10 Most Recommended Education Learning Franchises to Open in 2021 features proven education franchises that are the best of the best

1. www.thefranchiseuniverse.com
Deepening its Roots in the Education Franchise Industry
Noble
Profession
Empowering
Students Worldwide
by Extending
Brand Educational
Model
The 10 Most Recommended and Franchises to Open in 2021
Education Learning
2021
Volume-10
Issue-01
Ajay Sunkara
President/Co-Founder
Hana Adas
Vice President

4. The children of today will lead the future. Every
child views the world differently, and it is
genuinely necessary to nurture their thinking,
which can change the world for good. However, to
bring this long-term fruition, it is essential to lay a
solid educational foundation. For years, the
traditional learning method was at the forefront of
teaching; however, the robust rise of education
franchises in the educational space is challenging
traditional methods by innovative, interactive, and
inclusive learning for every child.
The teaching methods of the education franchises are much more effective and appealing than the
traditional method, which is why most of the parents are leaning towards it for the better development of
their child. What makes education franchises a preferred choice is their quick adaptation and innovative
curriculum that scales from arts, math, science, robotics, and many more. These franchises follow
interactive methods of teaching that help the child to understand the subject of their liking at a deeper level
and unlock their full potential.
We live in a time where conceptual ideas are turned into reality with various innovative approaches, and
education franchises do the heavy work of strengthening the roots of the next generation. These franchises
are creating the difference-makers of tomorrow by providing flexible education, which is much needed in
the unprecedented time.
Explore this edition of "The 10 Most Recommended Education and Learning Franchises to Open in 2021" and
come across the franchises that have proven themselves to be the best of best. From facing challenges to
overcoming them with a compassionate approach, providing innovative solutions with thought-out
strategies, these educational franchises are planting the seeds of the tomorrow and are looking after them
with extensive care for proper academic growth.
Dive into the plethora of such inspiring educational journeys of the franchises that impact the educational
space and gain insights about the industry through the CxO standpoints of the leading experts. While
flipping through the pages, make sure to go through the articles written by our in-house editorial team.
Let us begin!
Nurturing the Leaders of Tomorrow
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
Aditya Gaikar

5. Editor-in-Chief
Hitesh Dhamani
Managing Editor
Aditya Gaikar
Art & Design Director
Matt Jenkins
Associate Designer
Kartik B.
Sales Head
Kshitij S
Marketing Manager
Nathan Rust
Technical Head
Aditya K.
Research Analyst
Todd Stewart
SME-SMO Executive
Amol Wadekar
Project Manager
Marry D'Souza
Business Development
Manager
Anup B.
Sales Executive
Sagar D.
Database Management
Stella Andrew
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editor@thefranchiseuniverse.com
October, 2021
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6. Bestbrains
COVER STORY
08
22 Noble Profession
ARTICLE

7. Areteem Intelligence
Planet
18
Goldfish Swim
School
30
Banana Moon
Day Nursery
26
Hi-Five Sports
Franchising
36
Nexplore Enrichment
40
C
O
N
T
E
N
T
S

9. Brief
Company Name
Drew McWilliams
President
Ivybrook Academy
ivybrookacademy.com
Ivybrook Academy provides a progressive approach to early
childhood education.
Ms. Kelly Ren
Executive Director
Dr. Keving Wang
Ph.D, Academic
Director
Areteem Intelligence
Planet
intelligenceplanet.org
Areteem Intelligence Planet offers after school math and hands-
on STEAM programs for students from elementary school to
high school.
Hi-Five Sports
Franchising
hifivesports.com
Ryan Tuchman
CEO
Hi-Five provides the highest quality youth sports programming
with the utmost convenience for parents.
Drama Kids International
dramakidsfranchise.com
Faith Clark
President
Drama Kids is a perfect low-cost, home-based top franchise
business for sale providing you with the unique opportunity to
work with kids.
Sarah Cressall Founder
Managing Director
The Creation Station
thecreationstation.co.uk
The Creation Station is passionate about helping children,
parents and organisations inspire imaginations and nurture
creativity.
Nexplore
nexploreusa.com
Dori Larea
Founder
Nexplore is dedicated to fostering a love of learning in children
through hands-on experiences designed to nurture and
strengthen their innate curiosity.
Best Brains
bestbrains.com
Ajay Sunkara
President & Co-founder
Hana Adas
Vice President
Best Brains is an enrichment program designed to enhance your
child's overall academic development.
Banana Moon Day
Nursery Limited
bananamoonfranchise.com
Josh Smallwood
Head of Franchise
Business Development
Mark Bates
Managing Director
Banana Moon Day nursery Franchise is setting the standards in
childcare with the emphasis of seeing everything from a
parent's point of view.
Techie Factory
techiefactory.com
John Moyer
Co-Founder and VP
Franchise Development
Techie Factory is missioned to ignite excitement, engage and
prepare our kids for a technology driven world by learning real
world skills in a fun, hands on environment.
Goldfish Swim School
goldfishfranchise.com
Goldfish Swim School is a tropical, family-friendly
environment that teaches kids crucial, life-saving and life-
changing skills.
Chris McCuiston
CEO and Co-founder
Featured Person

10. Ajay Sunkara
President/Co-Founder
Hana Adas
Vice President

11. Deepening its Roots in the Education Franchise Industry
AT ,
BEST BRAINS
WE BELIEVE
ACCESS TO
EDUCATION IS A
HUMAN RIGHT
‘‘ ‘‘
Cover
Story

