Put Kids First, and the Business Will Follow
By Leo and Elise Silva, Owners, Engineering For Kids of Las Vegas West
When people ask us what it takes to build a successful Engineering For Kids franchise, they’re typically inquiring about marketing strategies or advice on growing enrollment. While those things certainly matter, we’ve found that the biggest factor in our success has been much simpler. Since opening our franchise in 2015, we’ve focused on putting children first in everything we do. When families and schools know you genuinely care about helping kids grow, the business has a way of growing alongside it.
Like many franchise owners, our early years were the most challenging. We worked tirelessly by introducing ourselves to schools, meeting families, and becoming a trusted part of the Las Vegas community. Building those relationships took time, and there weren’t any shortcuts. Looking back, we’re grateful for those early experiences because they taught us that lasting success comes from building trust, not simply attracting customers.
Start With Your Purpose
Our advice to any new franchise owner is to always remember why you started. If your goal is simply to fill classes, people will notice. But if your purpose is helping children discover confidence, curiosity, and a love of learning, families notice that too.
Some of our proudest moments haven’t been tied to enrollment numbers. Instead, they come years later when former students tell us they chose to study STEM in college, return to teach with us, or thank us for helping them believe in themselves. Those moments remind us that we’re not just running a business. We’re helping to shape future problem-solvers, leaders, and lifelong learners.
Become a Partner to Your Schools
One of the best decisions we made was approaching schools as partners rather than venue hosts for our programs. Teachers already have tremendous responsibilities, so we always ask ourselves how we can support what they’re already doing in the classroom.
Many of our instructors are teachers and coaches themselves, which creates natural cohesion with the community. Parents see firsthand how much these educators care about their students, and that trust extends to our programs. When teachers know you’re invested in helping children succeed, they become some of your strongest advocates and guerrilla marketers.
Go Above and Beyond for Your Community
We’ve seen firsthand how relationships can be built long before someone signs up for a class. That’s why we’ve always looked for ways to be involved beyond our regular programming.
Over the years, we’ve hosted free STEM workshops at local libraries, participated in community expos, led school assemblies, and partnered with organizations that share our passion for helping children learn. Not every event results in immediate enrollment, and that’s never been the point. Every opportunity to serve your community builds trust, and that goodwill has a way of coming back.
Parents remember the businesses that invest in their children without expecting anything in return. When they see you’re willing to go the extra mile, they naturally become some of your biggest supporters and often recommend your programs to other families.
Focus on the Child, Not So Much the Class
While we teach engineering concepts, the lessons we hope students remember most have very little to do with building robots or designing bridges.
We want children to become curious thinkers, resilient problem-solvers, and kind teammates. One of the biggest mindset shifts we encourage is helping students see failure differently. If something doesn’t work the first time, we don’t view it as a failure. We view it as data. Every mistake teaches them something they can use to improve their next attempt.
We’ve seen children who were once afraid to participate become confident problem solvers simply because they learned it was okay to make mistakes. Those life skills stay with them long after the class ends.
Success Will Follow
If we could leave new franchise owners with one piece of advice, it would be this: Be generous with your time and genuinely invest in helping children become the best versions of themselves. Be there in all aspects – community-wise, business-wise, and mentor-wise; it’s these connections that truly matter.
The rewards may not come overnight, but trust they will come. Parents recognize authenticity. Teachers appreciate true partners. Communities remember the businesses that consistently give back.
When you put kids first, everything else has a way of falling into place.