1994
160
$200,000
$75,000
$3,007,600
No
Imagine owning a franchise where every day you help shape futures, invest in your community, and run a business with proven stability. That’s what a Celebree School franchise offers. As a leader in early childhood education in the U.S., Celebree provides high-quality infant, toddler, preschool, before/after care, and summer camp programs. Its reputation rests on a foundation of nurturing learning environments, strong academic outcomes, and deep community connections. Positioned in a market with consistent demand—because families will always seek excellent care and education for their children—Celebree stands apart by combining a well-honed curriculum, rigorous operational standards, generous support systems, and meaningful brand values (“Grow People Big and Small™”). Investing in Celebree is more than financial: it’s deeply personal, allowing franchisees to make a measurable impact on children’s lives, while building a scalable, respected, and profitable business in the expanding early learning sector.
Why Invest in This Franchise?
High and Sustained Demand: Child care and early education are essential services. Demographic trends, rising dual incomes, working parents, and increased awareness of early childhood development make this sector resilient. Celebree addresses care needs for infants through school-age children.
Proven Business Model: Although it only began franchising in 2019, Celebree builds on decades of experience (since 1994) operating its own schools. That experience lends strength to its operational, academic, curriculum, and care systems.
Strong Brand Recognition & Awards: Celebree has earned recognition such as Entrepreneur’s Top New & Emerging Franchises, IFA’s Emerging Franchisor Award, and an increasing presence in many states. This builds credibility with parents, employees, and investors.
Robust Support & Systems: From site selection to opening, curriculum, training, marketing, and ongoing operations, Celebree offers substantial assistance. New franchisees don’t start alone.
Growth Potential & Scalability: Celebree is aggressively expanding. There are opportunities for single unit or multi-unit ownership. They are entering new states, signing many development agreements, and expanding operating schools.
Meaningful Impact: For someone who wants their business to be more than profit, Celebree offers a chance to contribute to children’s development, family well-being, and community building. That draws in franchisees with mission-driven mindset.
Established Year & Founder
Celebree School was founded in 1994 by Richard Huffman in Lutherville, Maryland. Huffman’s vision was to create a childcare and early education brand that combined a nurturing environment with strong academic foundations. What began as a single center grew into a trusted regional name across Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia, and eventually into a national franchise opportunity.
Franchising Journey
After operating company-owned schools successfully for over two decades, Celebree officially launched its franchise program in 2019. This gave entrepreneurs across the U.S. the chance to join a proven early education system while benefitting from its brand reputation and operational excellence.
Current Market Presence & Units
Celebree is rapidly expanding across the U.S. with:
55+ schools open and operating
160+ franchise sites awarded across 19 states
Serving 7,200+ children weekly through infant care, preschool, and school-age programs
The brand has ambitious growth plans, aiming to award 30+ new franchise agreements annually in coming years. Its expansion strategy focuses on key growth markets with high demand for childcare, including suburban communities and metropolitan hubs.
Ownership & Parent Company
Celebree School is led by its founder and CEO Richard Huffman under the umbrella of Huffman Family Brands, which also oversees related childcare and education concepts. This structure provides franchisees with strong corporate backing, experienced leadership, and resources to support nationwide scaling.
Industry Category
Celebree School operates in the Early Childhood Education and Childcare Services industry — a sector valued in the U.S. at over $60 billion annually and projected to grow as demand for high-quality childcare increases due to dual-income households, workforce participation, and greater awareness of early education’s importance.
Brand Journey & Milestones
1994 – First Celebree School opened in Maryland
2000s – Expansion across Maryland and surrounding states with company-owned centers
2018 – Rebranded under the mission “Grow People Big and Small™”
2019 – Franchise program launched
2023 – Named among Entrepreneur’s Top New & Emerging Franchises
2024 – Received the IFA’s first-ever Emerging Franchisor Award
2025 – Operating 55+ schools with aggressive expansion in progress
Celebree School offers comprehensive support before launch and ongoing:
Pre-Launch / Pre-Opening Support:
Assistance with site selection and lease negotiation.
