Big Blue Swim School Names New Vice President of Franchise Operations
The nation’s fastest-growing swim school looks to amplify growth with industry veteran Stacey Cooper
CHICAGO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Big Blue Swim School, one of the country’s fastest-growing franchises in the $3 billion learn-to-swim industry, announces today the addition of its new Vice President of Franchise Operations, Stacey Cooper. Cooper, who has been in the fitness, wellness, and franchise industries for over a decade, comes to Big Blue from Exos, where she was Head of Corporate Sales and worked with brands such as Amazon, Meta, Apple and more.
“At Big Blue, we are focused on providing our franchise owners with the support they need,” states Chris DeJong, Founder and President of Big Blue Swim School. “We are looking forward to Stacey joining our team and bringing her years of experience in the industry to our operations. As we continue our rapid expansion, we are always looking to support growth in our current pools, and Stacey is just the person to bring that growth to our brand.”
Before Exos, Cooper was the Vice President of Franchise Operations at GymGuyz, where she increased sales by 30% during the pandemic. Cooper was also the Franchise Business Coach for the Long Island region for Retro Fitness, managing the largest grossing region at the company with over 15 locations.
“I’m thrilled to join Big Blue Swim School and work alongside the franchisees and corporate team,” says Cooper. “The growth that Big Blue has seen over the past few years proves that their business model works, and I’m looking forward to contributing to more growth across their pools. With Big Blue’s mission to help children be healthy, active, and confident, I’m excited to be part of a company that is helping children.”
With a unique curriculum, professional swim instructors, and comfortable and convenient facilities, Big Blue saw record growth in 2022 by crossing the threshold of selling 50% of its units. In addition, multiple openings far exceeded pre-opening goals. Big Blue provided over 750,000 swim lessons to children in 2022 and is looking to double that number in 2023.
Big Blue plans to have a minimum of 380 units sold by the end of 2024 and is opening additional locations throughout the U.S., including Miami, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Boston, Charlotte, and Houston. The brand is actively seeking qualified franchise owners to develop in several other key markets nationwide, including Cincinnati, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, Portland, New York City, and Long Island. For more information on Big Blue franchising, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com.
To learn more about Big Blue Swim School, visit https://bigblueswimschool.com
ABOUT BIG BLUE
Big Blue Swim School is one of the nation’s fastest-growing swim school franchises, offering best-in-class swim lessons for kids ages three months to 12 years. The franchise was founded in 2009 by competitive swimmer Chris DeJong, and with support from Level 5 Capital Partners, now has 29 pools open across 14 states. Big Blue continues to grow through franchising and plans to have a minimum of 380 pools sold by the end of 2024. Big Blue Swim School’s real estate expertise, strong brand, proprietary technology, and leadership support, coupled with its unparalleled consumer offerings, position its franchise partners for long-term success. To learn more about franchise opportunities with Big Blue Swim School, visit http://YourBigMomentStartsHere.com.
Contacts
Kate Clay
kclay@trevelinokeller.com