Empowering Business Owners Through Franchise Freedom

The early years education sector has evolved significantly in recent decades. Once commonly associated with small-scale, home-based childcare settings, it’s now recognised as a highly professional, regulated and increasingly scalable industry.

Today’s childcare providers are expected to meet rigorous legal requirements, maintain high educational standards and deliver environments that reflect the expectations of families.

Demand for quality childcare across the UK continues to grow too. Driven by the expansion of funded childcare hours, there’s an increasing reliance on provision for working families. According to the Department of Education, more than 1.1 million three- and four-year-olds in England were registered for funded childcare in 2025* – underlining the scale of the sector.

As early years has evolved, so too has the perception of childcare franchising. Beyond flexibility and purpose-led entrepreneurship, the sector is now recognised as a strong franchise opportunity – offering proven business models, recurring demand and meaningful community impact.

At Monkey Puzzle, we continue to support our franchisees in building sustainable businesses within this evolving landscape.

Here, Grace Cole, our Managing Director, sat down with franchisees Sam El-Labban of our Purley and Upminster settings and Nicola Cooper and Laura Cardy of our Altrincham and Timperley nurseries to discuss their experiences of flexibility, growth and business ownership in early years education.

Sam El-Labban, Purley and Upminster:

What attracted you to franchising and how important was flexibility in your decision?

“Coming from a completely different industry [FinTech], franchising gave me the confidence of a proven blueprint and a trusted brand behind me. Flexibility was important too, but for me it was really about having the right support structure to succeed in a new sector.”

With demand for childcare increasing, how has this impacted your business?

“The increase in demand gave me the confidence to expand and secure a second site. Growth has been fast, but we’ve worked hard to maintain the culture and quality at both nurseries.”

What support has been the most valuable in helping you manage rising demand?

“The support from the Monkey Puzzle head office has been invaluable, especially with operational challenges and parent communications. It frees me up to focus on my team and growing the business.”

Who do you think this business is best suited to?

“You definitely need a strong business mindset, but you also need emotional intelligence and adaptability because this isn’t a typical corporate environment. It’s best suited to people who genuinely connect with the purpose behind early years education and want to make a real difference.”

Nicola Cooper and Laura Cardy, Altrincham and Timperley:

What was your background before becoming franchisees and why early years education?

“We worked together in a primary school for 14 years before opening our nurseries,” said Laura. “Early years has always been our passion, so becoming franchisees felt like the natural next step.”

What have been the biggest challenges while running your setting? How have you overcome them?

“We’ve dealt with everything from COVID and recruitment pressures to our premises flooding,” said Nicola. “But having a strong team around us and staying positive has helped us overcome every challenge.”

What has enabled growth?

For Laura, “A lot of our growth has come from word of mouth and the reputation we’ve built locally. Demand has grown significantly too. Families are now registering a year in advance to secure a place! We’re trusted for the care and education we provide, and that’s been incredibly powerful as we’ve expanded.”

What advice would you give to someone considering franchising at Monkey Puzzle?

“Take the time to speak to franchisees and really understand the sector before making the leap,” said Nicola. “You have to genuinely care about early years education because this business needs heart as much as business sense.”

A Balancing Act

For Grace, the experiences shared by Sam, Nicola and Laura highlight how varied – and rewarding – early years franchising can be.

“Sam’s journey from FinTech into childcare, alongside Nicola and Laura’s more familiar background, shows there’s no single route into this sector. What they all share is a real desire to build high-quality settings for children and families.”

Grace believes flexibility remains one of the biggest attractions of early years franchising, particularly when combined with the structure and support of an established network.

“Franchising with us gives people the opportunity to build a business with independence and autonomy, while still benefiting from proven systems and ongoing support. With the demand for childcare continuing to grow, it’s a model that offers both purpose and long-term potential.”

However, she’s clear that success depends on the people behind the business. “The franchisees who thrive in our network fully commit to early years education and care deeply about the impact they make. For the right people, early years franchising can be incredibly worthwhile – both personally and commercially.”

Our team has scheduled one advice webinar each month for the next three months. To register your place, and learn more about what we do, click here.

*Department for Education, Funded early education and childcare, 2025