Extra Thank You to Veterans

In honor of Veterans Day, CompuChild is thanking veterans by offering an additional incentive to  to all honorably-discharged veterans and reservists.  CompuChild honors military veterans all year round by offering service members a discount of 20% off the initial franchise fee, allowing veterans to use their training and operational skills in a new civilian career.  To celebrate Veterans Day 2011, CompuChild is also offering a special upgraded equipment package at no charge to the next three veterans to sign a franchise agreement before March 31^st, 2012.

Because of CompuChild’s commitment to veterans, CompuChild has been ranked in the top 10 percent of all franchises nationwide and named a 2011 Military Friendly Franchise^® by G.I. Jobs Magazine. CompuChild also recognizes the importance of family, especially critical for military personnel.  Therefore, CompuChild extends its Military Benefit Program to the spouses of all honorably-discharge veterans, reservists and active duty service personnel.  “We have several military spouses operating a CompuChild franchise. ” said Julie Standish, President of CompuChild.   “Additionally, our Corporate Trainer is married to a Marine who is currently serving in Afghanistan.  We greatly respect the sacrifices of our nation’s veterans and their families.”

The respect goes both ways.  According to Mark Fey, Air Force Veteran and CompuChild franchisee from West Des Moines, Iowa, “The support we receive from our corporate office is outstanding.  I couldn’t be happier with the organization.  The company is very attentive to our needs as franchise owners.  Julie (Standish) and her staff continually implement or revise new lesson plans, products, etc. that make our program stronger.  Although the company and other franchise owners are very supportive, I know that ultimately the success of my business rests on my shoulders.”

“The Military Friendly Franchises^® list was created three years ago out of demand from military veterans, many of whom want to start or own their own business but are unclear where to begin,” said Sean Collins, director for G.I. Jobs.  “Being selected as a Military Friendly Franchise places CompuChild in this elite group, and is testimony to CompuChild’s world class programs and policies that support military veterans interested franchise opportunities”.

Thank you veterans.  Wishing all of you a wonderful Veterans Day!

U.S. Military Promoting Education in Afghanistan

As our nation celebrates Memorial Day, we remember those that have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our country.  We are also reminded of the men and women currently serving.  While they are protecting us and promoting freedom around the globe, they are also improving lives through education.

In Afghanistan, three decades of war has left the Afghan people with huge gaps in education.  According to the Afghan Literacy Foundation, eighty five percent of the population has less than an elementary school education.  Many schools have either been inadequate or nonexistent.

Our nation recognizes the value of education and our military is working hard to promote education for Afghan boys and girls.  Service members from the U.S. Marine Corps, Danish Army, British Army and the Afghan National Army are assisting local Afghans by building schools.  The schools are being built in many districts throughout Afghanistan in hopes that many children will receive an education, especially teaching boys as well as girls to read.  Since Afghan culture forbids the boys and girls to attend school together, the boys attend during the morning while the girls attend in afternoons.

Besides a shared passion to promote education and the well-being of children, CompuChild (a 2011 Military Friendly Franchise) takes a special interest in this mission in Afghanistan.  While CompuChild has always strived to support our country’s military, one of our director’s husband has taken it a step beyond our borders.  David Lucero of South Carolina is currently deployed in Afghanistan with the US Marine Corps.  He is the CMO Effects & Education Officer, 2^nd Marine Division.   Basically, David is working with the Civil Affairs unit of the Marine Corps which is providing support to the Afghan people in efforts to improve Afghan quality of living.  The coalition is working to improve township infrastructure, training in small business, agriculture and the education of Afghan children.  The coalition meets with the leaders of the townships, assesses their needs in these areas and supports the people with direction as well as funding.

We applaud the work of our military in their efforts to improve the lives of young children and promote literacy in Afghanistan.  Special thanks to David and Beryl Lucero for their efforts as well as their assistance with this post.  Keep up the great work.

Click on link to learn more about CompuChild’s Military Benefit Program.  Click on link to see the full list of 2011 Military Friendly Franchises.

2011 Excellence in Business Awards

The Newport  County Chamber of Commerce recently announced their Excellence in Business Award winners.  We are very excited to report that RI Computer Learning owned by Robin Gardner, the CompuChild franchisee for the state of Rhode Island, won the award for Entrepreneur of the Year.

