The Sky’s the Limit: How These Franchisees Went from Small to Big

Franchising has always been a great way for first-time entrepreneurs to not only dip their toes into business ownership, but also leverage a proven model that can lend itself to scalable growth. That is why there are countless success stories of franchise owners who have expanded their portfolio from small to big by finding a proven and supportive concept they were passionate about.

As a 22-year-old University of Tampa student, Kevin Rooney, for example, was a PGA intern at Ridgewood Country Club in Bergen County, N.J., where he worked as a caddie and outside operations worker and developed a passion for impacting youth and introducing kids to golf. In 2006, he discovered a unique career opportunity through an upstart youth sports franchise company, TGA Premier Sports, which specialized in bringing youth golf and tennis programs directly to school campuses and local community centers. 

Rooney quickly became TGA's youngest franchise owner, covering Bergen County, New Jersey. Since then, he has continued to grow rapidly over the past year as more families look to bring youth sports enrichment programs into their communities. 

“I was seeking a career in the golf industry that could allow me to grow and build my own business, and the jobs then seemed to be tough to find," recalls Rooney. "I really liked TGA’s franchise model because there was an established infrastructure, startup fees were reasonable, and I didn’t have to reinvent the wheel. My strengths were business and marketing. Combining that with TGA’s expertise in education and curriculum, bringing golf into schools was vital to my success. It was also the only youth sports franchise business offered anywhere in the golf industry.”

TGA’s model to bring golf directly to school campuses was sweeping the nation, and it did not take long for Rooney to expand his business with a second franchise in Westchester County, New York in 2008, before adding tennis to his offerings in 2012. Sixteen years later, he is now the brand’s largest franchise owner and continues to expand his business. He has also helped TGA become one of the largest junior golf programs in America — being in 100-plus schools in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area with more than 50,000 kids participating in golf and tennis programs to date.

Rooney says he recognized the potential benefits of franchising early on. "I could have a flexible schedule and could still caddie and do the other things I wanted to do," he says. "I knew that as much effort as I put in, I would get rewarded. I was in control of the growth and bottom line. I’ve had that work ethic since childhood — riding my bike to caddie at 6 a.m. on weekends or skipping prom to work. I knew I could successfully grow the business.”

Today, Rooney's been able to stay at the forefront of the TGA system. His location has been the system’s top revenue producer since 2010 and has grown steadily each year. 

“The work that my team and I have put in over the years is paying off,” says Rooney. “I’ve had three directors as full-time employees for five-plus years now, and the quality of programs, level of customer service and opportunities we provide is next-level. If I can set an example for other franchisees across the country, that's great.” 

Tracy Genheimer, a life-long dance lover and teacher, is another example of a first-time franchise owner who expanded their business from small to big by aligning with a brand that shared their passion. Genheimer first came across the popular children’s dance class concept, Tippi Toes, while looking for dance instructor opportunities in her area. 

“I grew up dancing — I started when I was very young and fell in love with it,” said Genheimer. “I knew that I wanted dance to be a part of my life forever, and after majoring in dance performance in college, I decided to impart my love of the art onto others through teaching. “I started teaching at Tippi Toes and fell in love with the mission of the brand, how classes ran and the brand’s priorities.”

Genheimer says the opportunity for ownership first piqued her interest when Tippi Toes started franchising in 2010. “I didn’t plan on becoming a business owner, but I believed so much in what Tippi Toes stood for and our values,” she said. “I did have dreams of one day owning a dance studio, but my lack of business experience made me nervous to do it all on my own. I had such a passion for this brand and the founders were so supportive and encouraging. I knew they would provide me with the business model, the materials and the support. They gave me a lot of confidence, and I knew I’d be able to bring my skill sets to the business.” 

Genheimer opened her first Tippi Toes location in 2010 in Oklahoma City, and since then has expanded her portfolio, purchasing the North Dallas franchise in 2014, and adding on the Denton and the Wichita locations in 2019.

“After 12 years, I can honestly say I love Tippi Toes more than ever,” said Genheimer. “The business has really grown with me and my lifestyle. My husband and I were in our early 20s when we first purchased the franchise, and now we have two babies and are older, and it is wonderful because we’ve been able to grow this business along with the different seasons of our life. In the beginning, I was doing everything myself, but now I am able to spend time with my children because I have a team of teachers and a co-owner who can help.”

When it comes to the scalability of the franchise model, Genheimer says Tippi Toes is uniquely well-positioned to thrive in any market. “They have found the key that kids everywhere want to be creative, active and feel special,” she said. “Tippi Toes is easily replicated in different areas because kids are always going to want to have fun, learn and be creative. Once you open one location, it is easy to pick a new location and apply the business to that community, since the business can be run remotely and efficiently.”

These are just a few examples of how franchise concepts can provide passionate entrepreneurs with a uniquely reliable and supportive path to scalable business ownership.