Susan and Barrett Wainscott faced plenty of challenges as the owners of a small business, but their new adventure as franchisors will require an all new skill set as executives of a growing company with many moving parts. Now that they are selling franchises of their Swimtastic Swim Schools, the Wainscotts need to act as mentors to franchisees and develop new growth strategies. The Wainscotts recently turned to Tom Palzewicz, co-owner of Action International, a business coaching company in Elm Grove, for advice as they make the transformation.
Palzewicz is helping them to launch and grow the new side of the Swimtastic business, and Susan is making the transition from business owner to chief executive officer. With Action International, the Wainscotts are setting personal and business goals for themselves, Palzewicz said. Susan and Barrett have set a two-year goal for Swimtastic Corp., and they have broken that goal down to a smaller goal of what they want to achieve in the next year. Swimtastic also created a 90-day business plan to jump-start work toward the one-year and two-year goals, Palzewicz said. Swimtastic Corp.’s goals are to increase the profits of their two corporate-owned schools in Waukesha and Menasha, increase the number of corporate-owned schools and increase the profits for their franchisees, Susan and Barrett said.
"The 90-day business plan focuses on what you can change in your business," Palzewicz said. "I bring the additional tools needed to accomplish those changes." Action International is a business coaching franchise based in Las Vegas. Palzewicz and his brother, Jim, own the office in Elm Grove. Action International breaks down business goals and challenges into six steps for having a results-oriented business, Palzewicz said. The six steps in business, from beginning to end, are: mastery, niche, leverage, team, synergy and results. To move to the next level, a business owner must master the one before it. Business owners may find that when they come to Action International, they technically are in the leverage stage. However, they may have skipped the niche stage, Palzewicz said.
Susan and Barrett have reached the results stage for their corporate-owned Swimtastic Swim Schools. "We were at the results stage but are now back at square one with the franchising side of the business," Susan said. "We did not realize the transitioning that needed to take place, and Tom has allowed us to gain a new perspective. We are now focusing on our business instead of in it." Susan and Barrett have consulted many industry experts and franchise consultants since they opened their first Swimtastic Swim School in Waukesha in 1999. But they had never worked with a business coach before.
"It is a valuable asset to have a business coach that works with any stage business and takes it to the next level," Susan said. As entrepreneurs, Susan and Barrett had no source of accountability or motivation beyond themselves, Barrett said. And they can now serve as that source for their franchisees, he said. The first hurdle Palzewicz helped them jump over was the creation of a mission and vision statement that reaches both potential franchisees of Swimtastic Corp. and potential customers of Swimtastic Swim Schools, Susan said. "The biggest thing to start with is the vision and mission culture," Palzewicz said. "It is difficult to do. It is hard to know what you are trying to accomplish in life." Swimtastic’s mission statement is: "To teach the world to swim by integrating methods and standards created for everyone to experience success."
