Anthony Insinna received his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University at Buffalo. While attending college and owning and operating a successful landscape business, he partnered with his two sisters in 1992 to open their first child care center. The center’s success prompted Anthony to sell his interest in the landscape business in 1994, allowing him to devote his time exclusively to Doodle Bugs!. As President, Anthony’s primary focus is carefully growing the family business to ensure that each Doodle Bugs! center maintains the integrity and excellence of their first center.
- Tell us about the Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers concept.
- How and when did you become involved with Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers?
- What was your background prior to joining Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers?
- What are some of the advantages in being a Doodle Bugs! franchisee?
- Who is your ideal franchisee?
- Tell us a little about the child care market.
- What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?
- Do you have a mentor and is there someone you use for inspiration?
- What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a franchise?
- In your opinion, why do you think that Doodle Bugs! Children’s Centers would be a great opportunity for someone?
Since 1992, Doodle Bugs! has been building a community of happy children, happy parents, and happy teachers. Families appreciate that Doodle Bugs! is more than just daycare – we provide high quality child care, preschool, and school age programs that are second to none. Our extraordinary facilities, innovative BRAVO! curriculum, and outstanding team are just a few of the features that set us apart from other child care centers.
In 1992, my sisters and I opened our first child care center in East Amherst, New York, welcoming 24 preschool students and their families to our family business. The business began as a part-time venture, but we soon realized the opportunity in the child care market. We worked hard to make sure that 'Doodle Bugs!' became synonymous with high quality child care and a commitment to continuous improvement. As a result, the doodle community has grown to include 2,000+ families!
My experience as a small business owner and manager began when I was only twelve years old and I canvassed my neighborhood in search of clients for my lawn service. By the age of seventeen, I owned two trucks and a garage full of equipment. During college, I partnered with a friend to create one of the area’s largest landscape and snow plowing services. I sold my share of the business in 1994 to pursue my MBA and further develop the Doodle Bugs! concept.
With 20+ years of experience in early childhood education, we’ve created an amazing program that we feel is unlike any other. We are committed to slow, purposeful growth – focusing on the quality, not quantity of our franchised centers. Every Doodle Bugs! location will be treated as another one of our company-owned centers, not as #188 of a rapidly growing franchise system. This personal attention is our promise to franchisees and is a definite advantage!
It’s really important to us that every Doodle Bugs! location maintains the integrity of our company-owned centers, so we want to share our family business with like-minded individuals who share our passion and values. Individuals who share our core values – Commitment, Accountability, Respect and Excellence – have the opportunity to become successful Doodle Bugs! franchisees, with or without prior child care experience.
Research clearly shows that early childhood education is essential to children’s success in school and later in life. As a result, families' increasing demand for quality care continues to create increasing opportunities for motivated entrepreneurs – in fact, it has often been said that the child care industry is nearly recession-proof.
Above all else, I’ve learned to trust my instincts – continued success requires continued fidelity to our mission. We're incredibly proud of the ways our family business has grown and improved since we opened our first center. We're equally proud of the fact that our priorities, spelled out in the acronym S.C.O.P.E. (Safe, Clean, Organized, Professional, Educational), have remained consistent. Growing this franchise has proven, time and time again, that consistency is the key to our success.
I’d have to say that I am always inspired by the underdog, due in large part to the fact that I have always been the underdog. Whether I was the smallest kid in the neighborhood or the youngest business owner, I’ve always had to compete with individuals who were older or more experienced – and I was always up to the challenge. I guess I would say I was mentored by experience; I learned quickly that hard work inspires confidence and confidence inspires success.
As clichéd as it might sound, there’s no time like the present. If you’re a motivated entrepreneur who is willing to work hard, I’m tempted to quote Nike and say “just do it!” Owning your own business is extremely gratifying and franchising provides a unique opportunity to pursue your dreams.
We’re celebrating 20 years of excellence in child care, so I am confident that we’ve created a program that is unlike any other. It has been a tremendous privilege to grow our family business in our hometown and we're excited to share our amazing educational programs with families outside of Western New York.
