KidStrong

About KidStrong

KidStrong is a child development franchise that offers a holistic training program for children from walking age to 11. It was founded in 2015 by Matt and Megin Sharp in Lexington, Kentucky, initially as a program for their own daughter, Ella, to help her become stronger and more confident. Megin, with a background as a physical education teacher, and Matt, a self-described entrepreneur, felt existing programs for children were lacking. They started by creating training equipment in their dining room and running a pop-up class in a space rented at a CrossFit gym Matt co-owned. The program's popularity grew quickly through word-of-mouth.

The Sharps partnered with Lincoln Brown, a serial entrepreneur with a background in tech, to scale the business. After an investor encouraged them to move to Texas, they opened their first official location in Frisco in 2018. The business operates on a franchise model, providing extensive support to franchisees, including site selection, marketing, and operational guidance. The initial investment to open a franchise ranges from approximately $343,000 to $691,000. Franchisees pay ongoing royalty and advertising fees based on gross sales.

The core of KidStrong's offering is a 45-minute weekly class based on a science-backed curriculum developed by experts in pediatric occupational therapy, child development, and sports physiology. The program is designed to enhance physical, cognitive, and character skills, focusing on building confidence, resilience, and social skills. Classes incorporate proprietary and patented equipment, along with technology, to create an engaging experience. The business model is based on recurring revenue from monthly memberships, supplemented by additional income from camps and birthday parties.