Overview
Level UP is a STEM program with a mission to prepare children at an early age for the changing workplace infrastructure in the future and help to mitigate the severe shortage of STEM employees in the workforce. A staggering 50% of current jobs will be replaced with technology by 2025; however, the public education system does not have the programs in place to adequately prepare students for emerging careers in tech-related fields. We provide a clear solution to this problem by offering Career Technical education to children ages 7-18 that build interest, excitement, and requisite skills for not just the jobs that exist today, but for those that will be in demand in the future.
As the only STEM franchise to offer both brick & mortar and on-the-go programs to elementary through high school age students, our year-round programs, summer camps, and learning labs prepare students for college, internships, and careers in Programming, Game Development, Design, and Robotics. Owners can choose to start with just the mobile business, brick and mortar, or both! With over 150 different courses available, more than any other STEM franchise, we have something that appeals to a variety of skill levels and interests. None of our competitors come even close to this, offering up to 40 courses at most. We even created the first YouTube camp in North America that continues to be one of our best-selling programs!
Total Investment: Mobile: $86,615-$118,950; Brick & Mortar: $126,665 – $287,950
Minimum Net Worth: $150,000
We offer a 10% veterans discount.
Day to day: A typical day for our Franchise Owners holds an equal balance between work and personal activities. Most of our Franchise Owners are not just passionate business owners, but have children and other family responsibilities that are a priority for them, and the Level UP business model allows for that. Owner-Operators will work about 30-40 hours per week.
Owners-Operators spend weekday mornings focusing their efforts on selling and marketing, checking on class registrations, and being available for parents who stop by to learn more about Level UP. This is another benefit to having our brick & mortar studio locations open during the daytime.
During weekday afternoons, the Owner spends time engaging with the community, visiting schools, meeting with principals, and offering demos. Prime service times during the week are from 4 – 8 pm.
Most Franchise Owners will have weekends off and have hired staff to cover these activities, unless they prefer to be involved themselves.
Semi-absentee Owners will hire a Center Director who they will oversee to take on most of the above responsibilities, while they spend a majority of their time on marketing efforts and networking in the community. The beauty of this business is that the Owner can choose how in what aspects he or she would like to be involved.
IDEAL CANDIDATE: At Level UP, we are looking for business professionals who want to get out of the corporate grind and become leaders in the development and growth of the future marketplace. They should share our vision for providing a unique, industry-leading service to the children in their communities. We are looking for entrepreneurs who understand how important STEM education is for the future of today’s children, and are ready to help fill the void by providing their communities with a fun and truly enriching experience. Owners will not necessarily be teaching the classes themselves, so no prior teaching or tech experience is required, but a passion for education or tech/computer science is a plus. Because a portion of our revenue is generated by securing partnerships, Level UP Owners should have networking abilities and be ready to get out into the community to foster relationships with businesses in the area.
Qualities we look for include:
-Growth mindset with a readiness to scale the business
-Customer-focused with excellent communication skills
-Passionate about computer science and technology
-Networking ties and ability
-Strong sales & marketing skills
-Business acumen
-Management experience and leadership skills
-Desire to make a difference in the life of children, families, and community
About Tracer Consulting
I am a USNA '14 grad and a certified franchise consultant. The listings I have are franchises with veteran discounts, their business model plays to the strengths of veterans (leadership, ability to follow a plan, planning/logistics, etc), they have proven records of success, and the potential for great returns. If you want to learn about other franchise opportunities, opportunities in other locations or other industries please contact me.
I can also help you find funding partners that will help you obtain a loan. The two major SBA loans are: 1) The Express Loan which is used for home based franchises, is up to $150,000, requires and 10% cash injection, and no collateral. 2) A standard loan that can be used for non-home based franchises, is up to $5 million, requires a 20%-30% cash injection, and requires collateral. For either of these loans, the rates are prime +2.75% (currently totaling 6%) and if you are funded before September 27, 2020 then the government will pay for the first 6 months of your loan- they are doing this to encourage entrepreneurship during the corona virus pandemic.
