Business partners Parag Laddha and Kunal Rao are multi-unit franchise owners of The Learning Experience. They were awarded the Franchisee Excellence Award in 2026 for consistently exemplifying excellence in business performance, strong financial results, and unwavering brand standards.
Despite entering the early childhood education space with no prior industry experience, Parag and Kunal quickly immersed themselves in The Learning Experience system and built a portfolio of centers that consistently exceeded quality, enrollment, and occupancy benchmarks.
Their expectation across all locations is high occupancy, A-level brand compliance, and operational excellence. They proactively seek opportunities to enhance profitability, reduce costs, streamline processes, and pilot innovative ideas that drive measurable results.
A standout example of their performance mindset was the launch of a systemwide “Summer Camp Sneak Peek Week,” an initiative born from a center-level idea and scaled across their schools. The campaign boosted summer camp enrollment and annual profitability, becoming even more successful when expanded in 2025. Their results consistently reflect thoughtful strategy, executional rigor, and a deep understanding of what it takes to operate best-in-class centers.
Parag and Kunal lead with heart, presence, and an unwavering belief that people are their greatest strength. Whether it’s driving hours to support a center leader on a difficult day or showing up consistently to encourage, coach, and celebrate their teams. They foster a culture where high expectations are paired with genuine care, mentorship, and recognition.
Read Our Q&A With Parag Laddha and Kunal Rao, Franchise Owners at The Learning Experience Franchise
When did you start your business?
We own a portfolio of locations across Arizona, California, Tennessee, and Colorado. We signed our first franchise agreement with The Learning Experience in 2015.
During your research, what made your franchise brand stand out?
During our research, we evaluated several franchise brands and spoke with multiple franchisees. The Learning Experience consistently stood out across several dimensions, including leadership team, quality, growth trajectory, scalability, value-driven model, franchisee satisfaction, franchisor support, philanthropy, and a clear, compelling long-term vision.
How did your franchisor help you to prepare for and launch your business?
The franchisor provided a robust and comprehensive training program that included both online and in-person components. We were placed in a cohort with other franchisees, which fostered collaboration and shared learning.
The training itself was excellent, and we were also introduced to key contacts at headquarters who supported us across all functional areas, including marketing, operations, IT, licensing, HR, and talent acquisition.
Equally important, we learned the value of reaching out and asking for help. Within the franchise network, someone has almost always faced a similar challenge before, and we were encouraged not to “reinvent the wheel.” That culture of support has continued well beyond launch, and to this day, we regularly reach out to both the franchisor and other franchisees whenever we encounter new, first-time challenges.
What advice would you give potential franchisees considering your brand?
Like most successful businesses, this is fundamentally a people-first business. Hire the best people you can, invest in training them well, and offer competitive incentives to retain them.
Additionally, be realistic with financial expectations — plan for it to take roughly twice as long as your initial estimate to break even and achieve consistent profitability. And finally, network and connect with other franchisees. Be willing to learn and share best practices.
What specific things set YOUR franchise apart?
Our partnership is a key differentiator. We have known each other for 27 years, share similar professional and personal backgrounds, and previously worked together in corporate America. More importantly, we share the same core values and trust each other deeply.
If you put us in separate rooms and ask us the same question, you will likely get the same response, not because we have discussed it, but because it is how we think and arrive at decisions.
We give each other the space to make decisions and occasionally make mistakes, without assigning blame. Instead, we view missteps as opportunities for learning and growth and focus on putting safeguards in place to avoid repeating them.
What specific things contributed to your success?
From day one, we had to learn remote ownership and management since we were not geographically close to our first few centers. While initially challenging, this ultimately became a significant advantage. It forced us to build strong processes and systems to effectively monitor performance and invest early in strong talent.
As we scaled, we invested deliberately in talent and created organizational layers to support growth. We also leveraged our scale to centralize back-office and shared functions. Additionally, we invested in technology early to streamline and simplify processes.
As engineers by training, we prioritize robust, repeatable, and scalable systems that reduce waste and improve efficiency. One thing we’re not shy about is making decisions. We recognize there is often a 50/50 chance of getting it right. We celebrate the wins, and when we miss, we acknowledge it quickly and course-correct just as fast.
What unique strengths and skills do you both bring to your franchise?
We bring complementary skill sets, with a healthy overlap where necessary. Over the years, we have intentionally rotated through roles — both those we enjoy and those we enjoy less. This has given us broader visibility into all aspects of the business and a deeper appreciation for areas outside our natural strengths. It has also helped us recognize when it is best to hire experts rather than trying to do everything ourselves.
What is something that might surprise people about franchise ownership?
There is no such thing as a truly absentee owner. Even with a strong team managing day-to-day operations, owners must remain engaged and ready to roll up their sleeves when needed. There’s never a dull moment, and you are constantly learning something new.
The Learning Experience Franchise Opportunity:
The Learning Experience is a leading early childhood education franchise specializing in daycare and preschool services for children from infancy through kindergarten. Founded on three core principles – learn, play, and grow.
The franchise features a unique model where the corporate team handles site selection, lease negotiation, and complete center build-out, handing franchisees the keys to a fully equipped 9,000-15,000 square foot facility designed to accommodate 140-280 children.
Each year, TLE uses the FBR franchisee satisfaction survey to gain unbiased insights into their franchisees, and they have ranked highly on our unbiased awards lists for many years, including:
- Top 200 Franchise 2026
- Top Education Franchises
- Top Childhood Service Franchises
- Top Franchises For Culture
Interested in Becoming a Franchise Owner With The Learning Experience?
Franchisees benefit from TLE’s proprietary L.E.A.P. curriculum, comprehensive training, regional coaching support, and innovative technology systems. The franchise has a high satisfaction rating, with 45% of owners expanding to multiple centers over time.
To learn more about The Learning Experience franchise opportunity and get more information, visit tle-franchising.com.
