Running a kids franchise

WC Fields famously advised that one should never work with children or animals. There are, however, many people running franchises that involve children’s activity and finding a profitable and rewarding pursuit in kid’s play.

Operating a children’s franchise can be a very different business experience to working in other sectors – involving more policies and procedures, a CRB check, for instance – while the hands-on aspects often require a great deal of energy and enthusiasm. The positives far outweigh the added efforts – the experience of watching a child learn or enjoy themselves, for example, plus a guarantee of the captive market out there and the flexible, family-friendly hours that tend to come with this type of franchise. Here, three franchisees explain why the kids are alright.

A-Star Sports

Vikki Mann runs A-Star Sports in Cheltenham and Cotswolds with her husband, Richard (pictured with A-Star Sports ambassador Alex Harrison). Having struggled to find quality multi-sports coaching for their daughter, the couple decided to do something about it by investing in an A-Star Sports franchise.

Why did you choose A-Star Sports?

We were impressed with the professionalism, support and training offered by the franchisors. Every time we have a question or concern, we know that we will be reassured by talking this through. They are very open and honest and we can rely on them for practical information or support and we are able to use their experience, which proves extremely helpful.

Can you describe a typical day?

As we are new to the business, we are non-stop thinking, talking and doing A-Star Sports. Richard prepares for and runs classes each day, while Vikki is busy working out the marketing strategies and getting the accounts organised. Currently, there are several classes run each day in different locations, which require a fair bit of driving as well as packing and unpacking the equipment.

What appealed to you about working with children?

Between us, both personally and professionally, we have a great deal of experience of caring for and working with children. Children can of course be challenging to work with, but they are also incredible fun and it is extremely rewarding when you see their progress and development. Richard’s passion is and always has been sport, so he is delighted to be able to provide opportunities for children to be active and have fun through sport just as he did as a child. It is, of course, incredibly important for children to lead active lives and hopefully this will go some way to helping children have a healthy start and lust for life.

What are your goals for the future?

Once we are well established in our area, our aim is to increase the number of classes we offer by employing coaches to run classes on our behalf. Ideally, at this point, we will also look at expanding into new territories offered by A-Star Sports.

What advice can you offer for anyone considering franchising in this sector?

This is a growing sector and is certainly a worthwhile one to be in. If you choose the right franchise, you can start running your business relatively quickly, with confidence that the appropriate policies and procedures are in place, giving you peace of mind.

Computer Xplorers

lan Harrison is a ComputerXplorers franchisee located in West Surrey. The franchise offers weekly classes in information and computer technology to children, from three years of age to young teenagers, in a variety of settings including nursery schools, playgroups, after-school clubs and holiday clubs.

Why did you choose ComputerXplorers?

I chose ComputerXplorers because the model suited my approach to business. I believe that the use of, and interest in, computers in schools will continue for the foreseeable future and, with a constant stream of children passing through those schools, my potential market is continually refreshing itself. I was also convinced that the ComputerXplorers package was comprehensive enough to allow me to start the business from scratch.

What appealed to you about working with children?

I like children’s curiosity and natural desire to learn, especially at primary school level. Also, parents are generally keen to give their children every opportunity to find things that they like doing. These factors combined make for positive working relationships.

Can you describe a typical day?

The cliché would be to say that there is no such thing as a typical day; however I will say that I regularly find myself changing roles during any day. I may, in turn, be an IT technician as I work on loading software, a salesperson as I meet with a school to sell ComputerXplorers to them, a presenter as I speak to a group of children in an assembly, and a teacher as I teach a lesson.

What are your goals for the future?

I hope to continue to build the business and hit the targets that I have set for myself. I enjoy the challenges that the business, and growing it, present and look forward to overcoming them.

What advice can you offer for anyone considering franchising in this sector?

Understand that delivery of the service is absolutely paramount. Parents have entrusted you with their children and have bought into what you claim to provide. Maintaining a positive relationship with the parents and schools is essential to the success of this type of franchise.

Jabberjacks

Karen Price is the Jabberjacks franchisee for South Derbyshire. She opened the business in January 2013 and has never looked back.

What appealed to you about working with children?

