1851

Big Blue Swim School founder, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/how-chris-dejong-turned-barely-losing-to-michael-phelps-into-a-multi-mill-ion-dollar-business-with-big-blue-swim-school-2710889">Chris DeJong</a>, is a five-time U.S. National Champion swimmer and a former American record holder. He was captain of the University of Michigan Men’s Swimming and Diving Team and alongside Michael Phelps for the four years leading up to the Beijing Olympics. He has an impressive swimming background, so it’s hard to believe his first swim lesson was anything less than amazing. In fact, for the 5-year-old DeJong, it was far from fun. He remembers clinging to the side of the pool, frightened for his life while his teeth chattered uncontrollably.&nbsp;When DeJong launched his <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">own swim school</a> in 2009, he was inspired by his experience as a child, and was determined to completely rewrite the script for learning to swim.&nbsp;He’s done that with <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool">Big Blue Swim School</a> and the concept he created is quickly becoming one of the nation’s fastest growing <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">swim school franchises</a>. In January of 2017, Big Blue’s innovative concept caught the eye of the multi-unit CorePower Yoga franchisee and private equity group <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/big-blue-swim-school-on-pace-to-hit-150-units-by-2021-thanks-to-backing-from-level-5-capital-partners-2710793">Level 5 Capital Partners</a>, who acquired a stake in the company to <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/level-5-capital-partners-approves-17-mill-ion-to-support-franchise-growth-of-big-blue-swim-school-2708715">support the brand’s growth through franchising</a> to 150 schools by 2021.&nbsp;Big Blue has already signed multi-unit deals in key growth markets including New Jersey, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/wayne-and-linda-van-der-poll-are-bringing-big-blue-swim-school-to-wake-county-nc-2711389">Raleigh</a>, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/business-observer-big-blue-swim-school-plans-major-florida-expansion-2709760">Florida</a>,<a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/big-blue-swim-school-dives-into-atlanta-market-with-inaugural-location-in-johns-creek-first-of-11-planned-locations-2710298"> </a>Georgia,<a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/big-blue-swim-school-targets-dallas-based-on-prime-real-estate-opportunities-hosting-qualified-candidates-ready-to-jump-into-a-solid-franchise-offering-2710015"> </a>Texas, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/big-blue-swim-school-celebrates-successful-start-to-2019-with-chicago-opening-and-agreements-for-24-locations-in-denver-salt-lake-city-chicago-and-minneapolis--2709990">Colorado, Utah, Minnesota, and</a> Illinois. With best-in-class consumer offerings, a proprietary technology, a strong real estate team, leadership support and a recession-resistant business model, the <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">swim school franchise</a> is uniquely positioned to become a strong segment leader.<h3>Best-in-Class Consumer Proposition</h3>Since day one, Big Blue has worked hard to be the very best at what they do. “One of the first things we did was commit to employing full-time, highly trained swim associates, which truly sets us apart from most kids concepts,” said DeJong.&nbsp;At Big Blue, children are taught by caring, highly-trained professionals who are more easily retained than a part time employee. The school’s turnover is very low which helps maintain consistency as a child builds trust with their instructor. “Our swim associates are passionate about what they do because it’s their career,” said DeJong.Other features differentiating the school include the facility design, which maximizes comfort for both children and parents. “With 90 degree, ultra-clean water we provide a very different experience from the neighborhood YMCA or community pool,” said DeJong. “Plus our comfortable viewing area manages for cleanliness and sound, our anti-bacterial, no-slip flooring makes our space safe for kids during transitions, and we create a comfortable and relaxing environment for parents.”&nbsp;But the feature parents like best is the technology they can use to conveniently schedule and reschedule lessons. “Big Blue’s proprietary technology, LessonBuddy,™ makes it easy for parents to fit swim lessons into their lives, not the other way around,” said DeJong. “Parents can schedule and reschedule classes at anytime, and multi-kid families can all swim during the same 30-45 minute window.”&nbsp;<h3>LessonBuddy™ Technology Optimizes Lesson Planning</h3>A great tool for parents, LessonBuddy is also a valuable enterprise system that is technologically superior to the competition. The cloud-based platform is designed so <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">fitness franchise</a> partners can operate successful pools without needing a daily presence. “Lesson Buddy <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/how-big-blue-swim-school-provides-a-simplistic-turn-key-franchise-opportunity-2709488#franchisor">presents franchisees with a turnkey approach to operations and revenue potential</a> by tapping into Big Blue’s data and analytics,” said Scott Tompson, Big Blue’s Chief Development Officer.&nbsp;Lesson Buddy allows <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">education franchise</a> partners to manage their business through dashboards and KPIs all the way down to the shift level. They can track costs and efficiencies so they have total transparency in terms of ROI and health of the business. “This technology is light years ahead of the competition and it’s been a major draw for our franchise partners,” said Thompson.&nbsp;<h3>Leveraging Data-Driven Real Estate Assessment for Growth</h3>While competitors in the <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">swim school</a> space typically connect new franchise owners to local real estate brokers, <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/why-real-estate-developers-are-looking-into-owning-big-blue-swim-schools-2710791#mostRecent">Big Blue has a full team</a> of real estate pros to assist in securing prime locations,&nbsp;negotiating lease agreements, and overseeing construction and facility management.