Abhijit Patel, a Goddard School franchisee, is on the verge of realizing his five-year journey to open a Goddard School location in Tustin, California. Patel, along with his wife Preeti and partners Jasmin Patel and Jesal Mehta, was drawn to the idea of early childhood education. The Goddard School offers programs for children aged six weeks to 6 years, emphasizing a specialized learning program called FLEX (Fun Learning Experience).
The Patels’ journey began in 2018 when they embarked on a search for a suitable location, which proved to be a challenge in California’s competitive real estate market. After two years of searching, they secured a location owned by the United States Navy, but the development process was laden with bureaucratic hurdles.
Throughout this journey, Abhijit Patel received support from TMC Financing and legal experts, as he navigated the complexities of real estate development and secured a U.S. Small Business Administration 504 loan. Despite facing obstacles, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and rising construction costs, the Patels remained determined to open their Goddard School, aiming for an early 2024 launch.
While the process was arduous and demanding, Patel expressed readiness to embrace the challenge and fulfill his dream of owning a Goddard School.