Career-minded Mother Gives Up Corporate America To Go Back To Preschool

(Monday, November 06, 2006) - Mindy and Scott Smith moved from Colorado to Indiana in 2003 to take exciting new jobs with the same large company. These well-educated young professionals with MBAs enjoyed the challenges of their thriving careers, healthy marriage, two young children, and making it all work. But their search for quality child care brought about a life-changing decision for both of them. The Smiths followed their hearts, and Mindy made a commitment to walk away from the corporate ladder and open the first Primrose Schools educational child care facility in greater Indianapolis: Primrose School at Gray Eagle in Fishers. Mindy explained their decision. "My son Kaeden, now 3, was enrolled in a Primrose School when we lived in Colorado. For the six months that he was there, we were thrilled with the nurturing, learning environment that Primrose offered. We felt that the Primrose staff was excited to see Kaeden and truly loved him. The Primrose teachers were always cuddling the infants, playing with them on the floor or teaching them new skills. We were spoiled by Primrose and I just couldn't find that kind of care here in Indianapolis." A turning point for their family When their daughter Khyla arrived 15 months ago, the Smiths agonized over the decision of where to bring their children for care. Mindy said, "We debated over having one parent stay at home with the kids, but we wanted our children to have opportunities to socialize with other children and develop a solid foundation for learning, which is what we had found in Primrose. We kept wishing there was a Primrose School in Indiana and finally realized there was only one way to provide the best care for our children; open a Primrose School ourselves." Mindy and Scott talked to numerous other parents about their child care arrangements and found that most were just as unhappy. Mindy noted, "This made us realize that our idea of opening a Primrose School would actually benefit the entire community, not just our own children. That realization gave us a sense of purpose and helped us know in our hearts that this was clearly the right thing to do." Scott added that once the decision was made in spring of 2005, they've never looked back. They have worked in partnership with the Primrose Schools corporate office for a forecasted December 2006 opening. Scott said, "While we don't have balance in our lives right now - juggling our day jobs, family life and our Primrose venture – we know our short term sacrifice will give us the balance we desire in the long run." According to the Smiths' plan, Mindy will quit her job and work full-time at the school once construction is complete, while Scott remains in his corporate position. Interestingly, Mindy participated in a career interest survey as part of a corporate-sponsored class eight years ago, and her top result was "Child Care Provider." Positioned for success The Smiths are excited about their Primrose School location in Fishers because Hamilton County is one of the fastest growing counties in the area, and Fishers itself is growing very fast. The new school is next door to an elementary school, with four other elementary schools nearby. The Smiths expect a robust enrollment from the local community. In fact, Mindy said, "Even though we're not opening until December, we've already received a number of inquiries from families anxious to find great child care." Is Mindy ready to jump into business ownership while raising two young children? She said "Yes" whole-heartedly. "We're excited about making a difference in the lives of the children we serve, and to us, there's no better reward than that. Corporate America taught me a lot about business and that's given me some comfort that I can manage my own business," noted Mindy. "Plus, I've got the real-life experience of being a Mom, I love children and with the Primrose Schools business plan and corporate support, I can't fail!" Mindy also remarked that Primrose's support is making this venture much easier to manage than it would be to open a school on her own. "I couldn't do this without Primrose Schools' corporate staff support. They're so enthusiastic, passionate and upbeat; and the other franchisees are all like proud parents with a hundred kids each. We were also motivated to find out that the other franchisees are all very educated professionals like ourselves. They too found opening a Primrose Schools franchise to be not only a great business opportunity that is financially rewarding, but, most of all, one that brings balance to parents and children in the community. It was very reassuring to see that people like us made the leap. The more we talk with people about it, the more excited we are about it. It's very energizing!" The Smiths report that they haven't regretted their decision for a second and they're already talking about opening a second school before the first one is even open. Mindy said, "If you really care about children and you want to make a difference, becoming a Primrose franchisee is a wonderful opportunity." Now it's your turn to explore the benefits of being a Primrose Schools franchisee in Indianapolis There are more than 150 Primrose Schools across the country, with opportunities for more locations right here, right now in the Indianapolis region. If you are an enthusiastic professional searching for a more meaningful career that will allow you to make a great living while giving back to your community, we want to talk with you. Call 1.800.PRIMROSE or visit primroseschools.com for more information about franchise opportunities in Indianapolis. 1st Primrose Schools franchise to open in Indianapolis Money isn't everything. You make a living by what you get, but you make a life by what you give. A Primrose franchise offers you the potential to make a good living while giving something back to the families in your community, one by one. If you are ready to explore a meaningful career as a Primrose franchisee, please call I.800.PRIMROSE or visit www.primroseschools.com

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