Start a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #118 Ranked #139 last year

Initial investment: $1.6M - $2.6M

Units as of 2024: 161 34.2% over 3 years

Aqua-Tots Swim Schools is an international group of schools that provides swimming lessons to children of all ages. They've been in operation since 1991 and began franchising in 2007. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools has grown to over 100 franchises in the U.S., with several dozen outside the States. They know that the lessons they teach can also be life-saving.

The Aqua-Tots swimming curriculum has been tried, tested, and proven to be effective. There are six programs designed to help children aged 4 months to 12 years old learn how to swim safely. If you have a passion for swimming and promoting childhood safety, it might be time for you to jump on board with Aqua-Tots Swim Schools.

Why You May Want to Start an Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise

It's no secret that the child-focused water safety industry is an important one. Parents are always looking for ways to keep their children safe, and training their little ones how to swim can help prevent tragic pool-side accidents. By opening an Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise, you can make an impact while also growing your business.

An Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise may be a reliable choice if you're looking for a stable business opportunity. As an industry leader, they strive to offer an exceptional swimming training experience to all their clients. Aqua-Tots Swim Schools has been ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 multiple times in recent years. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

What Might Make an Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise a Good Choice?

To be part of the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools team, you should make sure you’re financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. You should also be prepared for ongoing fees, which may include advertising fees, royalty fees, and potential renewal fees. Franchisees will also need to meet the company's set net worth and liquid capital requirements.

While your location will play a key role in attracting customers, you won't have to fight against the seasonal swings that many swimming schools face. All Aqua-Tots Swim Schools facilities have a year-round swimming pool, so you'll be able to stay in business throughout the year.

The company will provide you with all the tools you need to succeed. This includes online training materials, operational, marketing, and construction support.

How To Open an Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise

To begin your journey in opening an Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise, you can start by filling out the initial interest form. After that, Aqua-Tots Swim Schools will send you a confidential questionnaire. If you are chosen to continue, you'll have an initial phone call with the development director to see if you're a good fit for the franchise. They'll also send you the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools Franchise Disclosure Document to review.

Next, you'll have a call with the Aqua-Tots Swim Schools executives to make sure you understand the business structure and talk about the potential of the territory you're interested in. You will also get a chance to chat with current franchisees, who may give you an insight into day-to-day operations and their experiences as Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchisees. From there, you'll attend a discovery day at company headquarters in Mesa, Arizona.

The final step is to sign the franchise agreement. After that, you can select and negotiate a great location for your Aqua-Tots Swim School. After all, home is where the pool is.

Company Overview

About Aqua-Tots Swim Schools

Industry	Children's Businesses
Related Categories	Swimming Lessons, Children's Fitness Programs, Children's Education/Enrichment, Sports
Founded	1991
Parent Company	Aqua-Tots Swim School Holding LLC
Leadership	Paul Preston, President & Cofounder
Corporate Address	1110 S. Greenfield Rd., #201 Mesa, AZ 85206
Social	Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2007 (17 years)
# of employees at HQ	48
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises worldwide. This company is offering new franchises in the following US states: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia
# of Units	161 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Aqua-Tots Swim Schools franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$50,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$1,619,095 - $2,639,314
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$1,500,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$200,000 - $500,000
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	2%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Aqua-Tots Swim Schools has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	108 hours
Classroom Training	50 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	20
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	No