How to get all the satisfaction of educating without the certification hassles of the public school system.
Lindsay Barron wanted to work with young children but was frustrated with the lengthy process required to get a job as a preschool teacher in a public school. So Barron went in a different direction, creating Gigglebytes, a computer enrichment program, in 1996. "As a [substitute] teacher, I was rarely able to sit down and work with the kids on the computer," says Barron, 30. "When I did, I liked it a lot." Barron took her program into preschool sand day-care centers in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, teaching small groups of children computer basics. Barron and her husband, Matt, relocated to Texas and began adding other courses, including Spanish, to the business that would become The Whole Child Learning Company. "We developed tutoring, Spanish, martial arts and various other enrichment programs that can be offered in day-care centers, preschools and after-school programs," explains Matt, 34, the company's director of sales and franchise development. "We wanted to diversify what we offer to our customers." In 1998, the company started offering franchises, after an employee approached the Barrons about being an owner. Today, The Whole Child Learning Company has six franchises and expects to add another 14 by the end of the year. While creating and running a new franchise seems a daunting task for a young married couple, Lindsay believes age has presented few challenges to their endeavor. "We haven't had credibility problems because of our ages," she says. "[Prospective franchisees] seem to take us fairly seriously." And although operating a franchise with your spouse isn't easy, the Barrons consider the challenge a learning experience. "On the whole, it's a unique opportunity," says Lindsay. "Not too many people have the chance to spend as much time with their husband or wife as we do." Make The Call! The Whole Child Learning Company: (888) 317-3535 http://www.wholechild.com
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