Choosing the right franchise can feel overwhelming, especially with so many options available within the franchise industry. From crunching the numbers to evaluating a brand’s value, there are several elements to consider when comparing opportunities.
Big Blue Swim School and Lightbridge Academy® are two prominent franchise opportunities. Both franchises serve families with young children nationwide. However, prospective owners should conduct a comprehensive comparison of the different business models and their growth potential to make an informed decision.
The Cost of Investing
| Big Blue Swim School | Lightbridge Academy® | |
| Franchise Fee | $80,000* | $40,000 |
| Initial Investment | $3,124,900 – $4,351,000* | $1,067,233–$4,885,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 8%* | 7% |
| Net Worth Requirement | $1,000,000* | $750,000 |
| Liquid Capital Requirement | $600,000* | $250,000 |
| Ad Royalty Fee | 2%* | 3% |
*According to Entrepreneur
Dive into Big Blue Swim School
Pro: Broad Age Range
As a business owner, it’s important to understand the audience your business will serve. Big Blue Swim School helps children aged 3 months to 12 years learn how to swim, catering to a broad age range compared to many other child-focused services, such as preschools or music schools.
Pro: Essential Life Skill
Swimming is a critical life skill. Whether you live near the ocean, in a lakefront community, or own a pool, parents value swim schools for teaching water safety alongside fun and active learning.
Con: High Turnover Rate
A challenge swim schools face is the potential for high turnover once children become proficient swimmers, typically within six months. As a business owner seeking long-term client retention, this high turnover rate can be a challenge to Big Blue Swim School franchises.
Pro: Specialized Focus
Big Blue Swim School franchise candidates are captivated by the specialized focus the brand offers. By limiting their services, the proprietary lessons are designed with expert-level care.
Con: Limited Scope
However, a specialized focus also inherently limits the scope of development. While swim schools excel at teaching a crucial life skill, a specialized focus limits the broader developmental opportunities that could appeal to parents seeking holistic child services beyond swimming.
Pro: Flexible Schedules
When it comes to busy schedules, the Big Blue Swim School franchise helps owners manage it all. LessonBuddy™, Big Blue Swim School’s scheduling software, offers flexibility in managing classes and adapting to changing schedules.
Con: Revenue Unpredictability
Parents love Big Blue Swim School because it offers them the flexibility to pause services when needed. However, while parents appreciate the ability to pause lessons, this can lead to irregular profits for franchise owners. Seasonal factors, such as holidays and vacations, can further contribute to revenue fluctuations.
Lightbridge Academy: The Solution for Working Families®
Pro: Long-term Enrollment
Lightbridge Academy enrolls infants through pre-K, providing care during the most formative years of their lives. With the potential of each student to spend an average of six years with us, our team fosters deeper relationships with families supporting consistent revenue and lasting community engagement.
Pro: The Solution for Working Families®
At Lightbridge Academy, we want to provide an experience that supports working families and their schedules. Our proven model includes flexible scheduling options with high-quality care. We make our services available from once or twice a week to five days a week as well as backup care options.
Lightbridge Academy understands that dropping off your child can be hard. Families benefit from exclusive resources such as the ParentView® Internet Monitoring System and the Lightbridge Journey app, which provide classroom insights and development updates throughout the day.
Con: Focused Age Range
Because Lightbridge Academy’s services are limited to children aged 6 weeks to 6 years, some may argue that our services exclude families with older children. However, most children transition to traditional school systems, such as elementary school, at this age.
Pro: Circle of Care
Together, we make a difference. Lightbridge Academy’s Circle of Care brings together franchisees, staff, families, and communities to create a supportive environment. By working collaboratively, we ensure that every child receives the care and attention they deserve.
Pro: Holistic Development
Our Seedlings curriculum meets the standard of accreditation. This curriculum focuses on all areas of growth, motor skills, academic readiness, social development, and emotional intelligence. Activities such as art, music, and play-based learning promote comprehensive development.
Pro: Year-Round Predictability
With year-round programs for children, franchising with Lightbridge Academy offers franchisees reliable revenue during typical seasonal fluctuations. You can even boost revenue with a short-term summer program for young students out of school.
Pro: Potential Profitability
With an average unit volume of $2,529,222 in 2023*, Lightbridge Academy demonstrates a strong potential for a strong ROI. More families are looking for early childhood education opportunities and not just a daycare for their children. This demand grows our brand’s position in a competitive industry.
*Full details are available under Table 2C of Item 19 of our FDD.
Your Path to Franchise Success
Both Big Blue Swim School and Lightbridge Academy® offer rewarding opportunities within the child-focused franchise market, but their business models cater to different goals and priorities.
A Big Blue Swim School franchise is an excellent choice for those seeking a niche business focused on an essential life skill. However, challenges such as high turnover and unpredictable revenue may limit long-term stability.
Lightbridge Academy® provides a comprehensive, long-term investment as an education franchise. With year-round services, holistic child development, and exclusive tools that support parents, caregivers, and children alike, Lightbridge Academy® remains a trusted partner for working families and a reliable source of income for franchisees.
Are you an investor seeking a franchise with long-term growth potential? Reach out today to secure your territory and start making an impact in your community with Lightbridge Academy
