2005
34
$150,000
$70,000
$1,500,000
No
Safari Kid is an international chain of preschools and after-school programs headquartered in the heart of Silicon Valley, in Newark, California. In just over fifteen years, 35,000+ children have gone through the program and have shown consistent excellence in elementary and middle schools. Our franchise owners enjoy a steady income from customers who have grown to trust the reliability and quality of the Safari Kid brand. Embedded within Safari Kid’s DNA is both a heartfelt commitment to fostering strong relationships between staff members, parents, and students and our ability to build bridges between nurturing care and effective education. Part of how we do this is by investing in qualified researchers. We understand that the early years of a child’s life are a critical time for brain development, and our ever-evolving, progressive curriculum reflects the earnest accountability we feel in ultimately creating a better future for our children, one in which they will not just feel loved, but for which they will thrive.
Consider this. Safari Kid:
Safari Kid is a lifestyle business operating Monday–Friday, 8 to 5. Today's busy dual-income families are always on the go. Often they spend their hard-earned money on daycare facilities and nannies with no added value. Compare that with Safari Kid’s eclectic philosophy of child care, which focuses on overall emotional and social well-being as well as the goal of stimulating healthy brain development. By selecting the best components of the Reggio Emilia and Montessori methods, the proprietary Safari Kid preschool curriculum and state-of-the-art environment was carefully developed. Rather than focusing solely on their age, each child’s learning experience is determined by their unique abilities and skill sets. This allows each student to reach their full potential at their own pace.
Safari Kid not only provides preschool programs that encourage lifelong learning. We also offer enrichment in the form of after-school programs for children in kindergarten through 8th grade. Our summer camps combine academics with sports, learning new skills, and a lot of heart-healthy and wholesome fun!
Established: 2005
First Unit Franchised: 2011
Franchised Units: 34
Company Owned Units: 16
States Registered In: Alabama - AL, Alaska - AK, Arizona - AZ, California - CA, Colorado - CO, Delaware - DE, Idaho - ID, Iowa - IA, Kansas - KS, Massachusetts - MA, Mississippi - MS, Missouri - MO, Montana - MT, Nevada - NV, New Hampshire - NH, New Jersey - NJ, New Mexico - NM, North Dakota - ND, Ohio - OH, Oklahoma - OK, Oregon - OR, Pennsylvania - PA, Tennessee - TN, Texas - TX, Vermont - VT, Virginia - VA, West Virginia - WV, Wyoming - WY
Canada Franchises: Yes
International Franchises: Yes
Cash Investment: $150,000
Total Investment: $250,000-$1,500,000
Minimum Net Worth: $750,000
Franchise Fee: $70,000 + $30,00 pre-opening fee
Royalty: 7%
Brand Fund: 1.50%
Item 19: No
Average Number of Employees: 12
Visa Candidates: Yes
Semi Passive Ownership: Yes
Home-Based: No
B2B: No
Master Franchise Opportunities: Yes
Veteran Discount: Yes
Financial Assistance Provided: Indirect (SBA / Lenders)
Site Selection Assistance: Yes
Lease Negotiation Assistance: Yes
Recruiting Assistance: Yes
Cooperative Advertising: No
Training:
Our training begins with a review of Safari Kid’s operation manuals. Then we offer a three day interactive experience, in which in-house training will commence. This involves in-person observations of our preschool and after-school programs at both our corporate location in Newark, CA and other nearby centers. Observations in the first session of training will focus on the school environment, and how to build the proper culture and philosophy that is expected from the Safari Kid brand. There will also be a review of licensing and curriculum, such as the “booklet system”. The first session of training will conclude with gaining an understanding of our school operations and finance, such as how to roll out specific school programs and how to execute an effective business plan. The second session of training involves a large focus on understanding the Level 1 - Level 4 preschool development stages within Safari Kid. There will also be hands-on training sessions on how the Safari Kid After-School program is run. Other critical parts to running the business will also be discussed, such as marketing, public relations, staffing & HR, and license applications. Both potential Safari Kid Franchise Owners and Directors are encouraged to attend these training sessions. Teachers are supported with ongoing training due to our progressive curriculum, which changes with the latest educational research. All Safari Kid staff will also take part in an annual meeting which includes training and support as needed.
Safety - Follow state & city mandates and Safari Kid standards to ensure a safe environment for children.
Hygiene - Follow Safari Kid guidelines to ensure a clean and healthy environment for learning.
Parent, Student, and Teacher Community - Ensure that your Director is helping to promote and maintain healthy and happy relationships between teachers, parents, and students.
Curriculum - Occasional oversight to make sure your Director is prioritizing our progressive curriculum and that it is being implemented as intended.
Training - Establish a training schedule for staff to keep them up to date.
Branding - Follow corporate brand values and guidelines.
Advertising and Marketing - Adhere to corporate guidelines on local advertising and marketing. This is to be TOM (top of mind) in our industry.
Financial Health - Make sure business remains financially healthy, to help achieve defined milestones.
IDEAL CANDIDATE Although an owner-operated Safari Kid is ideal, semi-absentee or absentee owners have also proven to be successful. Safari Kid owners should be savvy enough to discern when their presence is needed and when they can leave the bulk of responsibilities to a strong Director/Site Supervisor. Most of our owners, once experienced with one location, move on to open multiple locations and hire strong Directors/Site Supervisors who can manage each location. An ideal owner will take the time to hire a Director who is passionate about early childhood education and development, and demonstrates a high IQ and EQ to help problem-solve when necessary. Although Safari Kid is ultimately a business, we challenge ourselves to always keep the needs of our students in focus. In summary, here are some traits of a strong Safari Kid franchise owner: Risk taking ability Appetite to invest $200,000 - $1,000,000 Prior business or 5+ years of leadership experience (preferred) Passion for early childhood development and contributing to community Problem solving ability Business acumen Excellent communication skills Sales and Marketing experience is a plus Prior experience in education industry is a plus.
