Kiddie Academy is an early childhood education franchise that provides high-quality care for children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Using its proprietary curriculum, franchise owners support children in overcoming early life challenges, developing relationships, and expressing their creativity. The franchise has grown to over 350 locations nationwide in its 40 years of operation.
Husband-and-wife team, Cassandra and Austin Fenerty, own the newest Kiddie Academy location in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Austin’s parents are also co-owners, as his father worked for two decades in childcare franchising. Although Cassandra and Austin are first-time business owners, their complementary skill sets have well-prepared them for this new venture. Cassandra brings experience in hospitality, customer service, event planning, and marketing from working with small businesses. She is on-site daily to manage all activities at the academy. Austin has a background in healthcare finance and technology, which he utilizes for managing bookkeeping and payroll for the location.
Cassandra and Austin were first introduced to Kiddie Academy when evaluating childcare options for their son. They recognized a serious need in the community regarding capacity and quality for childcare. Opening their own Kiddie Academy location felt like the perfect solution! However, Cassandra and Austin needed long-term financing to fund the business. They met with over a dozen lenders and decided than an SBA loan would be the bets fit given its flexibility. A local EDC then recommended they visit a FNB branch for more information. A local banker at the branch introduced the couple to Brendan McMoran, one of our experienced Business Development Officers.
Brendan met with Cassandra and Austin to discuss their needs for the loan. He maintained consistent communication through every step of the SBA lending process. Cassandra and Austin’s SBA 7(a) loan completely funded the ground-up construction of a new building with state-of-the-art technology to ensure the safety and security of its students. The loan also provided funds for start-up costs, FF&E, and working capital to ensure future growth. In the future, Cassandra and Austin want to expand care options to include a kindergarten program, summer camp, and before- and after-school care for children up to age 12.
Cassandra and Austin remarked on their experience with Brendan and FNB Small Business Finance:
Brendan was incredible and very knowledgeable. He helped us overcome a lot of hurdles along the way. The entire FNB team went above and beyond to get us across the finish line. We would absolutely recommend Brendan and FNB to other small business owners!
Congratulations to Cassandra and Austin on the successful opening of their Kiddie Academy! We thank them for their partnership and can’t wait to see where the future leads them.
