The traditional career path is changing. McKinsey estimates that approximately 11 million U.S. workers in declining occupations may need to transition to new jobs over the next decade as automation and other structural changes reshape the workforce.
For experienced professionals considering what comes next, another corporate role isn’t the only option. Small business ownership offers the opportunity to put your experience toward building and leading a business of your own.
And small businesses are a significant economic force. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the U.S. is home to 36.2 million small businesses, representing 99.9% of all U.S. businesses and employing 62.3 million people.
Why franchising can be a strategic path to ownership
Business ownership doesn’t have to mean creating an entirely new concept from scratch. Franchising offers the opportunity to own and operate a local business within an established brand and franchise system. For experienced professionals, it can provide a bridge between a traditional career and entrepreneurship.
Why child care?
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis reports that approximately 24.4 million U.S. adults ages 25 to 54 had young children in 2024 and describes child care as a key workforce support. When that care isn’t available, the impact can be significant. A 2026 U.S. Census Bureau working paper found that households reporting problems obtaining adequate child care lost an average of 65.8 days of work time.
For a prospective business owner, those numbers underscore the role educational child care plays in the economy. It’s a business that addresses a need that helps families work and communities function.
Why Kiddie Academy®?
Kiddie Academy® Educational Child Care brings together local business ownership, an established franchise system, and more than four decades of experience in educational child care. There’s another important distinction: Kiddie Academy is family-owned.
Founded by George and Pauline Miller in 1981, Kiddie Academy has maintained its family-owned roots as the brand has grown. For prospective Franchisees, that creates a meaningful connection: the opportunity to build a locally owned business with a company that understands entrepreneurship and family business firsthand.
If changes in the workplace have you thinking differently about where to invest your experience next, small business ownership may be worth a closer look.
