Our Kids’ Art Franchise Expands to Houston!

Our Kids’ Art Franchise Expands to Houston!

It’s an exciting start to the New Year for us here at Kidcreate Studio! Our kids’ art franchise has just awarded yet another studio in the Houston area. Lucky for us, our marketing team was able to catch up with new Franchise Owners Brian and Jennifer Collins for a Q&A session on their Kidcreate Studio experience thus far. Here’s what they had to say about how they first discovered our kids’ art franchise opportunity, their journey through our Franchise Education Process, and what they hope to accomplish once their Kidcreate Studio is open for business!

Tell us a bit about your backgrounds. What were you up to before franchising with Kidcreate?

Jennifer: Brian and I have very different backgrounds, which makes this perfect for us. Before motherhood, I worked in the corporate world for 13 years as a Regional Loss Prevention Manager, certified in Forensic Interviewing and Interrogations. As a Regional Leader, I was responsible for mitigating loss for over 100 storefront locations in multiple states. My numerous stores’ successes came from strong industry relationships, organizational partnerships, and proper store level training. However, in 2012, Brian’s career relocated us to the Middle East. While overseas, our family grew, and our entrepreneurial desires ignited. 

Since our return, I have fallen in love with early childhood education. While walking the halls of my son’s preschool, I immediately knew that I needed to be a part of this experience and chose not to return to corporate. I began working at his preschool as an Office Assistant, and within six months, I was the Director of a 30,000 square-foot Child Care Center with over 200 preschoolers and upwards of 500 enrollments in the Summer. Currently, I’m a preschool director at a small private school. I love that it’s so small because I can make a lot of connections with the kids. 

Brian: My background is obviously a bit different from Jennifer’s. I spent a good amount of time in the military. I was in the Air Force for 5 years and studied aerospace physiology, later becoming an aerospace physiology technician. I trained aircrew members on the physiological effects of flying. During that time, my goal was to get my education paid for. Once I graduated with a degree in Finance, I went to work for Dell in the finance and accounting department. I did that for a few years. Then Jennifer and I got married and we moved back to Houston, where I got involved with the oil and gas industry. I haven’t looked back since! I’ve been lucky enough to have multiple roles, spanning from operations to business development, and I just earned my MBA last year. I had the opportunity to work overseas in Oman for a few years so we moved there for a bit. When we came back, we kind of had to start over. Luckily through an old connection, I was able to get into a similar, more entrepreneurial role with an up-and-coming business, something I love doing.

Were there ever any other kinds of franchises you were looking for or were you always looking for a kids’ art franchise?

Brian: The opportunity actually kind of just stumbled upon us. We weren’t originally looking at Kidcreate. I was doing some research on other franchises and then COVID hit. I was moving down a path with one franchise, but unfortunately, COVID really disrupted that franchise’s model. A couple of months later we were sitting around in quarantine and Jennifer showed me a Kidcreate Studio ad that popped up on her Facebook. Immediately, we were like “That’s it!” We started looking at it seriously in June or July and took a few months of due diligence to truly think about if it was something that we wanted to do. The answer ended being yes!  I was really impressed with how Kidcreate was able to adapt to COVID with its virtual classes and take-home art kits. The model definitely seemed to be “recession-proof”. People always want what’s best for their kids no matter what.

How was it attending a Kidcreate Virtual Discovery Day?

Jennifer: It was really nice! We definitely enjoyed it. Although Brian and I are “in-person” types of people, we felt like we were really able to make a connection with Lara (Olson) and the team. It was very exciting for us all. The content and layout were structured very well and our conversations flowed nicely. Kidcreate definitely did a great job of making the most of a virtual experience that would normally be done in person. Even though we had never set foot in a Kidcreate Studio before, the Discovery Day made us truly believe in the model and we were able to connect with everything that the brand was doing.

Was there anything about the support program that stuck out to you?

Brian: Operational support is key to me and I was definitely impressed with the amount of operational support that Franchise Owners receive. I like how they help you out tremendously with training and support at the beginning, but don’t overdo it later on, allowing you to run the business on your own. At the same time, they’re there for you wherever you need it. I was able to walk away feeling like I had really made the right decision. Also, the build-out aspect was something we were unfamiliar with and was stressing us out a bit. Knowing that you have all the support you need during that process is super helpful. 

What are your goals as Kidcreate Studio Franchise Owners?

Jennifer: As a Kidcreate Studio business owner our goal is to be Oak Forest’s leading enrichment program, providing opportunities to develop the whole child, focusing on learning through experiences and art. We plan to increase this visibility through our footprint in the community, reaching the demand for extracurricular activities. As a family, we genuinely value experiences in life. We are extremely excited about bringing Kidcreate Studio to our community and sharing this adventure with our own children.

 

As we move forward into 2021, we’re relying more than ever on our amazing kids’ art Franchise Owners like Brian and Jennifer to give our brand life. We’re super excited to bring them on board with us and have no doubt that they will find success and fulfillment with their new studio. We can’t wait to see what the future will hold for the Collins Family and their new franchise!

Does Jennifer and Brian’s story sound familiar? We thought so! Leave your boring corporate career behind for a creative career as a kids’ art Franchise Owner! Visit our franchise site to learn more.


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