water survival skills

Dmitriy Minaker and Svetlana Minakoff Recognized for Outstanding Leadership, Business Success, and Meaningful Community Contributions

NEW YORK — British Swim School of Manhattan, a leading “learn to swim” provider, is named by Franchise Business Review as a 2025 Franchise Rock Star Award winner. Husband-and-wife franchise owners Dmitriy Minaker and Svetlana Minakoff are being recognized by Franchise Business Review, a leading market research firm serving the franchise sector, for exemplifying outstanding leadership within their communities and franchise system, serving as exceptional brand ambassadors, and inspiring others as mentors.

“We’re honored and grateful to be named Franchise Rock Star Award winners — an incredible recognition of our passion for making an impact in our community every day,” said Dmitriy Minaker, co-owner of British Swim School of Manhattan. “With summer in full swing and recent heat waves driving more families to the pool, it’s more important than ever to prioritize water safety. Drowning remains the leading cause of accidental death for children ages 1 to 4, underscoring the urgent need to raise awareness and protect young lives around water.”

Dmitriy and Svetlana have been making a splash in their community for four years, but their journey with British Swim School began even earlier as customers. Inspired by the program’s mission and business model, they became franchisees, turning their personal experience into a passionate commitment to water safety. Led by a team of skilled aquatics professionals, British Swim School of Manhattan delivers a results-driven curriculum that equips students of all ages and abilities with essential water skills.

“Running British Swim School with my husband isn’t just a business decision — it’s a shared passion and a deeply personal journey for both of us. Before starting the business, we were already involved in the world of swimming through our two children, who swim competitively. Our oldest is ranked among the top 100 swimmers nationwide. As a family-run operation, we’re committed to offering the highest quality swim instruction in New York City. Our incredible team of staff and instructors, who go above and beyond every day, are a big part of what makes that possible,” said Svetlana Minakoff, co-owner of British Swim School of Manhattan.

Earlier this year, Dmitriy and Svetlana were honored by Mayor Eric Adams and the City of New York with a Certificate of Recognition for their vital contributions to water survival education and public safety. British Swim School of Manhattan was the only swim school among 27 in New York City to receive this honor, highlighting the team’s exceptional dedication to setting the gold standard in the community. The swim school was also named one of the Top 10 Baby Swimming Schools in New York City by Trusted Analytical.

“We’re fortunate to have franchisees like Dmitriy and Svetlana, whose values and vision align so seamlessly with those of British Swim School,” said Ashley Gundlach, President of British Swim School. “They truly embody franchise excellence — from creating a positive, high-performing culture to driving continuous improvement and innovation. Their leadership has helped British Swim School of Manhattan remain at the forefront of both customer experience and operational performance.”

For more than 40 years, British Swim School has been committed to drowning prevention. Most recently, it became the first full swim school franchise to partner with Stop Drowning Now, a nonprofit dedicated to saving lives through water safety education.

For more information on British Swim School’s programs, including its latest summer sessions, and to book a lesson, visit BritishSwimSchool.com/Manhattan or call (212) 466-6622. Follow British Swim School on Facebook and Instagram.

PITTSBURGH — British Swim School, North America’s leading “learn to swim” provider, announced the opening of its newest location in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Located at 2344 Wildwood Road in Gibsonia, British Swim School Pittsburgh invites families and community members to join its grand opening celebration on Sunday, June 22 from 1-4 p.m. The event will feature a raffle for a free month of swim lessons, food trucks, face painting, a fire truck visit, staff lifeguards available to oversee open swim time in the pool, facility tours and a special ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the occasion.

British Swim School Pittsburgh is proudly owned and operated by Becky Grindle, Ryan Grindle and Traci Brown. Recognizing the need for greater access to swim lessons across all age groups, they are opening their newest British Swim School just as summer reaches its peak – a time when families and individuals visit lakes and pools to cool off. This marks the eighth location for the family- and women-led group, continuing their mission to promote water safety in the community.

“We are thrilled to be celebrating the grand opening of our newest British Swim School in Pittsburgh,” said Becky Grindle, franchise president of British Swim School Pittsburgh. “When we opened our first location in 2013, there were zero swim schools in the area, which made it clear how vital water safety education was for the community. Drowning can happen in less than 60 seconds if left unnoticed, and even the most experienced swimmers can face unexpected dangers in the water. That’s why our commitment through British Swim School goes beyond just teaching swim strokes. We strive to build water safety awareness for individuals of all ages.”

For more than 40 years, British Swim School has been committed to drowning prevention. Most recently, it became the first full swim school franchise to partner with Stop Drowning Now, a nonprofit dedicated to saving lives through water safety education.

The new British Swim School Pittsburgh location is open and operating Tuesdays from 4-8 p.m., Fridays from 4-7 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 a.m. -12 p.m., with expanded programming coming soon! For more information on British Swim School’s programs and to book a lesson, visit BritishSwimSchool.com/Pittsburgh or call (724) 241-8602. Follow British Swim School on Facebook and Instagram.

Nation’s Most Established Swim School Franchise Strengthens its Water Safety Programs Just in Time for Summer

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — British Swim School, North America’s leading “learn to swim” provider, is proud to announce its official partnership with Stop Drowning Now (SDN). The collaboration marks a significant milestone, as British Swim School becomes the first full swim school franchise to align with SDN’s mission. This is the latest commitment made by British Swim School to help students of all age groups build confidence to face challenges in and out of the water, positioning individual franchise locations and their instructors as trusted go-to providers for effective survival and swimming skills.