Through her CompuChild franchise, Robin has been teaching computer skills to young children for the past six years.  Here are what some of her customers are saying about her and her technology education classes:

“This is a fantastic program- Tyler loves it! Thank you for your thought-fulness and for your instruction with him. This is a wonderful opportunity!” - T. Collins

“Thank you for making the course a wonderful experience for my children.”  – L. DiMase

“Miss Robin from CompuChild has been working with the children at Growing Children of Rhode Island since our opening in June 2009. She has been a wonderful addition to our program. Parents and teachers as well as children look forward to her lessons. She is well organized and has a wonderful manner and understanding of young children. Her popularity has increased enrollment and parents have added days so their children can experience her program. In addition, Miss Robin is very generous with her time and her knowledge.”  – Ann (Jackie) D’Iorio

CompuChild Celebrates the Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child is a time to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families.   Community groups and businesses throughout the country are celebrating in different ways from hosting events for children and parents to honoring those that work with young children.  This week CompuChild reaffirms our commitment to young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives.  CompuChild is recognizing Ms. Deena Weitzel from Newtown, Pennsylvania, as Instructor of the Year.

Weitzel teaches technology enrichment classes to students in the Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  She currently works in four area day care centers and preschools.  Those close to Deena can see how much she loves working with children and wants to make sure that they have fun and learn at the same time.  She has a lot of patience and knows how to get them to focus on the lesson at hand.  In addition to her skills in the classroom, she is also a wonderful employee.  This combination makes her CompuChild’s 2011 Instructor of the Year.

In recognition of her achievement, CompuChild USA will make a donation to Shriners Hospitals for Children, a non-profit organization selected by Weitzel.  Shriners Hospitals for Children provides the high quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burn injuries and other special healthcare needs.

The Week of the Young Child is about celebrating children and bringing awareness to children’s needs.  We are excited to recognize Weitzel’s commitment to children and glad she selected a children’s charity that has helped so many children in need.

Robotics Workshop Success in Muncie, Indiana

You could feel the excitement in the air as young children from Muncie attended a recent CompuChild robotics workshop at the Cornerstone Center for the Arts.  While the children “played” with LEGO bricks and programmed robots, they were actually learning about science, technology, engineering and math.

Sarah Anderson, Cornerstone’s education assistant, was impressed with creativity involved in the projects offered during the workshop.  She was also pleased with the community’s interest in CompuChild’s program.  Originally, there was only one workshop scheduled for the day, but adjustments were made after so many parents started enrolling their kids.  Due to the strong demand, two more sessions were added to the first weekend.

Ann Arwood, CompuChild franchisee for East Central Indiana, was pleased with success of the first workshop.  She will be holding another robotics workshop this Saturday at Cornerstone.  This workshop will focus on young children, ages 3 – kindergarten.  Visit Cornerstone’s website to enroll.

Kids will be having so much fun that they won’t even realize how much they are learning.

CompuChild #1 Franchise for Children’s Enrichment Program in Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500®

What an exciting time at CompuChild!  Entrepreneur Magazine’s 32^nd Annual Franchise 500® known as the worlds first, best and most comprehensive list of franchises named CompuChild the #1 Franchise for Children’s Enrichment Programs.  CompuChild also ranked #54 Low Cost Franchise, #78 Top Home Based Franchise and overall ranked #253 for 2011. 

Not only are we excited to be named #1 in our category, but CompuChild is the only children’s technology education franchise on the list for 2011!  We completely wiped out the competition.  The high pressure tactics and glitzy marketing of other franchisors cannot compare to the low-key, simple approach at CompuChild. 

We respect all of our franchisees and prospective franchisees.  We understand that CompuChild is not the right fit for all candidates and we give an honest assessment to all of our prospective franchisees.  We are not driven to grow our franchise base exponentially.  We actually say “no” to some candidates.  At CompuChild, we are seeking individuals that will be successful.   Our approach has been working and others are recognizing our success.

The Franchise 500 ranking for 2011 reflects on the efforts of our entire organization.  With the change in senior management a couple of years ago, we have made great strides in increasing customer satisfaction, improving our financial strength and building our brand.  Additionally, we have made operational improvements to ensure our students are receiving the highest quality education.

All companies regardless of size are judged by the same criteria:  objective, quantifiable measures of a franchise operation.  The magazine bases its rankings on financial strength and stability, growth rate and size of the system.  The full list is available online at www.entrepreneur.com/franchise500.  The “Franchise 500” list is published in the magazine’s January 2011 issue.  To learn more about a CompuChild franchise, visit www.compuchild.com.

Top Performing Franchisees

We are excited to announce CompuChild’s Top Performing Franchisees.

For the second year in a row, franchise partners, Carole Busby and Jan Edwards from Kissimmee, FL earned the top spot.  This mother/daughter team is a powerhouse in the Orlando area.  Having purchased their franchise from a successful franchisee in 2007, Carole and Jan, along with their team of instructors, have continued to dominate central Florida.  When child care centers and preschools are looking for technology education, they turn to CompuChild.

In the #2 spot, business partners, Lisa Bill and Mary Jane Custy  share in their success.  Bill’s marketing background and Custy’s education background combine for a powerful team.  They have worked hard to build their business and look for creative ways to grow.  Their students and centers benefit from their dedication and expertise.

Anne Dolan, from St. Louis, MO, earns the #3 spot.  After teaching at a Montessori school, Dolan purchased her franchise in 1996.   Her success is a testament to her professionalism, compassion and dedication to the corporate mission.  She is an integral part of our franchise network.   The children of St. Louis are fortunate to have Anne and her team of instructors.

At #4, Jennifer Brandolino from Albany, NY has really made her mark since joining CompuChild at the end of 2007.  Directors, parents and students love Jennifer and her team of instructors.  She and her staff are very concerned about customer service and they have built a strong reputation in the Capital District.  Jennifer’s creativity and marketing prowess has helped move her into #4 in such a short time frame.  Although new to the top 5 this year, we expect to see her remain here and maybe even move up the ranks next year.

Rounding out the top 5 for 2010 is Jean Levine from Birmingham, AL   Having joined CompuChild in 2001, Jean is a soft-spoken powerhouse in the the south.   Her sincerity, compassion and dedication to her students has contributed to her success.  Jean is wonderful addition to the top 5 and we wish her continued success.

Congratulations to this year’s Top 5.  Great job!

As evident by the geographic diversity of the Top 5 franchisees, the CompuChild system can work throughout the country.  To learn more, visit www.compuchild.com.

Building Enrollment at Child Care Centers

If you talk to child care centers owners and directors throughout the country like we do every day, you understand that their biggest concern for their business right now is how they can increase enrollment at their center.  As a service provider to child care centers, we have been able to help combat the problem by offering their parents more.

A great example of our success can be found at Growing Children of Rhode Island childhood education center.  While the state faces one of the highest unemployment rates in the country, we have been able to help the center increase their enrollment.  Ms. Jackie D’Iorio, the center’s Curriculum Director, recently complemented CompuChild’s Rhode Island franchisee, Robin Gardner, and credited her efforts and our program with growing their enrollment.

“Miss Robin from CompuChild has been working with the children at Growing Children of Rhode Island since our opening in June 2009.  She has been a wonderful addition to our program.  Parents and teachers as well as children look forward to her lessons.  Her popularity has increased enrollment and parents have added days so their children can experience her program.”

Offering CompuChild’s program creates a competitive edge for child care centers.  While some schools may have computers available for children to play games, only a select number of schools offer structured technology education.  Make your program standout by offering CompuChild’s fun and educational classes.  CompuChild classes might just be the competitive edge needed for centers to thrive.

For other tips to grow enrollment at child care centers, visit The Child Care Business Owner blog.

Memorial Day and Support to Military Families

Memorial Day is a day to commemorate U.S. soldiers who died while serving our country.   For some, the true meaning of the holiday is overlooked or simply forgotten.  They just see it as a day off from work or the start to summer fun.   Let us not forget the reason for the holiday and look for ways to honor our fallen soldiers.

Since our business focuses on children, we are drawn to the needs of military children.  Two non-profit organizations come to mind that provide support to military children.  Children of Fallen Soldiers Fund provides college grants and financial assistance to surviving children and spouses of our US military service members who lost their lives in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. Our Military Kids provides grants to the children of deployed National Guard and Military Reserve personnel and to the children of the severely injured service members through grants for sports, fine arts and academic enrichment classes that nurture and sustain the children during the time a parent is away in service to our country.

While Memorial Day is a great day to show support of our military, we should continue to honor the sacrifices our military personnel and their families make to ensure our safety and way of life.  CompuChild owners show their support in numerous ways.  Mark Fey, a veteran from West Des Moines, Iowa, helps students create cards to send to military personnel serving overseas.  At her Greenville, S.C. area centers, Beryl Lucero, married to a Marine reservist, provides free classes to children that have a parent currently deployed.  Additionally, CompuChild corporate has a Military Benefit Program that offers a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee to all honorably-discharged veterans and reservists.  The discount also extends to their spouses.

Hopefully, you enjoyed your Memorial Day with family and friends.  We can  thank the men and women of our armed services for maintaining our freedom, democracy and way of life.  While we should continue to commemorate our fallen soldiers, we need to support the children of all military families.  Without their parents, we would be living in a very different world.

Growing in Charlotte Area

This week CompuChild has been in the Charlotte area working with our newest franchisee, Karen Archer from Mooresville, North Carolina.  She is starting off with a busy schedule that she is taking over from Bill Ward, who has moved and started CompuChild in Cleveland, Gaston, and Lincoln counties just west of Charlotte.

Her reception at local child care centers and preschools has been very well received.  She will be teaching computer classes in Davie, Forsyth, Iredell, Rowan, Wilkes and Yadkin.  Quite a large area to cover.  So large, she is looking to add instructors immediately to help meet the demand in the area.

We are very excited to have Karen join the CompuChild community and look forward to watching her business expand.  CompuChild still has room for more franchisees in the Charlotte area and other select markets across the US.  Learn more at  http://www.compuchild.com/franchise.htm