CEO of Leading Early Childhood Education Franchise, Kids ‘R’ Kids, Recalls Humble Start, Talks Continued Expansion in 2024
David Vinson, President and CEO of Kids ‘R’ Kids International, Inc., has plenty to celebrate in early 2024. The Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academies, now present in nearly 170 locations, represent the growing momentum of a family business begun by David’s father, Pat, and his grandmother, June, in 1961.
A Humble Beginning
Born from a love of children and a desire to support working families, and at a time when group care was not a popular concept, the duo remodeled the family home to create a day nursery for young children.
A few months after opening, Pat became acquainted with a young lady named Janice Whatley who came to work in the nursery’s after school program. The two fell in love, married, and expanded the business to include a kindergarten program that their two children, David and Darlene attended. After 24 years, Pat and Janice sold the initial business in Decator, GA, and launched the first Kids ‘R’ Kids Academy in 1985, with a focus on early childhood education.
The concept was an immediate success. Within 14 months, the business had expanded to a second academy. Within two years more, they established a third. The need and opportunity was apparent, but how could the company grow to support the entire U.S. and expand internationally?
The World’s First Child Care and Education Franchise
Franchising was the answer. Kids ‘R’ Kids International, Inc., the first franchise operation for early child care and education, sold its first Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy franchise in 1988. Today there are nearly 170 locations. In 2023, the company was named one of the nation’s Top 3 Emerging Early Education and Child Care franchises by 1851Franchise, who notes that childcare is now a billion dollar industry.
A Growing Trend — and a Captive Audience
Entrepreneur notes the growing success and demand for children-focused companies as a strong trend in franchise business and has acknowledged childrens’ STEM (Science, Technology Engineering, and Math) enrichment programs as one of the top 10 Hottest Franchise Categories for 2024.
David Vinson cites several additional factors for the growing demand for children-focused businesses as well: “We are passionate about children, and we are clearly far from alone. Birth rates are rising. We see increasingly more families in which both parents are working. As providers of quality childcare, we are considered essential, which makes us perhaps not recession proof, but it’s at least somewhat recession resistant.”
“We focus on high quality and innovative programs for children such as the STEAM AHEAD curriculum for fun and interesting activities-based learning with a focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math, and the BRAIN WAVES curriculum of learning with a focus on development of the neural pathways for motor development, problem solving, etc.”
A Family-Focused Organization
At 39 years of operation, David currently serves as President & CEO alongside his wife Sasha, who is active as the COO. They lead a leadership team that includes his sister Darlene as Assistant Vice President and David and Darlene’s mother, Janice, who continues to serve Kids ‘R’ Kids as its CFO. Vinson considers the growing base of franchise owners to be a vital part of the extended family as well.
As to how the organization maintains its culture in the current period of growth and future development, Vinson notes that training is key.
“We share all of the ups and downs of our own learning over our decades of early childhood education with every franchise owner,” he says. “And when the franchise owners bring new ideas and experience into the mix, we share and learn from their experiences, too.”
Cheryl Snapp Conner is founder and CEO of SnappConner PR and creator of Content University (TM). She is a popular speaker, author and national columnist whose columns have appeared in Forbes.com, Inc., Entrepreneur and WSJ. She is the author of “Beyond PR: Communicate Like a Champ in the Digital Age.”
