Busy Bee Jumpers

<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sal-longo-701150134?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success-2729496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Sal Longo</a>, founder of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.busybeejumpers.com/franchise/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success-2729496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Busy Bee Jumpers</a>, has spent nearly 30 years building a thriving business in the bounce house rental market. With a vision to blend efficiency and service with a tightly curated inventory, he has established a business model that encourages scalability and profitability.As the brand expands, Longo celebrates growth but remains focused on the people of the system as the top priority.“[My focus is] my franchisees’ success,” he said. “They’ve invested significantly, trusting my 20+ years of experience. Ensuring their success is paramount.”<a href="https://1851franchise.com/busy-bee-jumpers">Busy Bee</a> offers a unique market opportunity in a fractured industry, which Longo aims to elevate with streamlined offerings and healthy national growth. By bringing the proven system to new markets, emphasizing disciplined operations and strong customer service, and supporting owners with proprietary technology and comprehensive training, Longo has created a strong franchise opportunity.“This market has opportunity, and we have a proven system,” he said. “We’ve been growing for 27 years. With discipline, franchisees can be very successful in 12 to 24 months.”Longo recently joined 1851 Franchise Publisher&nbsp;<a href="http://linkedin.com/in/powills?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success-2729496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Nick Powills</a> for an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/e0EOTu8vBbk?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success-2729496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">episode of “The Franchisor Hot Seat.”</a> A transcript of Longo’s interview with Powills has been provided below. It has been edited for brevity, clarity and style.&nbsp;Nick Powills: Your franchising journey has lessons. How did you accidentally fall into it?Sal Longo: Busy Bee is a niche. I dreamed of blending TWO MEN AND A TRUCK’s delivery with Chick-fil-A's efficiency in bounce houses for success.Powills: You decided to franchise. Describe finding resources and the journey.Longo: Our team was foundational. I sought attorneys for an FDD. I found you and&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/charles-internicola-franchise-legal-internicola-law-firm-2726943#stories">Charles Internicola</a> on YouTube, and I liked that you seemed easygoing yet professional. After an intro call, we chose The Internicola Firm for their franchise specialization. Six months later, legal work was done, and we had organic leads.Powills: You found the right person. Many franchisors are promised unrealistic sales. How did you learn to trust your gut in finding partners and protecting your brand?Longo: Tough. I'm a "trust first" guy, blessed with an organically grown, family-like team. I trust my intuition to connect with good-hearted people.Powills: You have a great business. Is protecting your culture more important than selling franchises now?Longo: Yes. We "protect the hive" at Busy Bee. Our corporate business is successful and profitable. We won't disrupt it for growth. Our first three partnerships came organically from my connections.Powills: What is the dream for the brand?Longo: My dream is to elevate this fractured market with business acumen and customer service. Busy Bee has led for over 10 years by prioritizing customer satisfaction. We seek like-minded operators who fix mistakes; our systems help navigate difficult situations.Powills: Frame the business opportunity. What is Busy Bee?Longo: Busy Bee offers streamlined bounce house, obstacle course, water slide and tent rentals. Limited inventory allows quick scaling. Territories up to 500,000 people include a $150,000 equipment package. Success stems from customer service, not flashy products. The package includes a truck, branding and a proprietary driver app, proving effective for our first three successful franchisees. We'll disrupt this niche industry.Powills: What's the magic of Busy Bee — the shift from good to great?&nbsp;Longo: Entrusting our people. Our 13 managers, with me over 10 years, treat this business as their own. Trusting them to make decisions and handle problems shifted us from good to great.Powills: People are the power of business, but the model must be sound. You "McDonaldized" this business by reducing product offerings. How did limiting your offerings make it easier for consumers and for you to operate?Longo: COVID was eye-opening. After a 90-day shutdown, we realized attractions like ice cream trucks were low-margin, high-risk. We liquidated them, doubling down on core bounce houses, water slides, obstacle courses and tents. This doubled revenue and margins in 36 months, allowing faster staff scaling due to simpler training. Our new franchisees quickly learned the system, crucial for national expansion.Powills: Limiting offerings will help franchisees. Was it stressful to say "no" to customers when scaling back?Longo: Difficult, yes. I liquidated an $80,000 ice cream truck for $10,000, despite its high revenue. The associated headaches were immense. Removing it doubled revenue and reduced our 100-plus hour weeks to a normal life. We wondered why we hadn't done it sooner.Powills: What keeps you up at night?Longo: My franchisees' success. They've invested significantly, trusting my 20+ years of experience. Ensuring their success is paramount. Since going live May 1st, they're all thriving: daily deliveries, orders and deposits, proving our efficient technology and training.Powills: Your answer highlights a crucial distinction: most franchisors worry about selling more franchises, but you worry about your franchisees' success. That's the magic that allows a great idea to double. Comments?Longo: I agree. As the brand grows, my direct access to franchisees will lessen. Today, I experienced sheer joy on calls with them. One landed two significant jobs quickly, confirming our marketing works. Hearing his father say "thank you" was overwhelming. I'm enjoying this unique access now, knowing it will change as we grow.Powills: Is letting go going to be a hurdle you face?Longo: Yes. Disconnecting from direct Busy Bee operations was hardest. I used to handle deliveries and client issues. But my team executes more efficiently than I can alone.&nbsp;The next hurdle: selling more franchises after this season, then disconnecting as I onboard new franchisees in distant markets.Powills: We're talking about the power of "no" as you scale. You didn't have to franchise to build a great business. It's the power of "no" to the wrong person or to a franchisee asking for unaligned additions. That's the next magic power you'll need to master.Longo: Successful people master "no," which I struggle with as a pleaser. But to protect our working brand and "hive," I must stay disciplined. Three successful franchisees in under six months prove nationwide success is possible by sticking to the plan and resisting early changes.Powills: Logistical question: What's the cost to get in, and how much can someone make? What are you disclosing?Longo: Our 2025 FDD shows an initial investment of $160,000 to $400,000, all-inclusive. Year one benchmark is $300,000 per franchisee, with potential revenues of $500,000 to $750,000 from initial inventory.Powills: What do you want a potential candidate watching this to know to make them reach out to you?Longo: This market has opportunity. Unlike others who say it's not working, we have a proven system, growing for 27 years. With discipline, franchisees can be very successful in 12 to 24 months.Powills: Franchisee success hinges on leader vision, product, cost/earnings, market and validation. Your vulnerability reveals a blessing: negative experiences built your generosity and authenticity. Your concern for franchisee success is the magic. As long as you maintain that positive outlook, the sky's the limit. This human magic is bigger than the business. I appreciate your story and our relationship.Longo: Same here. You've been instrumental in guiding our future plans. Thank you for your advice, mentorship and guidance. We're here because of people like you.Powills: This is just the start. It'll be fun to look back in a year and see how far we've come.Watch the full interview above or on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/live/e0EOTu8vBbk?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=busy-bee-jumpers-franchise-culture-success-2729496" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">YouTube</a>.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/busy-bee-jumpers

