The International Franchise Association has named Jennifer Collins, owner of Kidcreate Studio in Houston's Greater Heights, a 2026 Franchisee of the Year. Collins will be formally honored at the IFA26 Advocacy Summit in Washington, D.C., held September 14 through 16, with a recognition luncheon set for September 15. The award, given to top franchisees nominated by their own brands, celebrates excellence in entrepreneurship, community outreach and workforce development across IFA's member companies.
Collins spent thirteen years in corporate loss prevention before a visit to her son's preschool redirected her career toward early childhood education. She went on to become a preschool director, and later partnered with her husband, Brian Collins, a former Air Force officer and Rice University EMBA graduate, to open their Kidcreate Studio location on West 34th Street. The couple's two sons, Preston and Mason, were the original inspiration for the business, which now serves families throughout the Heights, Oak Forest, Garden Oaks and surrounding neighborhoods.
The studio's offerings extend well beyond weekly art classes. Homeschool sessions, seasonal camps, single-visit workshops and birthday parties fill its calendar. At the same time, its Mobile Studio program brings hands-on art instruction directly to preschools, daycares, charter schools and community organizations that might not otherwise have access to dedicated art education. Collins described the recognition as secondary to the connection her studio builds locally, noting that the families she serves function less like customers and more like an extended community.
Beyond her own studio, Collins serves as president of Kidcreate Studio's Franchise Advisory Council, representing owners nationwide to the brand's leadership team. Announcements like this one are typically how franchise brands keep their networks connected to milestones happening in individual markets. Gorilla Dash offers a News, Articles and Blog Posts feature designed to help franchisors publish updates, highlight achievements, and keep franchise networks informed as their businesses grow.
IFA President and CEO Matt Haller said Franchisee of the Year honorees represent individuals who have committed their careers to building something larger than themselves, crediting Collins for exemplifying the entrepreneurial spirit at the center of franchising. Justin Nihiser, Managing Partner of Kidcreate Studio, added that Collins has raised the bar for her peers through her advisory council leadership while keeping her own community at the center of the work.
According to Oxford Economics data cited by the IFA, roughly 832,000 franchise establishments operate across the United States, generating nearly 8.8 million direct jobs and more than 907 billion dollars in economic output. Collins's recognition arrives as part of that broader system, one built on individual operators translating a shared brand into distinct, locally rooted businesses.
