How did you get into the industry?
I have been an athlete all my life and new I wanted to coach from a very young age. While playing soccer and lacrosse for The Ohio State University I got my degree in education with and emphasis on coaching and sport performance. As coaches we talk about “read and react skills” and the field vision athletes have or don’t have. From inception SportSight has been designed to make the training of the intangible skills accessible to coaches and athletes of all ages and skill level.
What’s New in the Business or in the Franchise Model?
Everything about us is new. Our industry, our model as an auxiliary business. The super exciting part is that we have very little competition and our upfront costs are minimal.
Where do you See Opportunities or Challenges for the Franchise/Business Moving Forward?
Opportunities are limitless! We are the first franchise model on the market in this industry. The industry is growing leaps and bounds and we are in front having established ourselves as the experts. We are branching out to include Senior Living Facilities, and Learning/Enrichment Labs which brings more brand awareness and business opportunities for our Franchises with little to no competition.
As far as challenges, the biggest one is community awareness. The concept of dynamic visual skills training and brain training are relatively new. The concepts have been around since the 1970’s but the lack of technology in the beginning made it hard to measure the gains. As technology became available in the eighties and nineties it was not economical and therefore only the super elite athletes had access to it. Now that we have technology that is accessible we need to spread the word and educate the communities that the training exists and is affordable and accessible.
What is your Goal for the Business Moving Forward?
We are looking to add 60 franchises over 5 years. The first year we will cap at 6 to ensure we are able to fully support them. We debated this as our mission is to make sports vision training accessible to all. So, naturally that leans to more franchises. However, quality and support needs to be above reproach. So year one will be intentional control of growth being choosy about who the first franchises are awarded to.
Talk to us About Training and Support, How Do You Deliver?
Training is in 2 parts and each part is delivered over a week. Beyond that, we customize the support as needed. WE feel this is important as our franchises have current business they run and may need more or less support from us. We visit each location once a quarter for the first year, bi-annualy the second year, and annually after that. We also offer optional business coaching to those franchises who desire more support.
Your most difficult moment at the Franchise Business?
Making the decision to franchise- pulling the trigger. We knew from the beginning we wanted to franchise. Acting on our intentions proved scarier than we thought. Looking back, now that we are on the market and have sold our first franchise, it really wasn’t that hard. FMS (Franchise Marketing Systems) really made it a smooth and pretty enjoyable process. They did the heavy lifting of getting us to market. The hard work on our end we have been doing everyday since we opened our doors. SO, I guess I should amend my answer to be researching and deciding which company to use to help us get to market. Turns out- we made the best decision!
How is your Franchise Model Structured?
A. Training and Support Model? 2 week training, monthly training calls, and quarterly check-ins with corporate. Additional business coaching is optional unless franchise misses sales goals 3 months in a row.
B. What is the Fee Structure? $30,000 Franchise Fee, $60,000 equipment, and 10% gross royalties
C. Territory Definition? Your territory will have a population of approximately 50,000-100,000 people or a 3-mile radius from the location.
D. Day in the life of a Franchisee? Training clients, community outreach, enriching lives, this work is a TON of fun if you have passion for sports and seeing people develop.
What does Your Franchisee Do in the Business Every Day?
As our target franchisees are current business owners the day to day remains the same as it was prior to add SportSight. We are designed to be an auxiliary business that adds a unique revenue stream and separates our franchisees from their competition.
Who is the Ideal Franchise Candidate?
sports complexes, performance gyms, boutique fitness centers, E- gaming leagues, sports tournament organizers, Montessori schools, learning/enrichment centers
10. Success Stories and Failures with Franchisees?
SportSight Atlanta is our first franchise and they are set to hit the ground running March 1st 2020. Looks like Shreveport, LA will be next for an April/May 2020 Launch.
What Goals Do you Have for the Franchise Model in the Future?
The immediate goals are to develop a charity program in which a portion of proceeds are donated to the underserved in our communities for reading and sports programs.
We will concentrate on the U.S. through 2022 and then launch our international campaign.
For more information on the Sport Sight Franchise model, visit the corporate site –
http://www.sportsighttraining.com/