Busy Bee Jumpers Franchise: Culture, People and Success

1851 Franchise

https://www.youtube.com/embed/e0EOTu8vBbk

Guided by founder Sal Longo, the bounce house, obstacle course, water slide and tent rental franchise prioritizes healthy growth and franchisee satisfaction within the dynamic party rental industry.

Busy Bee Jumpers: Where Proven Success Meets People-First Franchising

This brand page has been paid for by BUSY BEE JUMPERS. 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

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Don't Wait - Jump on This Opportunity Today!

For&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sal-longo-701150134/">Sal Longo</a>, timing has always mattered. As&nbsp;<a href="https://www.busybeejumpers.com/franchise-landing-page/">Busy Bee Jumpers</a>, the inflatables and party rentals franchise, heads into its 28th season in business, Longo believes the current moment presents a rare opportunity for entrepreneurs looking to enter the party rental space — especially those willing to move while others hesitate.“It's very interesting,” Longo said. “Because our service is so cost-effective — primarily focused on birthday parties, family gatherings, church events, school events, fundraising events — I’ve found that times of uncertainty are when we grow the most.”That pattern played out clearly in 2025.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/busy-bee-jumpers/info">Busy Bee Jumpers</a> closed the year with historic growth and is already seeing strong momentum carry into 2026, with pre-bookings up significantly year-to-date. According to Longo, the difference often comes down to how operators respond when the market tightens.“I’ve seen other operators in the inflatable, bounce house entertainment space choke back their marketing dollars when the economic uncertainty is high,” Longo said. “I have always found that when there is this opportunity, that's when we go faster, and we invest more in our marketing. What I found is we're able to grab more market share.”That strategy is now being passed directly to franchise owners. Busy Bee Jumpers currently has three franchise locations operating, with a fourth set to open in Stamford, Connecticut, within 60 days. Rather than slowing expansion plans, Longo and his team are encouraging franchisees to lean into the opportunity.“We are rigorously planning with our three franchises that are already open,” Longo said. “And we're telling them the opportunities are great. They're right in front of them, and we've got to go at this because all these other operators are closing their doors.”<h2>Demand Built on a Refined Model</h2>Longo attributes the early franchise demand less to hype and more to years of operational refinement.“We've really refined our operation,” Longo said. “It's a very simplified operation. We know what equipment to buy, how to onboard and train our staff, what staff to look for to deliver our equipment and how to put our marketing efforts in front of the right clients.”That clarity has helped create organic demand while allowing the brand to stay disciplined about growth. Rather than expanding rapidly, Busy Bee Jumpers is focused on tightening unit economics for its earliest franchisees.“One of the things that we're working on very closely with our three existing franchises is making their unit economics bulletproof,” Longo said. “We want to make sure that they're highly profitable before we sell all across the country.”<h2>Experience Franchisees Can Follow</h2>Longo often describes Busy Bee’s experience as a roadmap built through trial, error and long-term success.&nbsp;“The best way I can describe it is to make this analogy,” he said. “Essentially, we've already walked through the snow so they're able to follow our footprints.”That experience helps franchisees avoid costly missteps early on, from equipment selection to marketing spend.“We've learned the hard way,” Longo said. “We've made mistakes, but we've also had a ton of successes, and those successes were able to show franchisees the fastest way to get their business up and running and profitable.”Beyond systems and processes, Longo points to his internal team as one of the strongest differentiators in the franchise offering.“Having 15 team members that have been with us over 10 years is amazing,” he said. “What our first three franchises have said to me repeatedly is every time I send a text message, every time I call, there's someone there to answer and help me immediately.”<h2>A Business That’s Profitable and Personal</h2>At Busy Bee, the emotional payoff matters just as much as the financial opportunity.“I have children. I know what it's like to see a smile on my daughter's face,” he said. “These inflatables do not go out of style.”That timelessness, paired with a fragmented market and a relatively low cost of entry, continues to attract prospective franchise owners. On the high end, the investment reaches $400,200. That includes everything from inflatables and trucks to staffing and warehouse buildout.&nbsp;With a corporate location that exceeded $6 million in revenue in 2025, Longo believes the model speaks for itself and that the window to get in early is still open.“People want to get in and replicate that model,” he said.To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/busy-bee-jumpers.">https://1851franchise.com/busy-bee-jumpers.</a>&nbsp;

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