The Little Gym

Established The Little Gym Owner and Longtime Gym Director Team Up to Grow Brand in New Jersey

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, February 29, 2024

DALLAS, Feb. 29, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Little Gym International, the world's premier enrichment and physical development center for children ages four months through 12 and part of the youth enrichment growth-focused platform Unleashed Brands, has signed a new franchise agreement to expand the brand's presence in New Jersey with existing franchisee Danielle Sporcic and local Gym Director Catherine Christ. The duo has diverse personal and professional backgrounds and say they are eager to expand a brand they believe in to more families in New Jersey. The new gym is slated to open Fall 2024 in the lower level of the Florham Village Center at 187 Columbia Turnpike in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Key Points: 
  • She has been the director of The Little Gym Montclair since 2007.
  • Sporcic was inspired as a mom to open The Little Gym franchise in Jersey City, New Jersey in 2018.
  • "The joy and positive impact we've seen in Jersey City drives my excitement to bring the magic of The Little Gym to Florham Park.
  • To learn more about how you can become a The Little Gym owner visit www.TheLittleGymFranchise.com/ .

UNLEASHED BRANDS ANNOUNCES ACQUISITION OF SYLVAN LEARNING

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 20, 2024

DALLAS, Feb. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the world's first Youth Enrichment Platform that provides a safe, fun and enriching environments to help kids learn, play and grow, today announced it has made a strategic investment in the acquisition of Sylvan Learning, the leading provider of supplemental and enrichment education for K-12 students with more than 500 franchised locations. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.

Key Points: 
  • "The acquisition of Sylvan Learning is the sixth strategic acquisition Unleashed Brands is making into the youth enrichment market, further expanding our reach into the education segment.
  • The addition of Sylvan Learning aligns perfectly with Unleashed Brands' goal to provide top-notch opportunities to help kids learn, play and grow from birth until they leave the home and go to college or the working world," said Michael Browning, Founder and CEO of Unleashed Brands.
  • "Unleashed Brands' mission and goals for growth align perfectly with what we're looking to achieve for Sylvan Learning and, based on its past success in growing complementary portfolio brands, I'm confident we'll be able to do the same, reaching even more students and allowing them to achieve their goals for a brighter future," said John McAuliffe, CEO of Sylvan Learning.
  • Unleashed Brands will function as the parent company of Sylvan Learning, as it does for its other brands including Class 101, XP League, Premier Martial Arts, Snapology, The Little Gym and Urban Air Adventure Park.

Three Unleashed Brands Companies Earn Coveted Spots on Entrepreneur's Franchise 500® Ranking

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 16, 2024

DALLAS, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform, has three of its brands Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym and Snapology, ranked in the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500®, the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.

Key Points: 
  • DALLAS, Jan. 16, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands , the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform, has three of its brands Urban Air Adventure Park , The Little Gym and Snapology , ranked in the top 500 franchises in Entrepreneur 's Franchise 500® , the world's first, best and most comprehensive franchise ranking.
  • Unleashed Brands' large presence on the ranking is a testament to its impact in the franchise industry.
  • "Seeing three of our brands on this list is a testament to the strength of these franchise opportunities," said Josh Wall, Chief Growth Officer of Unleashed Brands.
  • In 2023, Unleashed Brands signed 208 new franchise agreements and opened more than 100 new units nationwide.

Unleashed Brands Fortifies Development Capabilities with Three Strategic New Hires

Retrieved on: 
Monday, December 18, 2023

DALLAS, Dec. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform, has hired three retail industry experts to serve in new leadership roles on the development team. The strategic hires are a testament to Unleashed Brands' commitment to bringing on in-house subject matter experts for all phases of the development process to help franchisees.

Key Points: 
  • The strategic hires are a testament to Unleashed Brands' commitment to bringing on in-house subject matter experts for all phases of the development process to help franchisees.
  • His tenure at distinguished companies like Starbucks and YUM Brands highlights his prowess in driving innovative design and engineering strategies, now leading Unleashed Brands' Store Development team.
  • As Head of Attractions focused on Urban Air, his expertise will enhance park experiences within Unleashed Brands' portfolio.
  • "We've strategically brought on board subject matter experts for all phases of the development process," said Ryan Slemons, Chief Development Officer for Unleashed Brands.

This Week in Sports News: 10 Stories You Need to See

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 17, 2023

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire. To help journalists covering the sports industry stay on top of the week's most newsworthy and popular releases, here's a roundup of stories from the week that shouldn't be missed.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- With thousands of press releases published each week, it can be difficult to keep up with everything on PR Newswire.
  • The list below includes the headline (with a link to the full text) and an excerpt from each story.
  • Click on the press release headlines to access accompanying multimedia assets that are available for download.
  • Subject Matter Experts: Access ProfNet , a database of industry experts to connect with as sources or for quotes in your articles.

Unleashed Brands Offers U.S. Center for SafeSport Abuse Prevention Training to Prioritize Child Safety Across Youth Enrichment Franchises Nationwide

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

DALLAS, Nov. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform company, is launching an online training initiative using educational content created by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the nation's leader in sport abuse prevention. The collaboration will provide standardized abuse awareness and prevention training throughout all Unleashed Brands' franchise locations, including Urban Air Adventure Park, The Little Gym, Snapology, Class 101, Premier Martial Arts and XP League. Through this training, Unleashed Brands further demonstrates its commitment to ensuring children learn, play, and grow safely across every program.

Key Points: 
  • Through this training, Unleashed Brands further demonstrates its commitment to ensuring children learn, play, and grow safely across every program.
  • Unleashed Brands and the Center will make available comprehensive abuse prevention training courses for all franchises and their employees beginning this month.
  • "The U.S. Center for SafeSport provides critical abuse prevention education that's data-informed and rooted in prevention practices that work," Ju'Riese Colón, CEO, U.S. Center for SafeSport said.
  • "We commend Unleashed Brands for its commitment to proactively educating its team about child safety by opting into our training program."

Unleashed Brands Honors Franchisees at Annual Conference

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, November 9, 2023

DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands, the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform, recently recognized the achievements of more than two dozen franchisees across category-leading brands Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology, The Little Gym, XP League, Class 101 and Premier Martial Arts at the company's annual franchisee conference in Hollywood, CA.

Key Points: 
  • DALLAS, Nov. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands , the world's first youth enrichment franchise platform, recently recognized the achievements of more than two dozen franchisees across category-leading brands Urban Air Adventure Park, Snapology , The Little Gym , XP League , Class 101 and Premier Martial Arts at the company's annual franchisee conference in Hollywood, CA.
  • The event connected franchisees from across the brands with more than 1,000 people in attendance.
  • The conference was centered on team building and workshops aimed to inspire and help franchisees grow their businesses.
  • The conference also marked the official debut of the Unleashed Brands Foundation , the charitable arm of Unleashed Brands committed to empowering at-risk youth and providing resources needed to successfully transition to adulthood through education, financial support and in-person volunteerism efforts.

Instructor Turned Multi-Unit Franchise Owner with The Little Gym Expansion

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 26, 2023

DALLAS, Oct. 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The Little Gym International, the world's premier enrichment and physical development center for children ages four months through 12 and part of the youth enrichment growth-focused platform Unleashed Brands, has signed a new franchise agreement with Celeste Jauregui to open a gym in Hollister, California early next year. This new deal marks Jauregui's expansion as a multi-unit franchise owner in the San Jose, CA market, adding to her existing gym in Steven's Creek. At only 25 years old, Jauregui embodies a new wave of young franchisees fueled by a passion for the gym's mission to help children master the physical, emotional and life skills they'll need for tomorrow, today.

Key Points: 
  • This new deal marks Jauregui's expansion as a multi-unit franchise owner in the San Jose, CA market, adding to her existing gym in Steven's Creek.
  • Jauregui's journey with The Little Gym began as a part-time dance instructor at the Morgan Hill location in 2016.
  • "The Little Gym is not just a business; it's a passion for me," said Jauregui.
  • To learn more about how you can become a The Little Gym owner visit www.TheLittleGymFranchise.com/ .

UNLEASHED BRANDS LAUNCHES FOUNDATION TO EMPOWER AT-RISK YOUTH

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, October 18, 2023

DALLAS, Oct. 18, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Unleashed Brands today announced the launch of the Unleashed Brands Foundation, an organization that's committed to empowering at-risk youth and providing them with the resources needed to successfully transition to adulthood through education, financial support and in-person volunteerism efforts. Michael Browning founded Unleashed Brands to positively impact the lives of every kid by providing fun, engaging and inspiring experiences that help them become who they're destined to be – and this same mission of helping youth achieve greatness is the reason why Browning and his wife, Melissa, started the Foundation. The Foundation serves as an overarching platform to deepen Unleashed Brands' investment in helping youth reach their full potential through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations.

Key Points: 
  • The Foundation serves as an overarching platform to deepen Unleashed Brands' investment in helping youth reach their full potential through strategic partnerships with like-minded organizations.
  • As part of the launch, the Unleashed Brands Foundation and The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society are working together to donate 40,000 pairs of grippy socks this year to youth undergoing treatments for leukemia and lymphoma.
  • This partnership, along with the others, are a first of many as the Unleashed Brands Foundation seeks grant-giving opportunities with organizations nationwide that have a similar mission of helping youth and their families.
  • For more information on the Unleashed Brands Foundation, visit InvestInKids.org .

Child's Play Turned Legal Battle: U.S. Children's Gym Owners Take on Unleashed Brands

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 5, 2023

JACKSONVILLE, N.C., Oct. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Owners of more than 50 children's gyms across the United States have taken individual legal action against Unleashed Brands, contending the private-equity backed parent company that assumed ownership in 2021 is imposing "damaging changes" on the franchise businesses in violation of existing franchise agreements.

Key Points: 
  • Franchisees who are part of the legal action against Unleashed Brands say they have been compelled to unite in order to protect their small businesses and preserve the cultural legacy of The Little Gym.
  • In July 2021, Unleashed Brands acquired franchisor The Little Gym International as part of a strategy set forth by Unleashed Brands founder Michael Browning to transform his company into a diverse portfolio of youth-focused active brands.
  • "With tickets to Unleashed Brand's help desk often going unanswered for one to two weeks, these owners are understandably extremely frustrated."
  • "Unleashed Brands' actions jeopardize not only our livelihoods but the well-being of our customers who rely on us."