23: How to Grow a Franchise by Partnering Private Equity with Chris DeJong of BigBlue Swim School

<p>If you have a passion for swimming then you’re in the same lane as the founder of the Big Blue Swim School franchise! He <em>knew</em> there had to be a better solution than renting pool time for swim lessons. His business was born out of a desire to offer better customer experience and a better learning environment for his students.</p> <p>Chris DeJong grew up in the world of competitive swimming. After barely missing qualifying for the Olympics in 2004 and 2008, he knew it was time to move forward. So he took his passion for swimming and turned it into a thriving business. Listen to the full episode of Franchise Secrets for his story and how he believes you should properly operate a franchise. </p> <h2>Outline of This Episode</h2> <ul> <li>[0:35] I introduce my guest, Chris DeJong.</li> <li>[2:45] What competitive swimmers go through</li> <li>[6:20] Where the Big Blue Swim School started</li> <li>[9:10] What sets them apart from the competition?</li> <li>[13:35] Why Chris chose the route of franchising</li> <li>[16:10] Building a relationship with his franchisees</li> <li>[21:00] Bringing in Level 5 Capital Partners</li> <li>[26:10] Advice for a new franchisor</li> <li>[30:50] Last pieces of advice </li> </ul> <h2>The Big Blue Swim School franchise humble beginnings</h2> <p>Growing up, Chris spent his days between the beach or a pool. As he began swimming competitively, he’d spend 4+ hours a day swimming plus a land-based workout. He was the captain of the University of Michigan swim team and competed on the US National team for 9 years. He narrowly missed making the Olympics multiple times.</p> <p><strong>The</strong> <strong><em>lowest point in his life</em></strong> <strong>was when he made one of</strong> <strong><em>the best decisions</em></strong> <strong>of his life. He started teaching.</strong></p> <p>Starting his business was the passion that grew out of his disappointment. A saying that he loves is “It’s okay to give up 1,000 times as long as your feet never stop moving”. Take a step back, recover