“The demand for swim lessons and water safety education is growing, making this the perfect time to expand our efforts,” said Ashley Gundlach, President of British Swim School. “As the first swim school franchise partner of Stop Drowning Now, we are proud to lead the industry in drowning prevention. This partnership is also an important step forward in equipping individual British Swim School franchise locations with the knowledge and tools to help others become lifelong swimmers.”

Stop Drowning Now is a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through drowning prevention education. By providing water safety resources to schools, municipalities, and aquatic professionals, SDN is making an impact on the lives of many across the country.

“We are thrilled that British Swim School has become the first large swim school organization to join forces with Stop Drowning Now in our mission to save lives,” said Bobby Hazen, Director, Stop Drowning Now. “Together, we will bring water safety education and swimming lessons to communities, helping to prevent future tragedies.”

British Swim School and Stop Drowning Now are launching joint awareness campaigns, workshops, and community engagement initiatives, supplying franchisees with valuable resources and opportunities to support the organizations’ efforts of making water safety education more accessible to families across North America.

To learn more about British Swim School and its franchising opportunities, visit https://britishswimschoolfranchise.com/. To learn more about Stop Drowning Now, visit https://www.stopdrowningnow.org/.

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — British Swim School, North America’s leading “learn to swim” provider, announces with deep sadness the passing of its founder, Rita Goldberg, on Tuesday, January 7, 2025. A trailblazer in water safety and swim lessons, Goldberg’s passion and vision revolutionized how swimming lessons are taught, emphasizing survival-based techniques.

Rita Goldberg founded British Swim School in 1981 in Manchester, England. Channeling her drive, resilience and charm she was determined to conquer all the naysayers and local bureaucracy of the time to build a pool in the basement of her Victorian house, creating the country’s first indoor children’s swim school.

In the following years, she dedicated countless hours refining the gentle and highly effective teaching methods that remain a hallmark of British Swim School today. These methods, developed with care and precision, have stood the test of time, remaining the backbone of the British Swim School teaching methodology over the last 40 years.

In 1991, she brought British Swim School to North America, where it grew into a successful franchise system with lessons offered in rented pools through partnerships with fitness centres and hotels.

A former national swimmer, Rita’s tenacity earned her the nickname “British Bulldog “in her adopted home of the US. In 2019, British Swim School was acquired by Buzz Franchise Brands as part of her intention to ensure the school could reach even more children. Despite stepping back, her influence and teaching methods remain at the heart of the program.

“This is incredibly sad news for everyone in the British Swim School family,” Ashley Gundlach, President of British Swim School. “Rita’s passion and energy for our mission to teach survival-first swimming skills continues to inspire our instructors, franchisees, and families across the British Swim School community. Her legacy will live on.”

The British Swim School family mourns the loss of an extraordinary leader, mentor, and water safety advocate.

Founder Rita Goldberg steps out of CEO role as new partnership is announced to drive brand’s future growth

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Rita Goldberg, founder and CEO of professional swim lesson franchise British Swim School announced that she has sold the business she started over 35 years ago. Multi-brand franchise company Buzz Franchise Brands out of Virginia Beach, VA will become the largest stakeholder in the new partnership.

Goldberg started British Swim School in the basement of her Manchester home in 1981. Ten years later she brought the business to the U.S. and in 2011 she began franchising the business. Since then the brand has grown to nearly 200 schools in 21 states and an international presence in Canada and Turkey.

“I’ve been in this business almost 40 years now, and I could not be prouder of what we have accomplished in the past eight years growing this into a business that provides almost 17,000 swim lessons for children each week. Through this work we are teaching vital water survival skills and combatting the many lives lost to drowning. For this to continue, and for British Swim School to leverage its growth opportunities, it was time to bring in some partners to support that growth,” says Rita.

One of those partners is long-time franchising professional Greg Longe, who will take the reigns as CEO of British Swim School. Most recently Longe was Chief Operating Officer for The Huntington Company, a multi-brand franchisor concept primarily focused on dry cleaning and textile restoration, with brands such as Martinizing and Certified Restoration Drycleaning Network (CRDN). Previously he served as President of Roosters men’s grooming centers and Service Brands International, as well as founding various business concepts.

“I have worn a lot of hats in the franchising industry, and I am thrilled to leverage that experience to lead this reputable brand’s growth in the years to come. The mission of British Swim School is powerful, to save children’s lives by teaching water survival skills, and I am proud to be a part of that,” says Longe.

This is the first franchise acquisition for multi-brand franchisor Buzz Franchise Brands, led by CEO Kevin Wilson. Buzz Franchise Brands is parent company to pool cleaning and maintenance franchise Pool Scouts, currently operating in nine states, and residential cleaning brand Home Clean Heroes, which began franchising late last year. The company’s first brand was Mosquito Joe, which was sold to Neighborly out of Waco, Texas in August 2018.

“Our passion and expertise is in building young franchise brands, and we are thrilled to bring British Swim School into the Buzz Franchise Brands family,” says Wilson. “Historically we have built brands from the ground up, but Rita and her team have already built a strong base of operations with British Swim School. We are excited to support the continued growth for the brand.”

For more information on British Swim School visit https://britishswimschool.com, and for more on Buzz Franchise Brands visit https://buzzfranchisebrands.com.