Meet Alison Freidman, Owner of Two Lightbridge Academy Franchises
Alison is a dynamic entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “Jersey Girl.” She joined the Lightbridge Academy franchise in January 2023 in a North Carolina community that she now calls home. Alison currently owns two thriving Lightbridge Academy locations—Huntersville, NC, which opened in January 2023, and Steele Creek, NC, which opened in October 2024—and is seeking a third location. With 52 employees across her centers, Alison brings a wealth of experience from her background in sales and management in the packaging industry and taps into her passion for community enrichment. In addition to her business acumen and networking skills, Alison channels her energetic spirit as a group fitness instructor, teaching Cardio Dance classes. Alison’s drive to provide high-quality early childhood education through her two Lightbridge Academy franchises in North Carolina fuels her commitment to expanding her presence in the region.
What made you decide to look into purchasing a franchise?
For me, I was not looking for a career change; rather, I just wanted something “more” in the respect of having a business that would allow me to actualize my talents while making a positive impact on our community. And to me, providing high quality early childcare education is the best, most meaningful way we can serve our community through our Lightbridge Academy franchises.
When researching franchises, what criteria mattered to you most?
Values, values, values! Having shared core values as people and as an organization was key for us. We knew early on in our process that Lightbridge Academy met the criteria. Additionally, it was important to us to have a strong, winning brand that we knew we would be successful in getting behind.
Financing can be an obstacle to some aspiring entrepreneurs. How did you finance your Lightbridge Academy franchises?
We opted for SBA loans to finance our Lightbridge Academy franchises in North Carolina
Which of your prior skills and experiences do you use in operating your business today?
Working for a family business gave me the valuable experience to be “entrepreneurial” in helping the organization build an infrastructure. Paired with my belief in the power of a positive culture, these are the skills I bring to operating my centers.
What tools or resources did you use to research franchise opportunities?
I went straight to the brands that interested me to learn more about franchise opportunities and meet their leadership team as part of our vetting process.
When doing your research, which questions did you ask the franchisees?
Most of our questions revolved around their support of franchisees. Especially being a new business owner and new to franchising, it was important to us to know that we would have optimal support along our journey.
Which questions did you ask the franchisor?
- What does the timeline and process look like for development?
- How do you offer support for your franchisees to market and grow?
- What are the expectations of ownership in the franchisor / franchisee relationship?
What were your biggest challenges when you first started out, and how did you overcome them?
The biggest challenges we faced owning two Lightbridge Academy franchises involved balancing the timing of our marketing efforts and onboarding our team while under construction through a changing timetable. Having a dedicated business coach through this process was critical to guide us in how to pivot and communicate these updates to our families, team, and community.
How does your franchisor support and encourage your success?
Lightbridge Academy is world class in how they support their franchisees towards success. Their branding is innovative, and enriched, and their leadership is authentic in every way setting a foundation of trust. This is complemented by the array of scheduled calls for various topics, encouraging fellow franchisees to support one another, offering extensive tools and training, as well as dedicated business coaches who are all highly trained and knowledgeable.
What are you most proud of and why?
Coming from modest beginnings, I am proud to have the opportunity to become a business owner and invest in something with such great meaning: our future.
What advice would you give to potential franchise owners?
Be diligent in your process and make sure your values align with your franchisor’s. You will know when it feels right!
To learn more about the Lightbridge Academy franchise opportunity, visit LightbridgeAcademy.com/franchise, email [email protected], or call 732-980-1900 x 199.
