Sport Clips and Signarama Franchisee Joins Investors to Develop Big Blue Swim School Across Houston

Big Blue Swim School, one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim school franchises, has officially closed out the Houston market with a franchise agreement for 10 pools with franchise partners Cheston Syma, Setul Patel, and JDA Advisors, LLC.

“We were introduced to Big Blue last year, and we knew we wanted to diversify our portfolios with a new concept,” Syma said.

The group has a wide array of experience that will prove useful in the successful operation of their units. With Syma’s history as a successful multi-unit, multi-brand franchise owner; Patel’s experience as a practicing clinician, former healthcare CEO, and angel investor; and JDA’s significant multi-unit and franchising experience, the trio is ready to dive into their investment with Big Blue.

“The Big Blue model rang true with us because it is a service-based concept that can’t be delivered virtually,” Syma said. “We all came together and invested in an agreement for 10 pools in Houston and will leverage our existing experience to successfully open much-needed pools in the area.”

Big Blue provides swim lessons for children ages three months to 12 years old. The franchise offers an unparalleled learning experience made easier and more effective with proprietary technology and curriculum and family-centric facilities. And aside from a standout consumer offering, Big Blue also fills a vital safety need that has proven recession-resistant, as swim lessons can’t be outsourced or automated. The brand is well-positioned to be the leader in the $3B learn-to-swim segment.

“Franchising gives you a proven business model with security, cash flow, risk management, and the pride of a larger brand,” Syma said. “With Big Blue, the size of the pool and their proprietary  technology created a competitive advantage over other swim schools. When researching, we didn’t find any other brands that had such a strong technology focus, which creates a major draw for consumers, especially as the younger generation starts having kids and families.”

Additionally, as a physician, Patel says the health and safety aspect of the concept was also a primary selling point. “I’ve dealt with drownings and near drownings, and it can be devastating,” he said. “If we can do anything to prevent those tragedies, we absolutely should.”

And Syma says that need is particularly strong in Houston. “The city has one of the densest number of swimming pools per capita in the nation,” he said. “Unfortunately, that means it also has one of the highest drowning rates. If we can make a positive impact on our community through our business, that is a huge plus.”

With a plan to open 10 pools over the next seven years, the group’s signing officially closes out the Houston market for Big Blue Swim School. The trio joins franchise partners Menaka and Prashanth Krishnan, who signed a 3-unit deal last year for one store in Houston and two in Austin. And while Houston is now sold out, the brand still has territory available in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and San Antonio, as well as throughout the U.S.

“Big Blue is thrilled to have awarded the entire Houston market,” said CEO Scott Sanders. “With these passionate and qualified franchise partners behind the pools, we know they will make a significant difference in the lives of thousands of children.”

The closing out of the Houston market is part of an aggressive growth strategy for the franchise. With signed agreements for 227 units, the brand is well on its way to reaching its goal of 240 units committed by the end of 2022.
The total investment to start a new Big Blue Swim School is $2,475,200 to $3,966,700. To learn more about Big Blue Swim School franchise opportunities, visit https://bigblueswimschool.com/franchising/.