Brenna Dowd joined urSwim, the mobile swim instruction and pool management franchise, in its early days and grew into the role of chief operating officer as the company prepared to franchise. After helping build the operational foundation for the system, she decided to invest personally by opening her own territory in Suffolk East, New York, with her husband.

Today, Dowd operates as both a brand executive and a franchise owner. That experience directly influences how urSwim designs its training, support and growth strategy. It also serves as validation for prospective franchisees that leadership understands ownership because it has lived it.

Why Brenna Chose to Invest in urSwim

Dowd’s connection to urSwim stems from a lifelong background in aquatics. She grew up as a competitive swimmer and began teaching lessons as a teenager, experiences that shaped how she views swim instruction as both a business and a community service.

“I grew up a competitive swimmer, and I started teaching swim lessons when I was probably 13 or 14 as a volunteer with my local club,” Dowd said. “I just knew how important water safety is as a community give-back.”

When urSwim founder Marina Mentzel shared plans to franchise the concept, Dowd already felt confident she wanted to be part of that next phase. Years of hearing stories from swimmers and pool partners reinforced the value of what the brand provides, not just financially, but socially.

“Once she told me that she was franchising, I knew that I wanted to be part of it,” Dowd said. “What really kept me with urSwim was hearing the stories from our swimmers, from our pool partners, about what a valuable business we’re building and what we’re offering to the community.”

What Ownership Taught Her About Operations and Support

Dowd and her husband identified a clear gap in their local market. Despite living in a waterfront area, there were no swim schools within a five-mile radius, which made the decision to move forward feel both logical and urgent. “We jumped at the opportunity,” Dowd said. 

Opening their territory shortly after getting married forced Dowd to shift from a corporate mindset to an owner mindset. While she brought years of aquatics and operational experience into the process, her husband did not have a swimming background, which highlighted just how important education and onboarding are for new franchisees.

“Taking my corporate hat off and putting my franchisee hat on was eye-opening,” she said. “I saw we needed to teach the importance of that first before we can get into the business. If you’re not in the industry, I don’t think you realize that one in three adults don’t know how to swim.”

That realization reinforced the need for simple, structured training and clear communication around why swim instruction matters.

How Being a Franchisee Shapes Her Role as COO

Owning a territory has changed how Dowd evaluates corporate decisions and support systems. Instead of viewing initiatives only from a brand-level perspective, she now filters them through the lens of day-to-day franchise operations.

“I do think that the struggles that I see myself, I can bring right back to Marina and say, ‘Hey, here’s some things we’ve never really considered,’” Dowd said.

That real-time feedback helps urSwim adjust marketing, training and operational procedures before challenges scale across the system. Dowd sees value in having leaders who can move between corporate strategy and unit-level reality.

“It’s interesting having someone that has boots on the ground as a franchisee and then also boots on the ground in how the franchise grows,” she said. “It’s a benefit to all.”

From her perspective, strong franchisees do not need to come from a swimming background. “A successful franchisee is just someone who really knows how to manage people and how to naturally build a community,” Dowd said. “It’s really such a community-building business.”

Dowd believes urSwim’s leadership structure sends a clear message that the brand is being built alongside franchisees, not above them. Growing a swim school business is very achievable, she explained, particularly for operators who are disciplined with time management and genuinely committed to giving back to their community.

Witnessing the Impact Firsthand

One of the most meaningful parts of ownership has been seeing how a swim school can naturally become a gathering point for families.

“We had this one baby and mom who’s been with us literally since the first day we opened,” Dowd said. “Now her time slot has five other babies in it. They exchange contact information at the end and they’re going to go do a playdate.”

That sense of connection is what confirms she made the right decision. She believes that neighbors supporting neighbors, especially around a topic like this, is so important.

“Would I [buy a urSwim franchise] again? Yeah, without a doubt,” Dowd said. “If you love building communities and want a feel-good business where you’re providing something your community truly needs, don’t hesitate. Just do it.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://swimmingschoolfranchise.com/.