12. Education, in one's life, holds as much
importance as breathing air. We all know that
the learning process never stops, it’s a
lifelong process. However, the resources that
children have for learning have changed over the
decades. Traditional schools are still a viable
education option, though in recent years parents
have increasingly shifted to favoring supplemental
education from independent learning centers as a
vital after school activity. Learning centers are
designed to enhance children's overall academic
development, including interactive learning and
child-focused teaching.
One of the most exciting factors of these learning
centers is how they stay relevant and provide a
high standard for education across all their
locations. Consistent quality and a trusted brand
are the foundation of a successful franchise, which
is why the learning center format makes such an
appealing option to invest in. Education franchises
have exploded in popularity with no signs of
slowing. With a widening field of options, parents
can pick and choose the right franchise for their
child, one that provides 1-on-1 attention, a proven
curriculum, and owners who are genuinely invested
in their students and families.
We at The Franchise Universe set out to seek such
franchises that elevated education principles and
came across Best Brains Learning Centers.
Best Brains describes themselves as the premier
US-based learning program designed for every
child who wants to be their best.
We caught up with the company’s President and
Co-founder, Ajay Sunkara, and Vice President,
Hana Adas, to know more about Best Brains and
how the company has grown to over 130 learning
centers in the US, Canada, and beyond!
The "Best Brains" Behind the Concept
The goal of Best Brains is to bring higher quality
and value to the supplemental education market
than previously available. Over the past ten years,
they have created a valuable product for their
franchisees, teachers, clients, and – most
importantly – for their students.

13. Every Best Brains location offers Math and English
for students ages 3-14, Abacus and General
Knowledge for students ages 7-14, and Coding for
students ages 5-14. They have developed many
additional programs throughout the years,
including Public Speaking, Creative Writing,
ACT/SAT Prep, and Summer Camp.
All Best Brains programs are designed to help
children become more knowledgeable by
increasing their understanding of concepts, to
perform better in school, and have more
confidence in their academic ability.
Best Brains has a high standard for staffing. All of
their Math and English teachers are state or
provincial board certified. The franchisee hires
instructors who have experience teaching or
working in the subjects they're hired to teach,
which provides quality instruction and valuable
feedback for parents from trained professionals.
A Growing Brand with Community Loyalty
Best Brains' strongest asset over the past ten years
has been positive word of mouth. Over one-third of
BEST BRAINS
ONLINE
BRINGS THE
LEARNING
CENTER INTO
YOUR HOME.
‘‘
‘‘

14. its current students are from referrals. Numerous
Best Brains' franchisees started as parents
themselves who transitioned into the franchising
model, growing the brand in key territories like
Texas, California, and Washington, DC. Due to
COVID-19, the franchise pivoted towards online
education, reaching more people than ever before.
This includes a complete visual overhaul of its
websites, increased presence and brand awareness
on social media like Facebook, Yelp, and Google My
Business, and new avenues of customer acquisition
such as monthly webinars and creative advertising.
Best Brains maintains a bimonthly blog which
provides quality information to current and
prospective parents. As educators who pride
themselves on their qualifications, they want to be
seen as thought leaders in the education industry
who provide valuable knowledge and support in all
areas of a child's life, not just academics.
Adapting to Abrupt Changes
Best Brains responded swiftly to the COVID-19
pandemic. They quickly created new protocols and
communicated with all franchisees to get them on
board. They also provided instructions for securing
small business loans and coached owners how to
speak with parents, property managers, and other
vendors during this unprecedented time. These
owners pivoted from 100% in-person classes to
100% virtual classes in most cases within a week.
Parents appreciated how quickly Best Brains
adapted to online courses. They still received the
face-to-face instruction they were used to, except
over the computer. The franchise also reduced the
maximum student-to-teacher ratio of its Math and
English classes from 5:1 to 3:1 so that teachers

15. could focus and students weren't overwhelmed
with classmates on screen and in their headsets.
During their 2020 End-of-Year survey, parents also
reported that their children participated more in
online school and understood concepts better. This
was a huge validation for the Best Brains method,
since the majority of public school students have
fallen behind due to the COVID slide.
Improving the Old, Embracing the New
We live in the 21st century, and it is a must to raise
children to be 21st century learners. Embracing and
utilizing technology is a huge part of that. Best
Brains values pen and paper (and crayon!) learning,
but they have been adapting their curriculum for
digital distribution alongside physical media.
Best Brains also spent a great deal of time and
resources during 2020 to create a Coding program
that has become the first new core program added
to the company since its founding. During the 2021
rollout period, every center is to start offering
Coding programs for students, both in the center
and online. Best Brains has designed these courses
to be fun, engaging, and valuable for its students'
academic improvement. Their Coding program
teaches logic, cause and effect, and perseverance –
skills that can be applied to any area of life.
A Resource of Knowledge and Support
From the start, it was Best Brains' mission to
connect certified teachers with students who
needed 1-on-1 attention to succeed both inside and
outside the classroom. Their students endeavor to
be their best in their communities every day. Some
students have organized volunteer efforts, or in the
case of a couple of Best Brains students, founded a
company called Recycle My Battery.
Best Brains students inspire the company to be
their best, too! In Q4, the franchise has plans to
embrace the season of giving by debuting its new
non-profit venture, Best Brains Kids Alliance. This
organization will help its students plan, fund, and
raise awareness for charitable causes in their
community and provide scholarship opportunities
to children in need. Beyond corporate efforts, the
brand’s owner-operators are in their centers every
day, building relationships and participating in local

