We’re already in our third month of 2020! Time is flying by… especially for Franchise Owners Lindsay Danhauser and Allison Durkee, who are celebrating their one year anniversary of having an art education franchise with Kidcreate Studio! The duo recently sat down with our team to discuss their experiences over the past year and their big plans for the future!
Lindsey and Allison are much more than just business partners – the two have been friends since the 7th grade! While both have always bonded over art, Allison took the corporate route, working in finance, while Lindsay went to art school and became an art supervisor. However, art brought the duo back together several years ago, when they decided to open a Kidcreate Studio together!
While Lindsey was working as an art director in Eden Prarie, Minnesota, she often worked alongside Kidcreate Studio Founder Lara Olson. Lindsey was so inspired by Lara and the Kidcreate Studio mission, that she eventually decided that she wanted to open one herself! It was a large venture to take on alone, however, so Lindsay decided to bring Allison along for the ride! It was a perfect combination for the two, as Lindsay had the art background needed to help coordinate and plan lessons, while Allison had the financial expertise to help run the business side of things! The duo officially opened their doors in March 2019 in the Lakeview area of Chicago!
One year later, and the two are loving their new careers owning an art education franchise. So much so, that they are planning on opening a 2nd Chicago/Oak Park location in April! They agreed that their favorite part of being Franchise Owners was, “Watching kids realize their power when they get an idea and can execute it.” Luckily for them, this is something that happens every day at Kidcreate Studio, as kids are always allowed to get messy and think outside the box.
The two went on to discuss how being Kidcreate Studio Franchise Owners allows them to have flexible schedules, something that no other career could offer them. Because of this, both Lindsey and Allison can spend more time with their families and take time off when they need it. Both have children – Lindsey has two daughters 7 and 4, Allison has an 18-month-old daughter and is having a son in March – and being able to spend time with them is essential at this stage. With Kidcreate Studio, the two can have immersive, fulfilling careers, all while catering to their own needs!
Another aspect of their new careers that Lindsay and Allison value is the ability to reach out and get involved within their own communities, something a typical corporate job doesn’t offer. Community involvement is a large part of the Kidcreate Studio business model. Franchise Owners create partnerships with local community centers, schools, churches, and synagogues, among other regional centers, allowing them to more easily coordinate and plan classes and lessons within their local areas. Additionally, the on-the-go program allows the education franchise to bring art education to the children directly, a valuable secondary source of revenue. In the Chicago area, the community has embraced Lindsay and Allison’s franchise, and business has been booming! “The school system and many local moms have reached out to us and really helped us to grow,” remarks the duo.
On the other hand, the community can have input within how Kidcreate operates. Recent examples for Lindsay and Allison’s studio include a Menorah lighting and Hannukah project that the local community requested, as well as a St. Patrick’s Day event. Both were well received by local Chicagoans and helped to grow the reach of the art education franchise in the area. At Kidcreate Studio, the students do the marketing themselves, and as more and more parents see a passion for art being stimulated in their children, Franchise Owners see more and more revenues!
As we delve deeper into 2020, we rely even more on our fantastic Franchise Owners like Lindsay and Allison. They are doing more than just spread our brand, however. They are helping proliferate art education and spark creativity among children across the country! They are helping to raise the next generation of scientists, artists, and free thinkers! The sky is the limit at Kidcreate Studio, be it for our students or our Franchise Owners, and we can’t wait to see what the future brings!
To bring art education to children in your community, visit our franchising site today!
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