How He Built 100+ Locations From One Preschool

Can a preschool become a million-dollar business, a real estate play, and a business that holds up during tough economies? Drew McWilliams explains how he built Ivybrook Academy and what he learned after roughly $500,000 in mistakes. Drew McWilliams is the CEO and co-founder of Ivybrook Academy, a half-day preschool concept that grew from one school into a national franchise system. But this conversation isn't just about preschool. It's about what separates a real business from an expensive experiment. Drew joins Lance Graulich on the Franchise Fit Podcast to break down the economics, real estate strategy, operating model, marketing system, and lessons behind growing an education business. And one of the biggest lessons comes from what happened before Ivybrook ever became a franchise. TIMESTAMPS 00:00 Can a Preschool Become a Million-Dollar Business? 01:29 How to Build a Million-Dollar Preschool 02:43 Scaling From One School to 100+ Locations 03:54 Owning the Business AND the Real Estate 05:41 Preschool vs. Daycare: The Critical Difference 08:20 What Does a Preschool Franchise Owner Actually Do? 13:01 Why Parents Keep Spending on Education 15:33 The Ivybrook Story Started on a Honeymoon 16:26 The $500,000 Cost of Learning the Hard Way 19:24 Franchise vs. Buying an Existing Business 21:11 Why Top Franchise Owners Follow the Playbook 23:37 The Marketing Strategy That Fills Preschools 26:41 Drew's Advice Before Buying Any Business 28:32 Kids or McNuggets? 👉 Franchise with Confidence: My services are 100% free to aspiring owners. Schedule a call today and find your perfect franchise fit. https://link.franflow.io/widget/booki... 👍 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more real franchise stories.