Originally posted on Franchisetimes.com
Youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands is diving into its newest venture: swim schools. The company added to its portfolio this month by purchasing Water Wings Swim School.
“It’s definitely a skill every kid needs,” said Michael Browning Jr., Unleashed Brands CEO and founder. “Drowning is one of the highest causes of childhood death, so it’s very important for us to be able to make an impact on water safety, give kids confidence around water and give parents confidence around water as well.”
Avi and Tracy Shafshak founded the swim school concept in 2003. Water Wings teaches swimming lessons for all skill levels and ages, ranging from infants three months old to adults. Swimmers can participate in group or private lessons, recreational swim teams, swim meets, free workshops, and swim camps and clinics.
Water Wings has 13 corporate locations across California, Idaho, Nevada and Texas.
Browning “fell in love” with the brand after meeting with the Shafshaks last year. Unleashed Brands closed on the transaction January 22. Browning said specific terms of the deal are confidential.
Avi Shafshak will remain an integral part of Water Wings as brand president.
“Avi is going to play a pivotal role in helping us in real estate, site selection, construction, franchisee validation and the launch of the franchising arm. We’re excited about it,” Browning said. “He’s a great culture fit. He’s a really hard worker. He’s extremely smart, and so we thought that this would be a great opportunity for him to do what he loves to do while leveraging our shared services platform.”
Unleashed Brands’ youth-oriented portfolio includes Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Sylvan Learning, Snapology, XP League, Class 101 and Premier Martial Arts. The platform is on track to exceed $1 billion dollars in system sales this year and has a goal of acquiring one or two brands a year, with its eyes set on traditional sports, fine arts, and preschool and after-school care.
Browning believes the swim school concept aligns with the platform’s three-pillared thesis: teaching kids STREAM—science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math—lessons, helping kids identify and grow in skills and hobbies, and helping kids celebrate and escape through play.
Water Wings marks a significant milestone for Unleashed Brands as its first non-franchised brand. This won’t be the case for long, however, as Water Wings soon begins franchising.
Launching a franchise system was always Unleashed’s plan for the brand, Browning said.
With its franchising debut, Water Wings joins a swim school franchise segment with other brands such as Goldfish Swim School, British Swim School, Aqua-Tots Swim Schools and Big Blue Swim School.
Browning said he believes Water Wings stands out compared to similar concepts due to strong unit economics of existing locations, cost-effective buildouts, broad program offerings as well as customer satisfaction.
The company is in the midst of finalizing its operations manual, franchise disclosure document and franchise agreement. Browning expects to be selling Water Wings franchises in the second quarter of this year and opening units later this year or early next year.
Unleashed Brands’ franchisee make-up comprises multi-unit and multi-brand operators; 68 percent and 10 percent, respectively. Once the FDD is published, Unleashed intends to reach out to existing franchisees about opening a Water Wings. A franchise sales and recruitment process will bring in new franchise candidates outside the system.
“Our goal is to build the systems, the processes and the procedures that put our franchisees in a position to deliver the best guest experience possible…,” Browning said, “and leveraging all of that allows Water Wings to quickly become a franchising model which otherwise would have taken a very long time to build on its own.”