Why Franchisees Are Reinvesting in Lightbridge Academy®

Becky Grovenstein and her husband Brian opened the first North Carolina Lightbridge Academy in Holly Springs in 2020 before opening their second location in Apex in 2021. Now, the Grovensteins are looking at adding even more locations to the greater Raleigh area.

"The COVID-19 pandemic has made all of us refocus and reflect on what is important and what we do best at Lightbridge Academy," said Becky Grovenstein. "Even before COVID-19, safety was such a key part of the Lightbridge Academy brand. But now more than ever, health and safety are top priorities for students and teachers, and that is why the brand rolled out the Lightbridge Promise."

According to Grovenstein, The Lightbridge Promise is the Gold Standard for health and safety in the child care industry. To live up to that standard, all Lightbridge Academy centers made a major investment in an advanced air purification and filtration system that continuously purifies the air and sterilizes all visible surfaces throughout the entire center.

• Enhanced procedures and protocols
• Requirements for creating a secure learning environment
• Facial recognition entry systems
• ParentView Internet Monitoring System

Franchise growth plans

These are just a few of the reasons why the Grovensteins see the value in continuing to meet the demand for quality child care in the growing Raleigh area by opening new centers.

"Brian and I are working parents, so we understand what it’s like to leave your child in the care of someone else," Becky said. "The most important thing in child care is building trusting relationships between administrators, teachers, parents and children. It isn’t always easy but it is necessary especially when facing challenges."

J.P. Alvarado is more than a multi-unit franchisee with Lightbridge Academy; he’s also a full-time banker, husband and father of four. Following his family’s passion for aiding in the development of the next generation, Alvarado and his wife, have signed to open a second location with the franchise, which will be the brand’s first-ever location in the Durham area.

The new location, which will meet a growing demand in the market for quality early childhood education, is set to open within the next two years. Alvarado, who earned an MBA from Fordham, says he has always been interested in finance and decided to make that his area of expertise. His wife, Ann, has a masters degree in English and was a teacher before staying home with their children.

• Potential for growth in investing in the child care industry
• Child care isn’t a thing that’s going to be replaced by technology
• There are fads in the restaurant industries that change
• Taking care of children — there’s always going to be a need

Alvarado says he chose Durham for the new location because it’s a booming area “with a lot going on and major infrastructure,” with the additional perk of it being a short flight from New Jersey.

New franchise owners

Alison Friedman was so inspired by the work her step-daughter, Dana, accomplished with early education and child care centers that it motivated her to go into franchise ownership in the same industry with her husband, Joe, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

"Dana worked in child care, and she worked her way up from teaching to being the director," explained Alison. "She turned around a number of centers and had opportunities to even launch a couple of centers — one was a Lightbridge Academy in New Jersey."

The duo was impressed with Lightbridge Academy and saw a need to bring The Solution for Working Parents to their North Carolina area. Soon after they signed for their second Lightbridge Academy location with each planned to open in the Greater Charlotte area.

The Friedmans are passionate about supporting their community and local families, and committed to serving the area by offering mission-driven, innovative child care services and look forward to growing with the brand.

"Lightbridge Academy’s values align with ours and the brand offers tremendous support every step of the way," said Alison. "We moved to Charlotte five years ago, and the growth here is just incredible. There's a strong need here for child care centers, and all of the solutions they provide for working parents."