The Winning Franchisee | Chandler Couple Changing Paths As Entrepreneurs; Takes Over After School Enrichment Program For Local Youth

Originally from Washington state, Lynsey and Drew Breivogel have always been business minded. The couple owned a construction company in Seattle called Plumb, Square and Level for three years before moving to Arizona. After the pandemic hit, it was hard for their business to get back into the swing of things with supply chain issues and material prices rising. The couple decided to pack up and move to Arizona.

Once there, they began exploring new jobs. Drew worked for a friend while Lynsey took care of their kids and coached boxing classes at Knockout Fitness. Their son was enrolled in TGA Premier Sports, the largest golf and tennis franchisor in the country and recent addition to the Youth Athletes United portfolio, and learned from the owner that he was selling the business. The Breivogels jumped at the opportunity to become franchise owners and positively impact the youth and families in their new community. Lynsey is no stranger to coaching with her background in boxing and coaching her own kids’ sports teams.

The couple officially took over ownership of TGA Premier Sports in Phoenix on June 1st, 2022. The couple has been busy with camps during the summer and is looking forward to school programs starting in the fall.

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

LYNSEY BREIVOGEL: I used to be an electrician for the better part of my adult life. Once I had my third child, I quit that and stayed at home with my kids. My husband and I owned a construction company, Plumb, Square and Level, for a few years in Washington. But with COVID happening and the price of everything — like construction materials — going up, it was just too hard to get back in the swing of things. 

Eventually, we moved from Seattle, Washington, down to Arizona. Once we moved here, my husband got a job working for a friend who owned a business, and he just didn't love it. Meanwhile, I was coaching boxing at Knockout Fitness. We were trying to find a career that aligned with our lifestyle and family’s needs, and we were lucky enough to be in a position where TGA was looking for new owners.  

1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?

BREIVOGEL: I had some idea about franchising just from working at a boxing gym franchise. I knew about royalties and there being an executive board over the brand, a marketing plan and the ups and downs that come with running a business. I think the wonderful part about being a franchise is that anytime you have a question or conflict arise, you can ask the corporate team any questions, and you will have multiple people jumping in to respond and help with anything.

1851: What makes you stand out as a business owner in your local community?

BREIVOGEL: People know me from the boxing classes I taught, and the other parents who had kids enrolled in TGA know me. We’ve only been here a couple of years, but we are excited about fully immersing ourselves in the community. We want to make our location community based — camps, events, serving underprivileged families, fundraisers, etc.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

BREIVOGEL: I initially didn’t know anything about TGA or the parent company. I was very intrigued by their goals and purpose to serve the youth of America. I didn’t know there was anything out there like TGA programs with the sports of tennis and golf. You don’t think about those secondary sports being taught in average schools. I think giving kids this opportunity with our program allows them to explore and try new things, and I’m excited for them to have fun and learn something from us.   

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

BREIVOGEL: I definitely plan on staying in the schools and being in more schools. I'd like to max out every class and have as many kids involved as possible. We want to do more camps and clinics. The big picture is to one day buy a chunk of land and put a big driving range and tennis courts on it. We may even expand across the state of Arizona; only time will tell.

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

BREIVOGEL: We just want to be a community brand and be involved in children’s lives all over the community and positively impact their lives. We are highly involved in our church, and there's a great youth program through that. We just want to be able to host an event for our church’s kids group. We are putting our all into this business venture, and we are excited to project a positive influence on the community.