&nbsp;“Big Blue has a tested, proactive, data-driven <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/real-estate-submission/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">real estate</a> strategy designed to place a location in the path of least resistance,” said DeJong. “This means we select locations that fall within our customer’s existing daily and weekly habits, rather than placing schools in locations that require parents to alter their current driving patterns.”Once a school location is secured and negotiated, Big Blue’s in-house construction management team oversees the build-out and has a perfect record of completing pools on time and within budget.&nbsp;<h3>Exceptional Leadership Expertise and Franchisee Support</h3>DeJong’s leadership team <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/how-big-blue-swim-schools-depth-of-leadership-positions-the-brand-for-success-2709666#franchisor">includes an impressive roster of industry experts, all committed to excellence</a>. The team includes Chris Kenny, CEO, Brooke Mallick, VP of Marketing, Justin Waltz, VP of Franchise Operations, Michael Chin, President of L-5 Real Estate Services and many more.“When a <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">children's franchise</a> partner signs with Big Blue, we don’t just give them a guide book and send them on their way,” said Thompson. “We tap into our collective experience to provide all the critical services a franchisee requires to open and operate a successful school. Doing this allows our <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">best fitness franchise</a> partners to focus entirely on creating a positive and memorable customer experience.”&nbsp;The <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/big-blue-swim-school-strengthens-leadership-team-with-new-vice-presidents-of-marketing-and-operations-2709641#stories">Big Blue team also leads an aggressive new pool opening program</a>, executed for the franchisee, that allows for a fast ramp-up. “We have an established and proven weekly process in place that ensures each location will operate on Day 1 like it is Year 5,” said DeJong.&nbsp;The program includes <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/how-big-blue-swim-school-s-pre-opening-marketing-strategy-led-to-the-most-successful-opening-in-brand-history-2709508#mainTrending">a robust pre-opening marketing strategy to generate brand buzz and pre-opening membership sales</a>. A corporate launch team continues to support franchisees for their first 12 months of business by implementing a strategic marketing plan that charts metrics so partners know where their customers are located, how they are learning about Big Blue, and what’s most likely to keep them engaged with the company.<h3>Strong, Semi-Absentee Investment Opportunity with Recession-Resistant Model</h3>The Big Blue investment opportunity and proven business model is ideal for <a href="https://1851franchise.com/bigblueswimschool/how-big-blue-swim-school-s-semi-absentee-investor-model-allows-franchise-partners-to-maximize-their-time-and-their-capital-2710471">multi-unit and semi-absentee franchise partners looking to maximize their time and their capital</a>. The company’s cloud-based platform is designed so <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">child education franchise</a> partners can operate successful pools without needing a daily presence. “This has been a lead selling point for all of our current multi-unit partners,” said Thompson. “They need to know a strong program is in place so they can operate multiple locations simultaneously, regardless of where they are located.”“Coupling our semi-absentee business model with the fact that the learn to swim space is recession-resistant, makes Big Blue a no-brainer for anyone looking to invest in a passion project,” said Thomposn. “Since swim schools provide a critical life skill, there will always be a need for quality swim lessons. Parents are willing to invest in their child’s safety and as a result, swim schools are now a $3B industry.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Most importantly, the swim school industry isn’t a fad and the Big Blue team is confident the concept is here to stay. “Swim lessons fill a vital need for safety and cannot be outsourced or automated,” said DeJong. “Our experiential services can’t be replaced by an online offering, therefore <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">swim lessons</a> are impervious to Amazon. In fact, the Amazon Effect actually means we have more prime real estate to choose from. Landlords love Big Blue’s experiential retail because we bring moms and families to the shopping centers and we typically operate during off-peak hours.”The gross revenue for a Big Blue location in operation for five years as of the end of the 2018 fiscal year, report EBITDA between 23% to 36%*, with an average EBITDA per location of nearly 30%, according to the brand’s 2019 FDD.Investors looking for their next big moment may want to dive in to learn more about this underserved market segment.&nbsp;Multi-unit <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/opportunity/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">franchise opportunities</a> are available for qualified candidates looking for their next big <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/opportunity/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">franchise opportunity</a>, and veterans can receive a 10 percent discount on the $75,000 franchise fee. The total investment for one Big Blue Swim School ranges from $1,825,500 to $3,687,000 (see item 7 in the FDD). To learn more or inquire about Big Blue Swim School <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">most profitable franchises</a>, visit <a href="https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category-2711856" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">https://www.bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/</a>*Figures reflect the actual annual gross revenue and annual EBITDA range for one affiliate-owned and operated BIG BLUE Swim School (operational for at least 5 full years as of December 31, 2017) during its 4th and 5th full 12 months of operation. These figures are published in Item 19 of our September 7, 2018, Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). Item 19 of our FDD includes actual average and median annual gross revenue, annual expense, annual EBITDA, and other annual financial performance information for 3 affiliate-owned and operated BIG BLUE Swim Schools (operational for at least 1 full year as of December 31, 2017) during their 1st full 12 months of operation, for 2 of those 3 Swim Schools during their 2nd and 3rd full 12 months of operation, and for 1 of those 3 Swim Schools during its 4th and 5th full 12 months of operation. A new franchisee’s results may differ from the represented performance. There is no assurance that you will do as well, and you must accept that risk.