16. events alongside their families. Supportive and
individualized attention is one of the most
important aspects of the Best Brains experience
and is something that families don't always get
from traditional learning.
Preparing the Next Generation
Best Brains wants their students to be successful
inside and outside of the classroom. They have
recently redesigned their ACT/SAT Test Prep course
for 7th to 9th graders to help them with high school
level end-of-year exams and prepare for college
entrance exams. Their Public Speaking courses,
Be Your Best
with Best
Brains.
‘‘ ‘‘
available for 2nd through 8th graders, teach
valuable skills necessary for post-secondary
education endeavors like college, vocational school,
and careers.
Why Best Brains?
“There is nothing more rewarding than making a
difference in a child's life,” explains Mrs. Adas.
Franchising with Best Brains is designed in all
aspects to attract and foster a community of
respect, knowledge, and aspiration. The low cost of
entry means that new owner-operators start their
business strong, with the resources they need to
invest money where it counts: quality staff,
community involvement, and local awareness.
Best Brains maintains a network of franchisees who
work together to strengthen the brand, uplift their
students, and show their communities what it
means to be their best. To be successful in the
education franchising business, you have to rely on
the talents of experts. That's why Best Brains puts
certified teachers in their classrooms and their
curriculum development teams.

17. A Best Brains entrepreneur succeeds through
supporting their students and parents by being
visible, engaged, and accountable. Mr. Sunkara,
describing the ideal franchising applicant says, "You
don't need a background in teaching to operate a
successful center, though there are many advantages
for those that do.”
"What you need is that sense of purpose, the empathy
with your students, the belief that you can and will
make a positive impact for every child who comes to
your center,” Mrs. Adas continues. Mr. Sunkara
agrees, adding, "When our students succeed, we
succeed. If you feel the same way, there's a place for
you at Best Brains,”
Looking Ahead to the Future
Best Brains is celebrating in 2021, as it marks the
completion of 10 years in the business. The
franchise is focusing on its goal to expand to 200
centers by the end of 2022. They will bring the
brand to more states around the U.S and more
provinces in Canada. The franchise is also
expanding its availability of Summer Camp and
Public Speaking for 2022.
Its online presence is also increasing, making it
easier than ever to connect a franchisee to the
customer and a franchisor to the franchisee. It is an
exciting time for Best Brains! They have been
working on many projects that will debut in the
next year. They are also looking for talented,
passionate, and business-minded individuals who
can grow their brand over the next ten years!

20. Areteem Intelligence
Planet
A Wise Investment in the Future
th
as early as 4 grade and continue their progress all
th
the way to 12 grade. The programs are also
designed for a wide variety of student needs,
including additional assistance outside of the
classroom, advanced and in-depth learning,
futuristic learning like AI, Robotics, and more. The
programs are offered to students through year-
round online and onsite programs.
Moreover, students can also enroll in advanced
seasonal programs like summer and winter
intensive modules. The institute also offers a local
learning center, the ‘Areteem Intelligence Planet’ to
bring out the best of local talent through a
combination of e-learning and hybrid learning
methods.
A Wise Investment
Areteem Institute, with its futuristic learning
program, is ideally placed to take on next-
generation learning challenges across the US. The
institute is also partnering with new stakeholders
with continuous learning programs at local learning
centers. Through this partnership, the franchisor
supports its franchisees at every step of the setup,
including assistance in finding the right location,
S
TEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the
Arts, and Math) education is often credited for
the tremendous progress of humanity. It is
often revered among philosophers and educators
alike as a path to enlightenment towards promising
innovation. It became a key foundation for success
for innovators like Marie Curie, Benjamin Franklin,
Leonardo Da Vinci, and many more. Today, STEAM
is regarded as an essential component of 21st-
century education.
Undoubtedly, STEAM education is changing the
face of the education system throughout the world.
Thus, investing in this field of education for the
franchise would be a wise decision.
According to Pew Research Centre, the individuals
with a STEM degree earned on average $77,400 in
2019, compared to $46,900 for individuals from
non-STEM occupations in the United States. An
institute that promises to make this lifelong
investment in the future of STEAM education in the
United States is Areteem Institute, and the
franchise offered is Areteem Intelligence Planet.
Areteem aims to cultivate the same vision that has
inspired young minds for ages. The institute aims
to introduce STEAM learning in a fun and intriguing
manner to young minds to take on global
innovation challenges like Artificial Intelligence (AI),
robotics, 3D design, and more.
Its core courses in math, science, computer
programming, engineering, and others are
designed to make children lifelong learners in
STEM. Students can be enrolled in these programs
The 10 Most Recommended Education and Learning Franchises to Open in 2021
18 | October 2021

21. Dr. Keving Wang
Ph.D, Academic Director
Areteem Institute
Ms. Kelly Ren
Executive Director
Areteem Institute
www.thefranchiseuniverse.com 19
|

22. business licensing, procuring equipment, reaching
local families through advertising, finding advanced
teaching material, and more. With its years of
experience in conversing with American families
and students, the institute also brings a fresh
perspective to on-going franchise operations. For
example, the institute is adapting at offering
advanced online technology, learning modules, and
expert teaching staff to provide a head-start to the
franchise. Furthermore, the institute also continues
to focus on developing new courses to meet the
growing curiosity of students, in line with the
expectations of parents. Its expertise in the subject
matter has enabled Areteem Insitute to hold
national accolades in academic programs, along
with the life-long support of families and students it
serves.
A Unique Vision
As innovations become key, conventional education
with a limited focus on a particular discipline is
quickly becoming aged. For example, in order to
innovate in the field of Artificial Intelligence,
students are required to pursue a wide range of
skills, including tech, math, writing skills, and more.
The Areteem Institute promises to fulfill the void
created by conventional education with rigorous
training. The programs combine varied skillsets like
story-telling, video game design, writing, and math
into an inter-disciplinary learning stream. This
th
stream has advanced students as little as 4
graders to the height of modern skill development.
For example, students at an Areteem Intelligence
Planet class first write down about a journey with
their family, then they are instructed to use the
storyline and develop a video game that recreates
this journey, and eventually, adding the component
of math application in the advancing mechanism in
the video games. Students are engaged to solve
math problems in collaboration with their peers.
The math problems are essential to overcoming
major obstacles and challenging students to come
with creative and fun ways to learn and transpire a
“Learn and
accomplish.”
20 | October 2021

23. change in attitude towards learning. The inter-
disciplinary learning program at Areteem Institute
remains a cornerstone of the institute’s offering,
along with challenging conventional programs like
engineering, maths, design, and more.
A Capable Leadership
Kevin Wang, Ph.D. the Academic Director, and
Kelly Ren, Executive Director of Areteem Institute
believe the US education needs a radically new
vision to solve its challenges to meet the needs of
the ever changing technology driven world. Both of
them have witnessed many first-hand challenges
associated with the US education system. On the
one hand, the costs of higher education continue to
go up, with little promise of gaining meaningful
employment. On the other hand, many US college
students are often left without real guidance to
enter the US college system – resulting in a lack of
direction and failure to capture their true potential.
This has not only resulted in the surmounting debt
for college students but also a failure to provide
educational support at early ages to develop the
intellect of the US student population. Kevin Wang
believes Areteem Institute promises to bring real
change to the US education system. He notes,
“Young minds in the country are confused about their
career paths. A career counseling with healthy
curiosity, intellectual development can help students
reach their complete potential, and prepare young
students for success in career and life.”
Kevin Wang and Kelly Ren also have tremendous
experience in shaping the young to prepare for the
future. Areteem Institute, in its 20 years of
establishment, has sparked a passion for science in
thousands of students. Today, the students at
Areteem Institute take on major challenges,
including attending American Math Competitions
(AMC), MathCounts, STEM festival, Science and
Engineering Fair, and more. Kevin and Kelly have
both studied at one of the top institutes in the
country, and their leadership is key to driving vision
at Areteem Institute. While Kevin did his Ph.D in
Mathematics from Penn State University, Kelly went
to the same school for her master's in electrical
engineering. Kevin, with his experience in leading
the first Chinese team to the International Math
Olympiad, continues to inspire and motivate
thousands of young minds to take up the same
challenge. Kelly, with her professional experience
as a design engineer at IBM, inspires students to
pursue some of the best careers in the industry,
like gaming design, 3D design, and more.
Kelly Ren remains extremely upbeat about the
prospects of Areteem Institute. She notes, “As long
as our partners value education, as caring business
people, Areteem offers a top-notch professional team
to support. Why worry about the future?”
Only time will tell if Areteem Insitute expands its
wings to become a top STEAM education provider
in the country. However, its teaching prowess and
its support for its partners make it one of the wisest
investments in the business today.
www.thefranchiseuniverse.com 21
|

24. Education is one of the most powerful forces
to create a change in the world. To make a
conscious change in the world, there cannot
be any better option than educating the people in
the world. Nothing makes a good awakening in the
students as good as the education. Having good
educational institutes is the need of every place in
the world. Having good access to quality education
at all places is one of the most important United
Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Quality
Education is the key driver of change and growth
everywhere. Having an education model based on
the foundation of strong values and competence in
the students will be successful in the long run.
Franchises need to ensure the quality education
model to be worthy of extending their educational
model to other educational institutes. Franchises
that own the good educational model hold the
ability to make a tremendous difference in the
world by doing most in the world with the power of
education. Such franchises get the opportunity to
educate students from all over the world by
delegating their franchising model to the aspiring
educational institutes in the world. This way they
can make the future of the maximum number of
students. It makes more sense for franchises to
extend their good educational model to the
aspiring educational institutes in the world.
The ability of franchisors to drive good results by
creating strong educational institutes attracts a
large number of franchises from all over the world
to adopt their educational model. Franchises need
to ensure good infrastructure and advanced
educational facilities in their original educational
model. They need to create their brand value by
creating students having high competence and
strong character. They need to inculcate the culture
of talent and temperament in the students. Along
with giving focus on the talent, it is also essential
for franchises to ensure that the students have a
good temperament.
Life is not just black and white. There are many
shades of grey. Franchises need to go beyond black
and white thinking and be capable of thinking
outside the box or thinking like there is no box.
Franchisors also need to cultivate such attitude in
the students to ensure that they will not just be
academically successful but they will also succeed
in the game of life. Students should be trained in
such a way that they should be capable of
transforming even challenges into opportunities for
something higher.
We become successful in life by what we get, and
we become happy by what we give. Such a spirit of
accomplishing something worthwhile in life and
utilizing it for higher purposes is needed to
cultivate right from childhood. The educational
institutes, franchises and franchisees that promote
such a culture of sharing mood in the students
create a healthy consciousness in the students.
Such consciousness helps them to be successful in
life.
Franchises should also ensure that their
franchisees have quality teachers in their own
educational institutes. Teachers play the most
important role in the lives of students. Teachers
should have empathetic abilities to train students
to prepare them well for the journey of life. The
spirit of inquisitiveness and curiosity should be
inculcated in the students right from childhood,
and franchisors and franchisees should prioritize
EMPOWERING STUDENTS
WORLDWIDE BY EXTENDING
BRAND EDUCATIONAL MODEL
EMPOWERING STUDENTS
WORLDWIDE BY EXTENDING
BRAND EDUCATIONAL MODEL
22 | October 2021

25. this. The spirit of inquisitiveness help students to
learn everything logically, analytically, and
rationally.
It is very important for franchisors and franchisees
to ensure that the teachers with amazing
counseling abilities are part of their educational
institutions. Franchisors and franchisees together
have a lot of roles to play in the lives of young
minds, and they will be able to tap the power of
demographic dividend in the world if they promote
quality education all over places. They can promote
the concept of inclusivity, harmony, and
sustenance. They can create educational institutes
that promote the culture of balancing aggression
and dominance in students. Creating such
educational institutes is the success of the
franchisors and franchisees in the educational
industries.
By combing their strengths and capabilities,
education franchises have the potential to make a
revolutionary contribution in any field by their
power of togetherness. There are plenty of
opportunities in the world to be successful; all we
need is the right perspective and the right
information to be successful in the world.
www.thefranchiseuniverse.com 23
|
Noble Profession

28. The 10 Most Recommended Education and Learning Franchises to Open in 2021
Josh Smallwood
Head of Franchise Business Development
Banana Moon Day Nursery Limited
Mark Bates
Managing Director
Banana Moon Day
Nursery Limited
26 | October 2021

29. Banana Moon
Day Nursery
Providing an Enriching Experience to Children as well as Parents
There can be no keener revelation of a
society's conscience than the way in which its
children are treated. Children deserve utmost
care and attention as they are helpless babies.
Providing sufficient care to the children is
absolutely essential so that they don't grow as
adults with insensitive behavior and insecure
mentality. It is of utmost significance so that they
become gentle and responsible citizens in the
future. Thus, childcare centers play an essential
role in the healthcare and development of children
and ease the task of parents in many ways.
However, finding a high-quality childcare center
that provides a safe, stimulating environment and
allows your child to thrive becomes a daunting task.
At The Franchise Universe, we came across one
such high-quality childcare center named Banana
Moon Day Nursery. Banana Moon Day Nursery is
setting the standards in childcare by seeing
everything from a parent's point of view. It creates
a caring and loving environment for children.
We caught up with Josh Smallwood, the Head of
Franchise Business Development at Banana
Moon, to know more about the nursery and how it
is empowering its franchisees with its proven
business model.
How it was Born?
Banana Moon Day Nursery was incorporated in
2006 when its Managing Director Mark Bates was
unable to find childcare for his daughter that fit the
high standard that he demanded as a parent. The
problem was that there were no really high-quality
nurseries that focused on both the children and
parents.
Rather than expanding his search, Mark and his
father Mike Bates decided that they would set up a
nursery suited to their requirements, and Banana
Moon was born. Since then, they never looked back
and kept on growing.
What remained at the forefront of the Banana
Moon brand as it grew was its belief in always
putting the children first, along with the intention of
developing a successful business model.
They then took the decision to franchise their
business model in 2010.
Important Parameters of a Business Model
Banana Moon Day Nursery's unique business
model is proven to provide children and parents
with a fantastic experience and promises a
successful business to the franchisees.
It offers its franchisees:
Ÿ Extensive support from the head office team
Ÿ Comprehensive franchise package
Ÿ High-quality support and service
Ensuring Complete Assistance to Franchisees
Moreover, Banana Moon provides a
comprehensive franchise package that ensures that
its franchisees are fully trained to run a daycare
provision. It also provides franchisees with access
to its quality assurance team, who have a wide
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30. Banana Moon Day
Nursery's unique
business model is
proven to provide
children and
parents with an
amazing experience
and promises a
successful business
to the franchisees.
‘‘
‘‘
variety of experience working in the nursery sector.
This quality assurance team can advise franchisees
on how to achieve the top Ofsted grading of
Outstanding.
Banana Moon also provides business reviews with
its franchisees to ensure that they are not
overspending in certain areas and many resources
to assist with HR, marketing, and procurement.
Providing Franchisees with Support and
Direction
Josh opines that the childcare industry is a large
and rapidly expanding industrial sector, and by
joining Banana Moon's brand, a franchisee can own
a profitable long-term business.
The founders of Banana Moon Day Nursery believe
that the fastest route to business success is
franchising. Banana Moon provides franchisees
with the support and direction they need to
operate their own Banana Moon Day Nursery
successfully, affording them the best opportunity
for success. It knows what to expect from a new
owner and offers the highest level of support.
‘‘
28 | October 2021

31. Having Uniformity Between All Franchisees
When it comes to work culture, the leadership team
at Banana Moon strives to provide a fun working
environment that actively seeks to reward its staff
for achieving high results and high Ofsted grades.
The team has regular reviews of the company's
documents and policies and will go out as a team
on a regular basis. It also encourages all of its staff
to come to the company's annual Midnight Moon
Event, which is its awards ceremony for its
franchisees. Everyone at Banana Moon strives for a
common goal; to have uniformity between all of its
franchisees.
Providing Latest Nursery Technology to
Franchisees
Besides, Banana Moon strives to make everything
as easy for its franchisees as possible by using
technology to help them design and create their
own marketing campaigns that comply with it. It
also provides its franchisees with the latest nursery
technology, from a cutting-edge digital
management system and parent app to a 10-point
touch interactive table.
Growing Franchise Network in a Controlled
Manner
Banana Moon Day Nursery is looking to grow its
franchise network in a controlled manner to ensure
that the uniformity and quality do not suffer as a
result of rapid growth. It is also looking to
continually develop its own curriculum to ensure
that it is a market leader and sets it aside from the
rest of the competition.
To do this, Banana Moon Day Nursery is
implementing a marketing strategy to target the
right caliber of the franchisee as well as employing
experts in curriculum design to review its current
offering and improve it.
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32. Chris and Jenny McCuiston
Co-founders
Goldfish Swim School
30 | October 2021

