When Purpose Meets Process: A Second-Career Couple’s Path to Ivybrook in Roanoke, Virginia

If you’re exploring ownership as a couple, this story is for the pairing we see most often: one person wired for business and operations, and one person drawn to education, families, and community.

A lot of franchise conversations start with finances and territory. The couples who actually move forward often start somewhere else: “Can we build something meaningful together, and can we run it well?”

In Roanoke, Virginia, Chris and Sara Millehan bring that pairing to life. Chris comes with deep operational and leadership experience across corporate roles and business ownership. Sara comes from a service-centered healthcare background and a clear pull toward community impact.

This is the Ivybrook “couple pattern” we see often: one person is wired for systems, the other for people. Both matter.

A Roanoke story: the couple dynamic that works

Chris’s background reads like someone who understands how decisions ripple through an organization. Ivybrook notes he earned an engineering degree from Virginia Tech, held roles at GE, ExxonMobil, and Carilion Clinic, and also owned and operated businesses including a restoration business and a FedEx Ground delivery contractor operation with over 40 employees.

Sara’s path is different, and that’s the point. Ivybrook shares she earned a degree in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise and a second degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant, and has worked throughout the local community helping patients return to the things they love.

That mix matters for franchise ownership because preschool is both:

• Operationally real (process, staffing, standards, consistency)

• Emotionally real (families, trust, community, care)

A couple doesn’t need identical resumes. What they need is shared values and complementary strengths.

What makes Ivybrook “franchisee-interesting”

When you strip away the hype, prospective owners usually want three things:

1) A model that is clear and explainable

Ivybrook positions its programs as half-day, with the flexibility and family time that can create. This is one of those differentiators that reads well in a story because it connects to real life: families want learning and they also want breathing room.

2) A product that stands for something

Ivybrook describes its foundation as a blend of Reggio Emilia, Montessori, and Multiple Intelligences. Our curriculum page reinforces that blend and emphasizes individualized assessment and a whole-child approach (academic, social, emotional).

3) Support that is part of the system

On our franchising page, we share about our curriculum support and business and marketing support, plus training as part of the path to ownership. For couples exploring a second career, that matters. You want ownership, but you don’t want to reinvent everything from scratch.

Why the half-day model is a real “fit” filter

The half-day structure is intentionally crafted around young children’s developmental needs and the idea that children do best with focused learning plus time for rest, play, and reflection.

From a child-development standpoint, organizations like the American Academy of Pediatrics have long emphasized that play supports healthy development. And NAEYC’s accreditation standards for early learning programs describe daily schedules that include rest, active play, and planned learning experiences.

For franchise candidates, the takeaway is simple: half-day is not “less school.” It’s a design choice that attracts families who value balance and intention.

FAQs from Our Franchisees

Do we need one partner to be an educator?

No. Many strong ownership teams pair operational leadership with someone who is education-adjacent or community-centered. Sara’s background, for example, is in healthcare and service, not a traditional early-childhood-only path. That said, we see success with couples who do have that mix, as well.

What exactly is the “Ivybrook approach”?

Ivybrook describes a blend of Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Multiple Intelligences, supported by individualized assessment and a whole-child focus.

What does “support” mean in practical terms?

We walk alongside of our owners from the beginning of the journey when you’re just asking questions about what’s next all the way through your opening of a campus and throughout the life of your business ownership.

How do we know if our region is a fit?

Ivybrook maintains an available territories page and frames expansion around finding the right people for new markets.

A couple’s reflection prompt (for second-career / empty nester prospects)

Before you ask “could we do this,” ask:

• What kind of work do we want to be proud of 10 years from now?
• Which one of us naturally owns operations, and which one naturally owns relationships?
• Are we excited by a model built around family rhythms and child-centered learning?

If those answers feel aligned, that’s usually when the “next step” feels less like a sales funnel and more like a conversation.

If you want to learn more, we would love to talk with you.