Children and aspiring athletes who are just starting out need a special environment in which to thrive. And so Gym Kidz, Inc. was created specifically to give kids and aspiring gymnasts a safe and fun place to learn and practice their craft.
With a passionate owner, dedicated coaches and a loyal customer base, the brand has blossomed from a simple dream into a multi-location business. Read more about the company in this week’s Small Business Spotlight.
What the Business Does:
Provides gymnastics classes for kids of all ages and abilities.
Owner Joslyn Varona told Small Business Trends, “Our goal is to provide a positive and fun experience for all our athletes that enroll into our program.”
Business Niche:
Providing great service by building relationships with customers.
Varona says, “Creating personal relationships with our customers allows us to organize better programs based on the wants and needs of the community. It’s why we do what we do!”
How the Business Got Started:
As the realization of a personal dream.
Varona says, “It was a life long dream of mine and with the help of my parents, I was able to borrow the money to start my first gym. Through lots of hard work and love of gymnastics, we are still here in the community providing a much needed service.”
Biggest Win:
Giving back to some great causes.
Varona explains, “Once we were established as an organization we have set new goals and on the top of that list was giving back. In the past several years we have partnered with great organizations such as Special Olympics and Neighbors for Neighbors to create a Gym Kidz Gives Back program. Its important to lead by example and I am so happy to have had the opportunity to work with such wonderful organizations.”
Biggest Risk:
Getting started without much experience.
Varona says, “I was young and inexperienced as a business owner when we first opened. I have had to learn the hard way on how to run a business and manage it. Learning how to do everything in the gym has taught me how to be a good manager. Since I have worked every position in the gym, I’m able to mentor the coaches better. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve my community. If I did not have the great team and families we have been blessed to work with, we would not be here.”
Lesson Learned:
Worry less and enjoy the ride.
Varona says, “If I could do it all over again, I would take a deep breath and not lose sleep over the little things. When you do things right, they have a way of working themselves out. I have lost so many nights of sleep worrying about situations that were out of my control.”
How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000:
Give the facilities an upgrade.
Varona explains, “Gymnastics equipment is very expensive so I would use a portion of the money to upgrade some of our equipment. I would also use the money to upgrade our lobby areas and computer systems. If anything was left over, I would use that to market the gym.”
Favorite Quote:
“The Service you do for others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” -Muhammad Ali
* * * * *
Find out more about the Small Biz Spotlight program
Images: Gym Kidz, Joslyn Varona
This article, “Spotlight: Gym Kidz, Inc. Offers Gymnastics Classes for All Kids” was first published on Small Business Trends