I wanted a franchise that would fit around family life, yet earn a decent income with growth potential. I was also looking for something where I could use my educational skills and work with children, so when I came across Jabberjacks, offering pre-school activity classes and children’s parties for two to seven year olds, I was thrilled. The format and activities have been well developed over 11 years and they offer such a unique service, that I was confident it would be well received in my area.

Why did you decide to invest in a franchise?

Before joining Jabberjacks, I worked as a teacher in a local primary school. As my oldest daughter started school and my youngest approached nursery, I started reflecting on my career, particularly as my workload was not sitting well with family life. I needed a job that gave me flexibility and did consider setting up my own business, but I was worried about the risks and how quickly I could earn an income. A friend recommended franchising, which gives you a tried-and-tested formula, yet it’s still your own business and no previous experience is necessary, so it was the perfect solution.

Can you describe a typical day?

It takes organisation and some days can be a struggle, but being there for my children’s activities and school pick-ups makes it all worthwhile. I make sure I work when the children are at nursery and school and then catch up with paperwork when they are in bed. It’s important to have buy-in from all the family and, needless to say, they love that I am the ‘Jabberjacks’ lady!

What have been the biggest highs for you?

Getting my Jabberjacks accreditation was a great day as it meant I had successfully completed the training and was officially up and running. The training and support I received, not only in delivering the parties and classes, but also setting up my business and getting bookings, had me delivering my own party within three months. I got such a buzz from doing my first solo party and knowing that I had provided the birthday child with a great party.

What kind of challenges have you faced?

Being self-employed and working from home requires discipline and lots of self-motivation. At the end of the day, it is your business and you have to be determined to succeed even if it means going out of your comfort zone. That said, having the support of head office at training, team events, one-to-one reviews and over the phone has been great.

What advice would you give to anyone considering franchising in this sector?

I would strongly recommend attending a discovery day. Seeing a class in action was a brilliant way to be introduced to the business concept, and meeting a franchisee was especially helpful in understanding how it could work alongside family commitments. There is also lots of useful information and the chance to talk through the set up process as well as the day-to-day running of the franchise.

Seriously FUN Swimming Schools

Mother-of-two Claire White is the Seriously FUN Swimming Schools franchisee for Kent, Surrey and West Sussex. She has previously worked as a secondary school PE teacher and, becoming disillusioned with the swimming classes on offer for her children, Claire decided to invest in a Seriously FUN Swimming Schools franchise.

Why did you choose Seriously FUN Swimming Schools?

Swimming has always been a part of my life, from learning to swim to joining the local swimming club and representing them in galas, and I knew when I had children they were always going to learn to swim. When my son, Freddie, had finished with his swimming school aged four, there was nowhere for him to go other than the local leisure centres – what really attracted me to being part of Seriously FUN Swimming Schools was the age range that we teach, from babies right up to 12 year olds. I also liked that it was a family-run business.

Why did you decide to invest in a franchise?

I felt like I needed a change of direction and started thinking about setting up my own swimming school. I contacted some private pools, but the enormity of the whole process began to hit me. I didn’t have the confidence or self-belief to go it alone, or the knowledge of how to run a really successful swimming school. The franchise training from Seriously FUN Swimming Schools was excellent, particularly the fantastic swimming teacher training. It was fun and helped build on my previous swimming teaching skills, giving me the confidence that I was lacking. I also received training for the office side of the business, using the booking software, etc. The admin training is ongoing, which is good as it’s totally new to me.

What kind of challenges have you faced so far?

We joined Seriously FUN in February last year and, after all the training and the marketing launch, officially started giving our first lessons in June. We’ve faced a few challenges, such as arranging childcare for my children but I’m really lucky to have my family living close by and they’re incredibly supportive.

What advice would you give to anyone considering franchising in this sector?

I would advise anyone looking at buying a children’s franchise to make sure you have the time and energy to commit and that you have a good support network around you. Be prepared to work hard; it’s not something to go into if you are not 100 per cent sure it is right for you.

What are your goals for the future?

My aim is to have a really successful swimming school and I would like to have pools that cover all the areas in my territory. In the future, I would like to be in a position to take on a neighbouring territory so that I can expand into a new area. 

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