33. Delivering an Unmatched "Golden Experience"
for Kids and their Families
Beyond being a valuable life skill, swimming is
also about creating fun memories, building
confidence and developing fitness skills.
Undoubtedly, swimming is a perfect sport to learn,
especially for kids. But swimming becomes even
more exciting for children when it is learned in a
fun, safe and stimulating environment. This is
exactly the experience Goldfish Swim School
provides for parents and their children.
Recognized as the premier learn-to-swim franchise
concept, Goldfish Swim School provides swim
lessons and water safety instruction to infants and
children ages four months to 12 years. Each school
offers swim lessons and programs using a
proprietary philosophy, The Science of SwimPlay®,
to build life skills both in and out of the water, using
play-based learning in a fun and safe environment.
Growing From Small Business into a Large
Franchise Network
Born and raised in Birmingham, Michigan, high
school sweethearts and co-founders, Chris and
Jenny McCuiston, chose their small city to open a
swim school and have since watched it grow into a
national franchise system.
Started in 2006, Goldfish Swim School has grown
from one school to a franchised network spanning
more than 120 schools across North America. Each
school’s #1 focus and main priority is always the
same – educating children on water safety while
teaching them how to swim and respect the water.
Tragically, drowning remains the number one
cause of unintentional injury-related death among
children ages 1-4. Every day, at least three children
in the United States fall victim to the dangers
associated with water-related accidents, leaving
millions of families questioning what they could
have done to prevent the unthinkable. Goldfish
Swim School is more than a business. It is a water
safety advocate providing education to families in
an inviting and safe place where kids overcome
their fears, learn to swim, and respect the water –
all while having fun. Goldfish Swim School aims to
bring greater awareness to water safety and the
importance of swim lessons, as they have the
ability to help reduce the risk of childhood
drownings by 88%.
While it is and always will be its core mission to
teach water safety, the Goldfish team truly ends up
playing a critical role in the whole development of
children – in the pool and in life.
Ensuring Franchisees See Extraordinary Results
Goldfish Swim School continues to prove itself as a
top-rated and the most established swim school in
the franchise space. Its ability to go above and
beyond with every detail to create a GOLDEN
Experience! is unmatched by the competition.
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34. Goldfish’s core values extend from its members to
franchisees, and its Franchise Office Support team
is also committed to going Above and Beyond to
ensure its franchisees see Extraordinary Results. It
is this level of best-in-class support that drives
prospective franchisees to continuously choose
Goldfish.
Goldfish Swim School’s franchisees can count on its
unique one-on-one support from regional
representatives in three key areas: Marketing,
Curriculum and Franchise Business Consulting.
Consultants in these roles are well-versed in their
areas of expertise and are always available to assist
franchisees.
Goldfish Swim School’s swim lesson programming
is also second-to-none. The brand recognizes the
need for quality, fun swim instruction. It has spent
®
years developing The Science of SwimPlay to
produce successful students, and this proven
process translates to success for its franchisees.
Being Innovative and Adaptable in
Unprecedented Times
The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically impacted
Goldfish Swim School as it had to close all its
schools across North America temporarily, but
what was even more dramatically impressive was
the way in which it innovated and adapted to best
support its franchisees and members during that
time.
Goldfish Swim School acted swiftly to provide top-
tier support to its franchisees. The Franchise
Support Team immediately jumped into action and
developed an interactive COVID Support Site to
offer vital information such as legal insight,
financial resources, downloadable marketing
templates, operational guidance, reopening
support, etc.
Core pillars of Goldfish Swim School’s consumer
communication strategy during the pandemic
centered on empathizing with members, educating
them on changes and creating new ways to interact
with their communities, ultimately assuring the
stability of all schools. Furthermore, Goldfish joined
forces with a network of swimming partners to
work as an Aquatics Coalition through USA
Swimming to lobby for the safe reopening of
purposeful, instructional aquatics.
With strategic adaptations, the Goldfish franchise
network was able to offset the impact of COVID-19.
Goldfish Swim School emerged Safer and Stronger
Together ™ as its enrolment numbers now exceed
that of pre-COVID – teaching more than 150,000
children each week to be safer in and around the
water.
CEO Chris McCuiston mentions that the pandemic
has brought forth an entrepreneurship boom – and
that, paired with the strong cultural demand for
quality swim lessons, is fueling Goldfish Swim
School’s growth.
Our small class sizes
(4:1 student to
teacher ratio)
provides the perfect
amount of attention
for children ages 4
months to 12 years
old.
‘‘
‘‘
32 | October 2021

35. Goldfish Swim School is experiencing a strong 2021,
having recently signed agreements to develop in
Arizona, Florida, Georgia, New York, Texas, and
Virginia, in addition to opening 10 new schools
year-to-date.
Using Values as Guiding Light for Business
Decisions
Positive work culture is critical to ensuring the
success and future growth of the business. For
Goldfish Swim School, this means rallying around
its core values and using them as a guiding light for
all business decisions.
As a visionary leader, Chris aims to prioritize
organizational clarity and ensure franchisor-
franchisee alignment on core values and the overall
mission and vision of the company.
As a result, Goldfish Swim School has built a culture
of transparency that has created a strong sense of
accountability among team members. Being open
and honest has allowed Goldfish Swim School to
build a team-centric culture where its people are
inspired, valued and encouraged to produce high-
quality work to help grow the brand.
Making Swimming Accessible to All Children
As a purpose-driven business with a life-saving
mission, Goldfish Swim School feels corporate
social responsibility is an essential part of its brand
DNA. It is committed to community giveback
through its ‘Float It Forward’ fundraising campaign.
As an official partner of the USA Swimming
Foundation, the philanthropic arm of USA
Swimming, it launched the campaign to aid in its
commitment to raise $1 million for the USA
Swimming Foundation. The Foundation supports
swim lesson providers with resources, materials
and grant funding to allow the opportunity for
every child across the country to learn to swim.
Collectively, its schools and Franchise team have
raised more than $230,000 to date.
Delivering Golden Experience to its Members
and Guests
In conclusion, Chris asserts, “While tech and
innovation reign supreme for pandemic pivots, we
must not lose sight of human connection, emotion and
empathy as it relates to the customer experience. The
business environment has changed, and the way you
service your customers must be elevated. It is critical
to go above and beyond with every detail to take care
of your members and guests. We know it guides our
GOLDEN Experience! which drives our members to
continuously choose Goldfish, so we will continue to
prioritize and invest in customer service. From a
franchise development perspective, we’ve built an
incredible infrastructure for growth and are poised for
long-term success.”
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38. 36 | October 2021

