Gigi Schweikert, Lightbridge Academy’s CEO, Announces Her Vision for the Growing Early Education and Child Care Franchise's Future

• With its most recent partnership with Westerly & Elmsley, Lightbridge Academy's desire is to continue providing high-quality care and education for working parents and their children in new markets.

• The company has successfully done this in the Northeast and has the opportunity to continue that expansion throughout the Southeast, up and down the East Coast, as well as in Texas.

Growth and expansion plans

• They are looking to open 150 units by 2026.

• Lightbridge Academy continues to work and implement The Lightbridge Promise, which is the Gold Standard for health and safety in the child care industry.

• Amidst the fragmentation and uncertainty caused by the pandemic, Lightbridge Academy prides itself on being The Solution for Working Parents.

• Technology is an important tool for creating strong communication and the security that parents need to provide them with peace of mind.

• Lightbridge Academy has made a major investment in installing state-of-the-art air purification and filtration systems in every center, elevating cleaning procedures, children's drop-off procedures, health screenings, and more.

Safety protocols and technology

• The company plans to expand on its safety protocols and continue its practice of having cameras in every classroom and the roll-out of facial recognition entry systems.

• The Lightbridge Journey app will serve as an e-communication tool for parents that will allow them to manage their children's immunization records, pay their bills, and access ParentView Internet Monitoring.

• Lightbridge Academy's core values are something they live out every day, including excellence, which is reflected in their high NPS (net promoter score) and loyalty with the families they serve.

• The company continues to look for ways to add value and be supportive of the needs of the families they serve, and to figure out ways that they can enhance their experience in their center.

• Lightbridge Academy has partnered with the Early Care & Education Consortium in their common goal of providing equitable and sustainable early childhood education and care for every child throughout the country.

• High-quality care and education is essential for children and families and is the foundation of a strong economy.

• The company is working globally with all types of providers so that every child can have accessibility, and is working with government officials to promote a mixed delivery system of early care and education.

Franchisee support and growth

• In addition to maintaining safety protocols, improving its technology, and growing its number of units, Lightbridge Academy has continued to invest in franchisee support.

• This year, it launched Lightbridge Journey, a new center management software that provides a 360-degree, centralized portal for franchisees, providing increased operational efficiency, reduced operational costs, and ultimately improved communication between staff and parents.

• The platform has already proven its value, saving 28 centers approximately 336 hours of time over nine months, providing them almost an entire day per week to spend on relationship-building with center families.

• Lightbridge Academy is looking for solid business professionals with a passion for children and education, who understand the need to support parents and are committed to following the Lightbridge Academy model.

• The company has targeted growth across Florida, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and Virginia.

• Start-up costs for a Lightbridge Academy franchise range from $581,233 to $784,150, with a franchise fee of $40,000.