After the initial period, how many fully-trained managers must a Big Blue Swim School have on staff?
Big_Blue_Swim_School Franchise · 2025 FDDAnswer from 2025 FDD Document
ning the School for business. The School always must have on staff at least 2 fully-trained (or "certified") managers for the first 6 months of operations; after that, the School must have on staff one person who is fully trained. (Franchise Agreement—Section 6.A) We will conduct the initial training program at our designated training location and/or through video and other electronic means. We expect training (which currently is approximately 4 weeks long) to occur after you sign the Franchise Agreement and while you develop the School. We plan to be flexible in scheduling training to accommodate our and your personnel. There currently are no fixed (i.e., monthly or bi-monthly) training schedules.
Source: Item 15 — OBLIGATION TO PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTUAL OPERATION OF THE FRANCHISE BUSINESS (FDD pages 59–61)
What This Means (2025 FDD)
According to the 2025 Big Blue Swim School FDD, for the first six months of operation, a Big Blue Swim School must have at least two fully-trained or "certified" managers on staff. After this initial six-month period, the requirement decreases, and the school must maintain at least one fully-trained person on staff, who is also known as a "Certified Manager". Any general manager must be a Certified Manager.
This requirement ensures that the Big Blue Swim School maintains a standard of operational expertise and adherence to brand standards. The initial higher staffing level during the first six months likely aims to support the new franchise location through its initial opening and growth phase, ensuring a smooth transition and consistent service quality.
For a franchisee, this means budgeting for at least two trained managers for the first six months, which includes the cost of their salaries, benefits, and any associated training fees. After this period, the franchisee can reduce the number of fully-trained managers to one, potentially leading to cost savings. However, it remains crucial to ensure that the single certified manager is capable of maintaining the school's standards and training other staff members effectively. If a franchisee has more than one Big Blue Swim School, they may hire a Certified Manager to supervise up to ten schools as a Regional Manager.