39. Hi-Five Sports
Franchising
Gifting Children with an Unparalleled
Youth Sports Experience
ndeniably, sports are one of the greatest
Uthings ever been created. It emerged as a
powerful exercise that makes us feel good
about ourselves, both physically and mentally.
When it comes to kids, sports significantly
contribute to the enhancement of their mental and
physical development. Sports is more than just
physical fitness; it teaches children a variety of skills
and helps them learn to express themselves and
discover their true selves. It enables them to have
fun, boost their confidence and self-esteem, make
new friends, be a team player, and the list goes on.
However, children are becoming more inclined
towards technological devices for their
entertainment and, thus, disconnect from physical
activities. Today, it is more important than ever for
children to be physically active and disconnected
from technology. Experiences and skills gained
through sports are often forgotten or ignored, and
a generation of children are missing out on life
lessons that would be instrumental to their
personal growth.
Hi-Five Sports Franchising is addressing this
dilemma through its novel approach.
Hi-Five was formed with a mission to enrich the
lives of children through team sports in a fun and
non-intimidating manner. It does this through its
own “kid sized” Hi-Five Sports Zone facilities and
programs at local parks and third-party facilities.
The company emphasizes fun and entertainment
that provides families with an unparalleled youth
sports experience.
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40. Today, Hi-Five is the largest youth sports
entertainment franchise network in the US! It is
available in dozens of cities in numerous states
throughout the US.
We at The Franchise Universe got into conversation
with Ryan Tuchman, the CEO of Hi-Five Sports
Franchising, to know more about the company and
what makes it best in the game.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
Describe your top-notch offerings that address
the need of your customers. And what makes
your franchise a preferred choice among your
clientele over other competitors?
Hi-Five Sports is your one-stop shop for youth
sports entertainment and is a family-owned
business. We offer both home-based models and
our state-of-the-art youth sports facility options so
franchise owners can experience the magic of our
brand through either high or low capital amounts.
Describe in detail the work culture and values
that drive your franchise services.
Hi-Five Sports operates its youth sports
programming and work culture in the same way.
Everything we do follows the core Hi-Five Values
that can also be found on the walls of our Hi-Five
Sports Zones throughout the US.
Ÿ Family
Ÿ Respect
Ÿ Loyalty
Ÿ Sportsmanship
Ÿ Teamwork
Ÿ Leadership
In what ways have you or your franchise
contributed to the community?
Hi-Five Sports supports local charities and our
franchise owners go out of their way to offer
complimentary programs for underprivileged
children. Locations also give back to local PTA
organizations.
Would you please shed the knowledge on your
training programs that help you to expand your
franchise?
Our training is what we call the “secret sauce” so
you will have to become a franchise to find that out
38 | October 2021

