchise husband/wife team also opened the brand’s first location in North Carolina, setting records for the highest level of opening enrollment.

In the end, Lightbridge finished 2020 strong, with 15 company centers and 38 operating franchises, across five states. “We have placed tremendous focus on helping our franchisees overcome challenging times by hosting systemwide calls, making them aware of available operational and financial resources and with ongoing outreach from dedicated business coaches. The results are evident,” said Falzarano.

Future growth plans

The 2021 landscape looks even better than ever for the brand. Lightbridge Academy will open new locations on 57th Street in New York City as well as multiple centers in Brooklyn, New York, among others.

Falzarano projects the company will be ready for post-pandemic growth as the brand is able to provide services to fill the gaps in the marketplace where other child care providers have been unable to endure the COVID-19 storm.

“Parents were forced to deal with a difficult situation,” Falzarano said. “They needed to earn an income in order to provide for their families but were nervous to go into work. What a terrible dilemma for a young family to face.”

In fulfillment of their commitment to be The Solution for Working Parents®, Lightbridge Academy, looked for more ways to create peace of mind. In addition to limiting class sizes, playground disinfection, revised visitation policies, and offering online and pod-based learning programs for school age children, the company spearheaded an initiative to install a best-in-class air purification and filtration system in all child care centers. Together, these protocols and policies in addition to the major system-wide investment set the Gold Standard in health & safety for the child care industry known as The Lightbridge Promise.

Falzarano attributes some of that enrollment growth to the brand’s approach to cleanliness and sanitation. “We did a really great job of instituting an elevated health and safety program,” Falzarano said. “Parents have expressed how much they appreciate it.”

“Now, as vaccines begin to roll out, parents are returning to normal work schedules, whether that is remotely or in the office, and they are starting to send their children back to school,” Falzarano said. He believes that in the spring, Lightbridge will see a quick escalation in enrollment, and by September, the brand will be back to operating at pre-COVID numbers.

“One of the things that has been proven to be true is that child care is an essential service. It is fundamental to a healthy economy,” he said. “Unfortunately, it is estimated that 40 - 50% of the small local providers that make up over 90% of the childcare industry are not expected to recover.”

“While it’s terrible for the industry, for corporate child care providers and franchisors who are in a strong financial position, it presents an opportunity to fill the void. The economy at large cannot operate without child care providers.”

Child care has long been a growing sector because of the increasing demand. Current market conditions support growth for new franchisees wanting to leverage the brand recognition, resources and support that Lightbridge offers.

And while the numbers paint a picture of a resilient company in the face of a crisis, the company’s core philosophy— to provide a Circle of Care for all family members— held true. The Circle of Care includes parents, staff, the community, and the franchise owners coming together to create a nurturing and supportive learning environment for every child.

This philosophy and their core values help to establish very high levels of brand loyalty. Lightbridge uses the Net Promoter Score survey to measure their success. Last year, the company had an overall score of 78, an already high score. This year, they achieved world-class levels at 82, placing Lightbridge in the top 10% of the child care industry. Already in 2021, Lightbridge has been recognized on Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Best Customer Service and on Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500.

In response to COVID-19, Lightbridge Academy rolled out The Lightbridge Promise as the gold standard in child care health protocols prioritizing the safety of everyone in the company's Circle of Care. In 2020, the company was featured on the Inc. 5000 ranking, Franchise Times Top 200+ awards, and Entrepreneur Magazine's Franchise 500.

Lightbridge Academy was also recognized on Newsweek’s 2021 list of America’s Best Customer Service and on the Entrepreneur Magazine's 2021 Franchise 500.