Architectural/design/construction guidance, permits and civil work oversight.
Help with outfitting the center: furniture, fixtures, playground, technology, toys, signage, etc.
Pre-opening marketing and “grand opening” support.
Training:
A formal training program of about 100 hours, combining classroom, online, and in-school (on-the-job) elements. For example, about 22 online hours, 38 hours classroom, ~40 hours on-site.
Training covers operations, curriculum, care practices, hiring/training staff, compliance, safety, etc.
Operational Support:
Ongoing assistance in hiring, staff retention, curriculum updates, quality standards. Especially important in childcare where staffing is critical.
Support via centralized systems, call centers or similar for lead generation, maybe marketing or enrollment support.
Marketing Support:
Grand-opening marketing rollouts, local community marketing, digital and brand marketing materials.
Contribution to brand fund / advertising fee (e.g. ~2%) for national/regional marketing.
Ongoing Support:
Updates to curriculum, regulatory compliance, safety & licensing updates.
Peer network, franchise advisory, quality assurance audits.
Support in operations, continuous training, staff development.
To succeed with Celebree School, the ideal franchisee should have:
Passion for Children & Education: A commitment to early childhood development, high standards of care, educational excellence, safety, and making an impact in communities.
Business / Management Experience: Preferably someone with experience managing teams, operations, staffing, or prior experience in education, childcare, consumer service, real estate, or similar industries.
Investment Capability: Enough financial strength in terms of net worth and liquid capital to cover the initial investment, fees, build-out, staffing, working capital. The investment is substantial.
Local & Community Focus: Franchisees who are embedded in or willing to be engaged in their community — building relationships with parents, schools, local authorities, etc.
Single or Multi-Unit Potential: Someone who may want to own and manage one center or multiple centers over time, with an appetite to scale.
Operational Involvement but Also Ability to Delegate: While ownership may not require full-time presence after a certain point, early months demand close involvement; ability to manage people, maintain standards, and work with staff is key.
Preferable Location Demographics:
Areas with high demand for child care: family-friendly suburbs, growing metro areas, places with many working parents, limited existing high-quality early education options.
Suitable real estate / zoning availability.
| Financial Item | Amount / Range (USD) | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Total Initial Investment | $837,600 – $3,007,600 | Includes build-out, equipment, licensing, staff hiring, and working capital until enrollment grows. |
| Franchise Fee | $75,000 (one-time) | Paid upfront at the time of signing the Franchise Agreement. |
| Royalty Fee | 7% of gross revenue | Ongoing fee for operational support, curriculum, and brand systems. |
| Marketing / Brand Fund Fee | 2% of gross revenue | Contributes to regional/national brand awareness and digital campaigns. |
| Minimum Liquid Capital | $200,000 – $300,000 | Cash or readily available funds required. |
| Minimum Net Worth | $750,000+ | Required financial strength to qualify as a franchisee. |
| Working Capital | Varies ($100k–$250k) | Recommended to cover payroll, utilities, supplies, and marketing until break-even. |
| Infrastructure / Build-Out | $500,000 – $2,000,000+ | Site construction, playground, equipment, interior, and licensing costs (depends on location size and real estate). |
| Average Gross Revenue | $2,074,263 (2023 avg. of 3 fully operating schools) | Actual performance varies by market and enrollment. |
| Expected ROI / Profitability | 10–20% EBITDA margin (industry benchmark) | Long-term profitability depends on enrollment stability and cost management. |
| Break-Even Timeline | 12 – 24 months | Varies by occupancy rate, tuition pricing, and market demand. |
| Potential Revenue Streams | Tuition fees (infant to preschool), before/after-school programs, summer camps, enrichment programs | Multiple revenue channels create year-round income stability. |