Big Blue Swim School Dives In to Lead the Fragmented Learn-to-Swim Category  

1851 Franchise

With best-in-class consumer offerings, strong leadership support, a recession-resistant business model and an aggressive growth plan, Big Blue Swim School is uniquely positioned to become the industry’s leader. 

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

big-blue-swim-school-dives-in-to-lead-the-fragmented-learn-to-swim-category

Atomic Wings

Milwaukee Business Journal: Atomic Wings Plans To Bring the Heat to Southeast Wisconsin

milwaukee-business-journal-atomic-wings-plans-to-bring-the-heat-to-southeast-wisconsin

Paris Baguette

Lohud: Why So Many National Restaurant Chains Are Opening in Westchester

lohud-why-so-many-national-restaurant-chains-are-opening-in-westchester

Fitness Premier

Club Solutions Highlights Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs in Bourbonnais, Illinois

club-solutions-highlights-fitness-premier-247-clubs-in-bourbonnais-illinois

Melting Pot

Why Is Now the Time To Invest in a Melting Pot Franchise?

why-is-now-the-time-to-invest-in-a-melting-pot-franchise

Fresh Coat

Fresh Coat Painters’ National Accounts Program Unlocks Commercial Contracts for Franchisees

Fresh Coat Painters’ National Accounts Program Unlocks Lucrative Commercial Contracts for Franchisees

fresh-coat-painters-national-accounts-program-unlocks-lucrative-commercial-contracts-for-franchisees

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 Resources

Website Awards

Power Rankings

About 1851

Advertise on 1851

Contact 1851 Editorial

Terms of Use

Login

facebook

instagram

twitter

linkedin

youtube

CPK Franchising - California Pizza Kitchen - 1851 Franchise

California Pizza Kitchen Is Now Franchising in the U.S.

cpk-franchising-california-pizza-kitchen-united-states

California Voters Reject $18 Minimum Wage Increase

california-voters-reject-18-minimum-wage-increase

McDonald’s Commits $100 Million to Aid Franchisees and Rebuild Trust After E. Coli Outbreak

mcdonalds-commits-100-million-to-aid-franchisees-and-rebuild-trust-after-e-coli-outbreak

Blackstone Acquires Majority Stake in Jersey Mike's, Signaling Ambitious Growth Plans - 1851

Blackstone Acquires Majority Stake in Jersey Mike's, Signaling Ambitious Growth Plans

blackstone-acquires-majority-stake-in-jersey-mikes-signaling-ambitious-growth-plans

What's To Come for The Economy and Franchising in 2025

whats-to-come-for-the-economy-and-franchising-in-2025

Radiance Holdings Announces Bob Bell as Chief Financial Officer

radiance-holdings-announces-bob-bell-as-chief-financial-officer

Phoenix Franchise Brands VP Kevin Longe Share His Journey from Corporate America to Multi-Brand Franchisor

phoenix-franchise-brands-vp-kevin-longe-share-his-journey-from-corporate-america-to-multi-brand-franchisor

Big Blue Swim School Dives In to Lead the Fragmented Learn-to-Swim Category

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS