Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Grisley
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Swim lessons aren’t something you think about until you need them. When our daughter was 2 ½ years old, we enrolled her in swim lessons at a local rec center. There were 10 children + parents in the class, the water was freezing cold, and the experience was awful; so we started looking for a better option. Unfortunately, we found nothing of good quality. That’s when we stumbled on the Goldfish Swim School Franchise, where the setting is tropical, the water is 90 degrees, and the class ratio is small and manageable. It was then that we decided to embrace the opportunity and open the first Goldfish Swim School in Utah. Our first location was successful right away, and we knew we had made the right decision. A few years later, we opened our second location, East Salt Lake – in the Millcreek area. Then in 2023, we were excited to finally be able to bring Goldfish Swim School to Utah County and open our American Fork location.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Opening our first location was a learning curve, and that experience taught us a lot. Utah did not understand the concept of a dedicated swim school, and the Goldfish brand was completely unknown. Opening the South Jordan school and having it achieve success helped lay the groundwork for future schools. But, like in any business, each additional location has brought its own experiences and learning opportunities. Like having a second and third child, you think you know what you are in for, and then discover it wasn’t quite what you expected. You discover that they each bring their own set of challenges and personality to the mix and you can’t imagine life without them.
Our second location opened in 2021 on the heels of COVID, which was definitely a different experience from our first. When it came time to open our third location in Utah County, we experienced a whole new set of challenges in the permitting and building process. But in the end, we are thrilled to offer top-quality swim lessons and water safety schools to children in Utah.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Goldfish Swim School was created by parents for parents. Our goal is to help kids build essential swim skills to keep them safer in and around the water. But our program does more than that—it gives kids a platform to build life skills that help them make waves in life.
We do this by embracing “The Science of Swim Play”, a research-based philosophy that teaches through guided play in a fun, safe environment. So while we’re focused on the serious stuff, kids are focused on the fun. The fact is, your child’s potential is in there. Sometimes you just need to add water!
Goldfish Swim School is proud to provide state-of-the-art aquatic swimming facilities that are dedicated to indoor children’s swim lessons and programs for children ages 4 months and up. Our swimming class times are created to accommodate busy schedules with multiple classes at various levels offered throughout the week.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
While I’m not sure I would have listened if these words of advice had come from someone else, I do wish I could go back and tell my pre-opening a franchise self a few things…
1. From the start, focus on what you’re good at and surround yourself with people who are good at your weaknesses. Find like-minded people, not like-skilled people.
2. You don’t know what you don’t know, and that’s ok because you know you can figure it out.
3. People come first, no matter what.
Story: Our Regional Manager was diagnosed with cancer, and the primary focus for about a year was to make sure he had the support to fight his battle without worrying about the business. As a company, we did our best to grant him whatever grace he needed, while continuing to ensure his family was taken care of. He worked at Goldfish tirelessly through chemotherapy and radiation and fought against cancer valiantly (and won!). The school’s performance did experience a decline without him – and that’s ok … because our RM is healthy and happy, and he matters more than the business.
4. There is never a perfect time to open, so stop worrying about it!
Story: Opening our first location came 3 weeks after the birth of my third child, George. Less than ideal, for sure. But in the end, the school has been wildly successful and I wouldn’t change a thing.5. Pay for the tools your business needs to achieve success, even when you think you don’t have the money.
Pricing:
- Weekly swim lessons with a 4:1 student-to-teacher ratio average either $27 or $30/week, depending on location and a swimmer’s skill level. For a free trial lesson, go to our website or give us a call and we will get you scheduled for your Golden Experience!
Contact Info:
- Website: Goldfish American Fork Website: https://goldfishswimschool.com/american-fork/
Goldfish South Jordan Website: https://goldfishswimschool.com/south-jordan/
Goldfish East Salt Lake Website: https://goldfishswimschool.com/east-salt-lake/ - Instagram: Goldfish American Fork Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldfish_americanfork/
Goldfish South Jordan Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldfish_southjordan/
Goldfish East Salt Lake Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/goldfish_eastsaltlake/ - Facebook: Goldfish American Fork Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldfishamericanfork/
Goldfish South Jordan Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldfishsouthjordan
Goldfish East Salt Lake Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goldfisheastsaltlake/ - Other: Goldfish East Salt Lake Phone & Email: (801) 980-0554, swimeastsaltlake@goldfishss.com
Goldfish South Jordan Phone Number & Email: (801) 997-9831, swimsouthjordan@goldfishss.com
Goldfish American Fork Phone Number & Email: (385) 269-8701, swimamericanfork@goldfishss.com
Image Credits
Goldfish Swim School
