Sales and marketing executive Jo Kirchner was disappointed by the child care options she saw when she moved to Atlanta decades ago.

But when she parked in front of Primrose Country Day School just outside Marietta, she knew something was different.

The founders of Primrose had invited her to help with sales and marketing, and as she pulled up to the site off Ga. 120, she could tell — even before stepping inside — that the school had a unique environment.

By 1990, Kirchner had helped Primrose Schools grow into a franchise, and she eventually became CEO. Today, the Atlanta-based company has more than 530 franchised locations across the U.S. and is widely recognized as a leader in early childhood education.

Meanwhile, the country has faced a growing child care affordability crisis.

In

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