| -> | | | | on every level. The After School program has no |
| Established in 1989, Rainbow Station is the | | | | peer, and the parents quickly see the differences. |
| brainchild of pediatric registered nurse, Gail | | | | The Get Well Place and full time nurse on |
| Johnson. 5 months after opening, the facility had | | | | FACULTY & STAFF are not found in 99% |
| 100 CHILDREN enrolled; at the end of the | | | | of most child care facilities. Gail Johnson is a |
| following year, her FACULTY & STAFF had | | | | visionary. |
| grown from 12 to 32 out of sheer necessity; in | | | | My wife, Michelle Mistele, and I just opened our |
| 1997, Gail was named Virginia's "Small Business | | | | first Rainbow Station in Charlotte, NC. This project |
| Person of the Year;" and by 1999, demand had | | | | was 3 years in the making. We got interested in |
| become so great that she EXPANDED to 5 more | | | | Rainbow Station while living in Richmond, VA |
| LICENSED FACILITIES. | | | | where we lived less than 2 miles from a Rainbow |
| Though it doesn't even begin to sum up all of | | | | Station. At that time we had three small children, |
| what the business does, Rainbow Station is a | | | | ages one, three, and five. Our children attended a |
| FACILITY with 3 primary parts to the business: | | | | School near our house because the waiting list at |
| an accredited preschool, an accredited afterschool | | | | Rainbow Station was a mile long. We were paying |
| program, and an infirmary designed both for sick | | | | around $3,000 a month in tuition, and that was |
| children of working parents and children who are | | | | when I realized we might be in the wrong |
| chronically ill. It is those essential features that are | | | | business. Michelle and I met with Earl [Johnson] in |
| the primary reasons that the business does so | | | | early September of 2005 to discuss the |
| well. The accreditation of both the preschool and | | | | possibilities of becoming franchisees. |
| the SCHOOLAGE program set the entire | | | | Michelle and I knew immediately that Rainbow |
| company apart, because sadly, only 6% of all | | | | Station was and is a category killer. We were so |
| preschools in the United States are accredited by | | | | convinced that we were willing to relocate to |
| the National Academy of Early Childhood | | | | Charlotte to make this idea a reality. There simply |
| Programs. As well, virtually no one else has an | | | | isn't any other child care operation that I have |
| on-site medical facility with specialized, pediatric | | | | seen (and I have seen most) that is even |
| nursing care. In every way, Rainbow Station is a | | | | remotely on the level of Rainbow Station. This |
| children's franchise in a class entirely of its own. | | | | belief has been overwhelmingly confirmed by the |
| Today the business encompasses 9 different | | | | response we have received in Charlotte. |
| locations in 3 states (Virginia, North Carolina, and | | | | The parents can't enroll their children fast enough. |
| Texas). Each one thrives wherever it arises | | | | One parent shared with me the conversation she |
| because of the expert business model, based on | | | | had with the director of the preschool her child |
| providing exceptional education, care, security, and | | | | was attending when she told the director she was |
| fun to every child that passes through the doors | | | | moving her child to Rainbow Station. The director |
| of a Rainbow Station franchise business. The | | | | reiterated how well her child was doing and that |
| HIGHLY TRAINED & QUALIFIED FACULTY | | | | moving her might cause a huge adjustment. Finally |
| & STAFF spends every day educating the | | | | the Mom said 'Terry have you seen Rainbow |
| little ones and recreating with them at a level of | | | | Station? Let me put it to you this way, your |
| quality that few facilities can match. The | | | | preschool is like Carowinds and Rainbow Station is |
| CHILDREN have fun and learn all at the same | | | | like Disney World.' |
| time, and the franchisee is responsible, primarily, | | | | The expertise and the helpfulness of the Rainbow |
| for overseeing the daily operations and serving | | | | Station corporate staff is unparalleled. Earl |
| CHILDREN, parents, FACULTY & STAFF | | | | Johnson, Gail's husband, made at least 10 trips |
| wherever possible. | | | | with me to Charlotte from Richmond to help me |
| As true as this all may be, though, there is no | | | | deal with development issues. Their commitment |
| better opinion than that of a firsthand witness to | | | | to ensuring you are successful is extraordinary." |
| Rainbow Station's quality. Franchisee Parks Hunter | | | | He sums up his lengthy letter of praise for this |
| definitely has an opinion, holding that Rainbow | | | | rare franchise opportunity by saying, "Hopefully |
| Station is what he so emphatically calls a | | | | you could tell my level of excitement for Rainbow |
| "category killer," meaning that it is so much the | | | | Station is basically off the charts." And indeed, it |
| dominant force in the market that it puts others | | | | would be hard to conclude anything else about this |
| in its class to shame. Hunter writes, "Rainbow | | | | "category killer" among education business |
| Station differentiates itself from the competition | | | | opportunities. |