41. haha. We train our franchises the same way we
have been training for over 30 years. It is a mix of
onsite/offsite and ongoing training because we
believe you never stop learning. We can turn any
owner into a local celebrity by training the “Hi-Five”
way.
As a well-known franchise in Youth Sports, what
innovative technologies are you implementing
to elevate your services to be more productive?
We created a unique digital reward system that is
focused around our lovable French bulldog mascot
Murphy and our core Hi-Five values. We started
franchising from our HQ in silicon-valley and use
“Our mission is to make sports fun, battle the
obesity epidemic and the lack of physical
activity, and lastly, meet the needs of parents,
schools, and our communities through our
innovative take on youth sports.”
that culture in all that we do. We use technology to
differentiate ourselves from all the other brands
out there and never stop learning and innovating.
Our digital reward system is just one example.
What are Hi-Five Sports’ future aspirations?
What strategies are you undertaking to achieve
those goals?
Our mission has remained the same since we
started franchising in late 2015. The goal is to
become the number 1 household name in youth
sports and take it to the next level which is sports
with a focus on entertainment for the entire family.
As an established franchise, what would your
advice be to up-and-coming entrepreneurs
aspiring to venture into the franchise industry?
Do your homework. Know the industry and what it
entails to become a franchisor. If your business is
successful, be sure to test it across state lines
where you have zero connections. That is what we
did at Hi-Five. We were a household name in the
Chicago Metro area and in 2011, tested our model
in both CA and AZ. Once those new locations were
successful, I knew it was time to expand and let
other entrepreneurs with the same passion
become part of the Hi-Five family through
franchising.
Ryan Tuchman
CEO, Hi-Five Sports
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42. ENRICHMENT
Fostering the Joy of learning
U
ndoubtedly, a good education is a
foundation for a better future. An educated
mind has a logical, analytical, curious,
rational, practical, and holistic approach towards
everything. But, all this comes down to the way one
learns. Learning becomes effective when it is
engaging and joyful. When learning becomes fun,
students are more willing to participate.
With a mission to foster the Joy of Learning through
enrichment opportunities so that each child may
discover and explore a passion that drives him or
her to excel, Nexplore was formed.
Nexplore fosters a love of learning in all of its
students through hands-on experiences designed
to inspire and empower their natural curiosity. It is
helping future generations find and pursue their
passion for learning.
At the Franchise Universe, we caught up with Dori
Larea, the Founder of Nexplore, to know more
about the company and what makes it the best
choice for franchisees to start their business.
Below are the highlights of the interview:
What led to the inception of Nexplore?
Nexplore was founded on the belief that each of us
has a passion. A particular drive for learning. This
desire to learn sparks a meaningful lifelong journey
of discovery. Learning then becomes a goal rather
than a means to an end. As a father of four sons, 3
of them are triplets. I realized from a young age,
each of them developed a unique aptitude. One is a
tech-savvy, the other is a natural performer, and
the third is an incredible athlete as my oldest son.
Personally, I am a chess player and love strategic
gaming of any sort. I consider myself a fortunate
man to be able to turn my hobby into
entrepreneurship that benefits others.
Describe the franchise and its education
management model, which addresses all the
needs of your customers.
Nexplore is an enrichment service provider, one of
the largest in the Nation for onsite and virtual
enrichment-academic specialties. What makes us
special is our diversified and rich portfolio. We offer
over 20 STEAM, life skills & Fitness solutions
designed for in school, after school and/or summer
camp settings, which makes us kind of a "one stop
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43. Dori Larea
Founder
Nexplore USA
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44. shop", all-inclusive solution for our partner schools.
We offer a full service to our partner schools. From
customizing programs to meeting their enrichment
needs, preparing and shipping learning supplies
and kits, providing experienced and professional
facilitators to successfully lead the classes using
structured and detailed lessons plan, we do it all.
All that while offering an exquisite and
uncompromised customer support.
Our programs are currently offered at hundreds of
schools and education centers across the states.
We plan on developing cutting-edge programs to
stay ahead of the curve. We believe Enrichment
programs are fundamental for the development of
children and are necessary to fill the gap between
school life and real life. Our mission is to foster the
joy of learning by helping children find their
passion and excel. Nexplore is equipped to
successfully engage and challenge students in an
interactive manner and artfully minimize
uncertainty even during these unprecedented
times.
Below are the reasons that make our programs
your ideal choice:
Ÿ The Deliverables: Most of our programs come
with deliverable supply kits to enhance learning
and engage the students.
Ÿ On-site or Virtual: Nexplore is fluid and can
easily transition from one mode to another.
“Nexplore USA is
committed to
offering a diverse
range of learning
opportunities
where students
can explore their
passions and
strengthen core
Life Skills needed
to thrive in the
21st century.”
42 | October 2021

45. Ÿ LIVE Instructors: Whether schools choose a
virtual or on-site program, our experienced
instructors are teaching LIVE, with no
prerecorded sessions.
Describe in detail about the work culture and
the values that drives Nexplore’s services.
The Nexplore team is comprised of educators,
innovators, and leaders who are passionate about
enriching the lives of children by making learning
fun and exciting! We recognize the importance of
discovering the Joy of Learning which defines each
of us uniquely and fosters positive, life-long
learning habits - this is a way of life. A perspective
that must start with each and every one of us
before it trickles down to our schools and students.
This explains why our customer service is second to
none. We find pleasure in serving.
As a well-known franchise in Education
Management, what advanced technologies are
you leveraging to make education services and
franchises more productive and approachable?
As a National provider that corporately serves over
300 schools across eight states, we had the
challenge to find on the market a CRM that fits our
growing needs. There was simply nothing out there
designed for the specific needs of managing
afterschool enrichments. Therefore, we have to
sleeve up and develop our own IP. Nexplore now
uses its own state of the art - one of a kind
customer management software that enables us to
effectively run our business and facilitate
onboarding franchisees.
Which is the best way to meet today’s and
tomorrow's challenges, with your vision of
achieving the joy of learning for the overall
development of children?
Be flexible and creative to fit your partner school
developing needs. For example, Nexplore adapted
fairly quick to offer virtual programs and set forth a
hybrid model that allowed us to offer both onsite
and virtual services with the ability to navigate with
ease between the two. As a result, in a matter of
months, we have tripled our virtual enrichment
bookings and have gained new clients.
Virtual and onsite learning has to be fun and
engaging! Here at Nexplore, we asked ourselves
how we can boost our virtual experience while
staying true to our mission of “Fostering the joy of
learning.” We have incorporated our four
characteristics of playful learning into our virtual
programs: Joyful, Actively Engaging, Socially
Interactive and a Meaningful Experience. Our secret
sauce, so to speak, is our unique learning supplies
and hands-on consumable kits. We have created a
new trend of virtual experience, which is HANDS
ON. Our students are tenfold more engaged and
interactive. The feedback is overwhelmingly
positive.
#1 priority is still the youth we serve. Yes, reality has
changed, but priorities have not. Keeping youth
safe while providing environments that foster
growth and enrichment and allow for engagement
will not waiver.
What are Nexplore’s future aspirations? What
strategies are you undertaking to achieve those
goals?
Our aspiration is to establish Nexplore as the
largest enrichment service provider in the Nation
while broadening our curriculum portfolio. With
this goal in mind, we are continuously developing
relationships with educational manufacturers on
one end as well as with School systems on the
other. Nexplore is looking for passionate and
extraordinary franchisees who wish to share our
journey and be part of our legacy.
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