Sharon Duke Estroff embodies the entrepreneurial spirit. First, the former teacher leveraged her background in education to build Challenge Island, a popular children’s program. She then cultivated her business into a thriving multi-state franchise. Now, Estroff is poised to make Challenge Island a household name; the published author has announced signing a three-book contract to create the Challenge Island book series. By Rochelle Miller
There’s never been a school bus like this one, and the name says it all! FUN BUS is a full-sized school bus loaded with gymnastics equipment to provide structured fitness fun for children ages 18 months to 7 years. By Rose Mango
With school schedules and formats in flux, there has been an increased interest in tutoring services due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to meet the increased demand, Huntington Learning Center has expanded its hours of operation and offerings to support students and families across the country. By Anne Huntington
With all of the recent work and school closures across our nation, many parents with children at home may want to consider transitioning to a home-based business of their very own. Investing in a Snapology franchise is a solution that not only offers benefits like low overhead and high-profit margins but also complete flexibility with the business owner’s time and work schedule. By Cindy Charette
With the pandemic still raging, the excitement of starting a new school year has been replaced with anxiety and uncertainty for students, parents and educators. Some schools have remained closed with students participating in remote learning while some others are attempting a hybrid approach with a combination of remote learning and in-person classes. By Rochelle Miller
As we transition from summer to fall and back to school, we know that there are a lot of unknowns about the future… But what we know is that our children, education and even the concept of continuous learning are the bright part of our tomorrows. By Dawn Abbamondi
While the spread of the Coronavirus necessitated the cancellation of classes across the country, in the spirit of a flexible palm tree, Estroff, the founder of Challenge Island, quickly developed a solution to bring her innovative programs to students. By Rochelle Miller
One-to-one Tutoring Program offers E-Learning Capabilities as Families Prepare for Coronavirus
TORONTO — As countries are working to contain the coronavirus and prevent its spread, concerns have quickly been turning to the health and safety of students in classrooms across the nation. Medical experts have begun to coalesce around the importance of “social distancing” but what does this mean for the students across our country? One global provider of online tutoring, Tutor Doctor, has begun to get a glimpse of where the coronavirus may be heading as it relates to education.
“We’ve already begun to see our online tutors and platform being used by students and families due to travel quarantines” said Frank Milner, President of Tutor Doctor. “Fortunately, our online platform is simple for tutors and students of any age to use.”
The company is already seeing a 120 percent increase in demand for online tutoring since news of the outbreak emerged.
“This is just the beginning and we can handle much higher demand spikes than this,” Milner stated. “But we’re not taking anything for granted. We are already in communication with our 94,000 tutors to ensure they’re well-prepared for what’s to come.”
Schools in China, the Middle East and Europe have or are beginning to consider suspending class. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging Americans to prepare for potential school closure due to the threat of outbreak in the United States. While this may be a direction taken to keep children healthy, it also interrupts children’s studies, social interaction, and academic progress which leaves families seeking alternatives.
Families are looking for more than just an online resource, but a true academic experience best fitting their children. Even in the online space, a tutor must know how to connect with their student, tailoring their program while continuously providing guidance and valuable learning skills.
Another valuable feature in online learning is the ability to record every session, so the student can review it later. This helps students retain information and refresh their memory before an important exam or assignment. Tutor Doctor’s education team found this feature especially valuable to students who may have their class schedule fragmented or interrupted for unforeseen circumstances, as it allows them to jump back in where they left off.
For more information about Tutor Doctor’s online tutoring program, visit https://www.tutordoctor.com/our-programs/online-tutoring/.
About Tutor Doctor
With more than 600 territories in 15 countries, Tutor Doctor was named the No. 1 In-Home Tutoring Franchise by Entrepreneur.com in 2016. Founded as an alternative to the “one-to-many” teaching model most extra-curricular learning centers offer, Tutor Doctor provides a personalized one-to-one, in-home tutoring service to students of all ages. Now with offices internationally, the Tutor Doctor vision is becoming a reality, positively impacting students and their families worldwide. With the belief that all students can achieve academic success through two components – academic foundation building and academic discipline – Tutor Doctor will continue to lead the private tutoring industry. For more information on Tutor Doctor, please visit www.tutordoctor.com. To find out about franchise opportunities, please visit, www.tutordoctoropportunity.com.
Abhay Shinde, Tanmay Dharmadhikari and Sagar Laghate Will Open Pools in East Cobb and Roswell.
ATLANTA — Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim school franchises, is partnering with Abhay Shinde, Tanmay Dharmadhikari, and Sagar Laghate to bring two pools to North Atlanta over the next two years. The trio signed on to be Big Blue franchise partners because they were drawn to the high-quality investment opportunity and best-in-class consumer offerings.
“Abhay, Tanmay, and Sagar make a powerhouse team as franchise partners and we are excited about the expansion they will bring to Atlanta,” said Scott Thompson, Big Blue’s Chief Development Officer. “Sagar, Abhay, and Tanmay have always wanted to own a business together in the child enrichment space, and we know they will live the Big Blue mission and create inspiring moments for kids and families throughout the greater Atlanta area.”
This is the first franchise partnership for the trio and they look forward to the services and expertise provided by Big Blue’s leadership team, including full support in site location, lease negotiation, construction, and facilities management.
“As part of the Big Blue Swim School family, we will help the youth and families in our community with this vital life skill,” said Dharmadhikari. “Big Blue teaches children how to be safe around the water and grow in confidence as they learn to swim. Most importantly, they have fun while learning. We are proud to have the opportunity to deliver Big Blue’s mission to the families in Atlanta.”
Atlanta is the home to Level 5 Capital Partners, who invested in Big Blue Swim School in 2017 to grow the company through franchising. Big Blue Swim School will open its first pool in Atlanta this spring in Johns Creek.
Since launching in 2009, Big Blue has approached swim instruction holistically, imparting confidence and self-esteem in students while providing parents with feedback on their child’s progress. Started by five-time National Champion swimmer Chris DeJong, Big Blue Swim School is emerging as one of the dominant players in the $3 billion swim school industry. The brand’s semi-absentee business model supports franchise partners with proprietary enterprise technology, a recession-resistant business model, and strong unit economics. With 66 franchises locations sold in 14 states, Big Blue is positioned to be the market leader in an underserved and fragmented industry valued at $3B annually.
ABOUT BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL
Big Blue Swim School was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong. The first location opened in Wilmette, Illinois, followed by four additional Chicagoland schools. In 2017, Level 5 Capital Partners acquired a stake in the brand. Through that investment, Big Blue plans to grow through franchising to 150 pools by 2021. Big Blue Swim School’s real estate expertise, strong brand, proprietary technology, and leadership support, coupled with its best-in-class consumer offerings, position its franchise partners for long-term success. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com.
With best-in-class consumer offerings, strong leadership support, and a recession-resistant business model, Big Blue has grown to five corporate-owned pools and 66 sold franchise units across 14 states.
CHICAGO — Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim school franchises, is wrapping up its first year of franchise sales with 66 units sold. Big Blue Swim School has received recognition as a Top 100 Game Changer according to Franchise Dictionary Magazine, expanded its leadership team and further developed its stellar local marketing support. Fueled by its incredible momentum in 2019, the brand is well on its way to signing 150 pools by 2021 and becoming the dominant swim lesson brand in America.
Since last year, Chicago-based Big Blue has staked its claim within the lucrative $3 billion swim school industry, establishing an ever-growing footprint with signed franchise agreements in strategic markets including Chicago, Salt Lake City, Minneapolis, Raleigh, and Austin, as well as in the states of New Jersey, Florida, Washington, Virginia, Maryland, and South Carolina. The brand has also signed leases in Colorado, Virginia, and Maryland, and is nearing an Atlanta area opening this spring.
“As an emerging franchise brand, we accomplished the 50-units sold mark in less than a year,” said founder and U.S. competitive swimmer Chris DeJong. “Because of our strong leadership team, proprietary enterprise technology and consumer focused differentiators in the space, we know that our 2021 goal of 150 locations is completely achievable. Every Dive-in Day brings in five to ten buying groups, and they’re typically purchasing multiple units, so we’re feeling confident about reaching our growth goals.”
In March of 2019, Big Blue opened a new pool in the North Center neighborhood of Chicago, marking the company’s best opening and strongest first month sales. The company attributes that success to its New Pool Opening process. This proven weekly process includes a robust marketing plan ensuring that each location will operate on day one like it is year five.
Last year also saw an expansion of Big Blue’s leadership team with the hiring of former PepsiCo exec Brooke Mallick and franchise industry veteran Justin Waltz to lead marketing and operations, respectively.
“Brooke and Justin have hit the ground running, focusing on developing strong marketing and operations programs for our franchise partners as we grow the brand,” said CEO Chris Kenny. “The goal of every person on our corporate team is to provide hands-on support to our franchise partners to get them to profitability more quickly so they can open more locations to provide families across the country with a valuable life skill.”
In addition, the brand has built an impressive board of directors, including franchise industry veterans like 2020 International Franchise Association Chairperson and FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson, who are helping position the brand for explosive success with strategic guidance and operational expertise.
Big Blue’s white-hot franchise growth can be attributed to semi-absentee franchise partners looking to maximize their time and their capital. Among other consumer-facing features, the company’s cloud-based enterprise system, LessonBuddy™ is designed so franchise partners can operate successful pools without needing a daily presence.
Plus, Big Blue leverages its team of real estate professionals to assist in site selection, construction, and facilities management . The team uses market knowledge and data-driven real estate assessment methodology to identify prime locations in trade areas across the country that are in a parent’s path of least resistance. Each location is analyzed to fit the brand’s member profile. This allows franchise partners to scale quickly across multiple units and, ultimately, contribute to Big Blue’s rapid franchise growth.
“We have always known that Big Blue is a special opportunity thanks to our mission-driven business focused on creating big, life-changing moments for kids and our strong support infrastructure for franchise partners. After our successful 2019, we are proud to be recognized for our achievements,” said DeJong. “We are uniquely positioned to go from game changer to industry leader.”
By combining a data-driven business model, growth-oriented franchise partners, and the insight of an expert leadership team, Big Blue is ready to make an even bigger splash in 2020.
Multi-unit opportunities are available for qualified candidates looking for their next big opportunity, and veterans can receive a 10 percent discount on the $75,000 franchise fee. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a new Big Blue Swim School is $1,825,500 to $3,687,000 (refer to item 7 in FDD). To learn more or inquire about Big Blue Swim School, visit https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/.
ABOUT BIG BLUE SWIM SCHOOL
Big Blue Swim School was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong. The first location opened in Wilmette, Illinois, followed by four additional Chicagoland schools. In 2017, Level 5 Capital Partners acquired a stake in the brand. Through that investment, Big Blue plans to grow through franchising to 150 pools by 2021. Big Blue Swim School’s real estate expertise, strong brand, proprietary technology, and leadership support, coupled with its best-in-class consumer offerings, position its franchise partners for long-term success. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com.