1851

Four years ago, human resources executive Amy Reid switched gears in her career and began her &ldquo;second act&rdquo; as an entrepreneur. In her neighborhood of West Boylston, Massachusetts, she opened up a local The Little Gym location, a renowned children&rsquo;s enrichment and development franchise that offers movement-based learning and imaginative play experiences. Having never run a business of her own before, she knew she needed to rely on expert sources to help guide the way, while also building a village to support her new journey. In the short time since launching the business, Reid has achieved an incredible feat - holding the highest enrollment numbers across the network of over 400 The Little Gym locations worldwide. Since she is clearly an expert in this regard, Reid shared five brand-building relationships that are instrumental in launching a successful local business.

<ol>
	<li>Get Financial Leadership: Recognize your skills and know when you need to bring in outside help. When you are opening a business, there are so many things you need to accomplish, so it&#39;s essential to have a trusted partner to make daunting processes like financing more approachable. The Little Gym introduces its franchisees to BoeFly, a financial partner for business borrowers and lenders. BoeFly made it easy and simple for Reid to prepare bank documents and connected her to the right lenders to secure an SBA Start Up Loan.</li>
	<li>Develop Community Partnerships: Neighborhood involvement plays a huge part of a franchisee&#39;s success. Partnering with local organizations and non-profits can help the business grow and demonstrate the company&#39;s value&#39;s in giving back to the community. The Little Gym of West Boylston sponsors local science center programs that promote environmental friendliness, offers raffle prizes to the nursery, public and private schools that its members belong to and partners with a local agency to help families with foster children experience The Little Gym where they may otherwise have not had the opportunity.</li>
	<li>Invest in Your Team: Finding the right team to represent your business is just the start. Business owners must regularly invest in training, developing and supporting employee&#39;s professional growth. Create a team atmosphere where individuals feel bonded, happy and proud of what they do. While many businesses keep an eye on the happiness of their clients, keeping a pulse on the internal culture can lead to long term retention. Reid hosts morale-boosting events such as trips to the theater and ice cream parties that celebrate and reward team members for their hard work, commitment and contributions to the growth of the business. Some of the junior staff at Reid&#39;s gym location aspire to be teachers and see the training they get from a top brand like The Little Gym as a valuable experience they will hopefully take with them the rest of their lives.</li>
	<li>Have a Council of Advisors: One of the simplest places to find mentors or advisors can be within the franchisor. They can provide a wide range of support including consultants to help strategize growth, develop marketing, and provide tools to better analyze your business. Reid looks to her franchisor, The Little Gym International, for support in these areas as well as to provide the cutting edge curriculum which is then implemented in her gym. The premium curriculum is developed on the corporate level and she relies on this ingenuity to make sure her business evolves with the ever changing children&#39;s enrichment and development trends.</li>
	<li>Fortify Relationships with your Clients: The Little Gym&#39;s success can also be attributed to its strong retention which stems from quality relationships with its members. Families who joined Reid&#39;s gym when it first opened are still here to this day. Reid and her team make a commitment to be a partner to the members and help them achieve goals they have at any stage in a child&#39;s development - be it improved social and physical skills or confidence. The Little Gym&#39;s progressive program, coupled with genuinely knowing the families, allows them to grow with their members year after year.</li>
</ol>

These are a few strategies to follow when launching a brand or business. Overall, creating and maintaining relationships with all stakeholders (financial, community, internal, etc.) is key to building the foundation for a successful business.

5 Essential Relationships to Building a Successful Local Franchise 

1851 Franchise

The Little Gym Owner in West Boylston, Massachusetts Achieves the Highest Enrollment within the Global Children’s Enrichment Franchise and Shares Tips on Laying a Strong Foundation for Growth

This brand page has been paid for by 1851. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

5-essential-relationships-to-building-a-successful-local-franchise

Comfort Keepers

How This Comfort Keepers® Franchisee Grew From One Acquisition to a Powerhouse

how-this-comfort-keepers-franchisee-grew-from-one-acquisition-to-a-powerhouse

Caring Transitions

What Makes Caring Transitions the Premier Franchise Choice for Senior Move Management

what-makes-caring-transitions-the-premier-franchise-choice-for-senior-move-management

Jollibee

Photo of Jollibee mascot and two smiling people in Jollibee pajamas

How Jollibee’s Culture Fuels a Global Brand People Love

franchise-culture-brand-success

petbar

petbar franchise logo tenth 10th anniversary

10 Years Strong: How petbar Turned One Dallas Boutique Into a Fast-Growing National Franchise

petbar-10-years-strong-franchise-growth

Griswold

Beaumont Enterprise: Local Woman Brings Griswold Home Care Franchise to Greater Beaumont, Texas

griswold-home-care-greater-beaumont-opening

Buying a Franchise Masterclass

 Franchise Opportunities

Get Support Buying a Franchise

How to Buy a Franchise White Paper

How to Buy a Franchise

How to Sell Franchises

How to Grow a Franchise

Find a Franchise Supplier

1851 Franchise Opportunities

Franchisor News

Franchisor Power Rankings

FranCamp Mastermind Summit

Franchise Development Website Builder

Franchise Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

1851 Login

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

How AI Is Transforming Restaurant Operations and Franchises

ai-impact-restaurants-franchises-human-centric-technology

Round Table Pizza Franchisees Take FAT Brands to Court Over Marketing Fund Mismanagement

round-table-pizza-franchisees-take-fat-brands-to-court-over-marketing-fund-mismanagement

FAT Brands Nears Bankruptcy as Creditors Demand Repayment of $1.3 Billion Debt

fat-brands-nears-bankruptcy-as-creditors-demand-repayment-of-13-billion-debt

Callaway Sells Majority Stake in Topgolf to Private Equity for $770 Million

callaway-sells-majority-stake-in-topgolf-to-private-equity-for-770-million

Keith Sizemore headshot, Radiance Holdings

Radiance Holdings Names Keith Sizemore Chief Development Officer

keith-sizemore-radiance-holdings-cdo

AI-related job cuts, October U.S. job cuts, American job cut record

AI-Fueled Layoffs Reshape the U.S. Job Market — And Highlight Franchising’s Resilience

ai-job-cuts-franchising-path-forward

Senior Entrepreneurship - Franchising - 1851 Franchise

Senior Entrepreneurship Is Rising — And Franchising Is a Key Outlet

senior-entrepreneurship-franchising-silver-startups

A Practical Playbook: Who To Call First When Franchising Your Business

franchising-your-business-who-to-call-first

Photo of group of dogs standing together in day care facility

Top Pet Boarding and Day Care Franchise Opportunities for 2025

top-pet-boarding-daycare-franchises

image of jerome hanway from right at home Las Cruces, New Mexico 1851 franchise franchisee spotlight

Jerome Hanway Is Building His Right at Home Franchise Around His Mission To Serve

5 Essential Relationships to Building a Successful Local Franchise

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS