How a Former Educator Quickly Rose to the Top as a USA Ninja Challenge Franchisee

Andrea May, a top-performing franchisee for USA Ninja Challenge, has seen rapid success since launching her two locations with the brand. Her approach is not only built on hard work but also on three key factors: community engagement, strategic hiring and organic marketing. 1851 Franchise spoke with May to learn more about how these three pillars have allowed her to build strong relationships, foster a loyal customer base and consistently grow her business.

1. Engaging with the Community

May attributes much of her success with USA Ninja Challenge to her deep connection with the families and communities her gyms serve. Despite being in large cities, she treats her franchise locations like small hometown businesses. 

“I get to know the kids, I get to know the families,” May explained. “The kids come in and we talk about their day and school, and we just try to make connections before we get started each day.”

Her personalized approach goes beyond the typical customer-service interactions. She ensures her staff is flexible and approachable, making parents feel comfortable and valued. 

Andrea's commitment to community engagement includes going the extra mile to meet the needs of her clients, even during difficult times. 

“If there’s a month that is a financial hardship, I may be able to leave the kid in the class to hold that spot for them,” she said. "Being flexible and giving more than I take pays off in the long run.”

This flexibility and personal touch have cultivated a loyal customer base, with families knowing they can reach out to May at any time.

2. Hiring the Right People

Another essential factor in May’s success is her approach to hiring. Her background as a teacher has influenced her perspective on what it takes to be an excellent mentor for children and has impacted the way she recruits her staff. May hired several former colleagues from her teaching days to join her team, knowing that the right coaches could make or break a child’s experience. 

“The staff can learn ninja skills and they can learn the leveling, but kids don’t want to come to class if they don’t like the coaches, or the coaches aren't fair, or if the coaches aren’t uplifting the kids,” May said. 

By prioritizing people who genuinely care about kids, she ensures her gyms offer not only fun physical activities but also an emotionally supportive environment which keeps families coming back for more.

To keep her staff motivated and aligned with her values, May also invests in continuous training. 

“We do continuous training with the coaches. We even work on things like how to stand and non verbal cues you're giving the parents and the kids. The parents are sitting outside the gym, looking in, and so what you're doing with your body and how motivating the kids, even with your gestures, are important," she said. 

3. Organic, On-the-Ground Marketing

While May receives excellent support from the USA Ninja Challenge franchise for digital marketing efforts, she strongly believes in the power of organic, local outreach. 

"I am in restaurants, I am at schools, I'm in all the mom groups for every city I'm in," she said. “I just listen, and if someone's looking for a party space, I'm going to chime in. If someone's looking for a camp, I'm going to comment. If they're looking for gymnastics or Taekwondo, I'm going to give them this option of something else that perhaps they haven't thought about.”

By listening to the community’s needs, May is able to inform families of what her USA Ninja franchise has to offer. She has made her business an integral part of the community. In addition to responding to individuals, May’s approach to local partnerships has been a game-changer. 

“My first location is directly across from Chick-fil-A, and we quickly built a strong relationship with them. They do kids nights, and they've invited me to come over and set up a table. In turn, I give their menu out for birthday parties so that the parents can order food from there,” said May. “I’ve worked hard to build a lot of working relationships like that. We have another restaurant on the street that serves pizza, and for my kids’ night out, I buy pizza from them, and they give me coupons to give to the parents at my gym.”

Building partnerships with other local businesses allows for mutually beneficial promotions. And May’s local outreach doesn’t stop with restaurants; she works closely with PTAs, schools and daycare centers, offering field trips and more, to ensure her brand is well-represented in the community.

“These efforts involve small amounts of money, but they’re more focused on the people, building relationships and spreading the word,” she said.

The Results: A High Performing Business

By leveraging these three strategies, May has rapidly grown her USA Ninja Challenge franchise, and her gyms have become a staple in their communities. 

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge/info.