Ep#300 Helping Australian Kids Get Active (ft. Kim O’Donnell, Director/Owner of Gecko Sports)
Today on Eden Exchanges, our Digital Marketing Account Manager, Kirstie Dinning, spoke with Kim O’Donnell, the Founder of Gecko Sports.
Listen as Kim shares some insights into her background and what led her to become a franchisee with Gecko Sports, a crazy six-month period where Kim went from a dual franchisee owner to buying the national company outright, what’s spurred the success of Gecko Sports in the industry, an exciting franchise opportunity available now, what the future holds for the Gecko Sports franchise, why the brand shows no signs of slowing down and much more.
Tune in now to check it out.
Discussion Points
- What led to Gecko Sports
Kim shares some insights into her background working in the corporate sector before a surprise redundancy sparked an opportunity to think about what she wanted to do next. - From a thought to so much more
With time on her side, Kim started looking for career opportunities that were more fulfilling and gave back to the community, and that’s what led to Kim discovering Gecko Sports. - Franchisee to franchisor in six months
Kim shares her journey with Gecko Sports and how it began as a dual territory owner. However, after just six months and some incredible successes, Kim decided to purchase the national company. - Point-of-difference in the market.
Kim unpacks the differences between Gecko Sports and other franchises in the market, and how having 18 sport-themed fitness programs specifically for primary school-aged kids has been key to their success. - Flagship franchise opportunity
Kim talks about the exciting opportunity available now to own Gecko Sports’ flagship location in Bayside, Victoria. - The perfect franchisee
From being passionate about sports and working with kids to someone motivated and committed to growing something of their own, Kim outlines what the perfect franchisee looks like to take over the Bayside location. - A day in the life of a franchisee
From working with schools, sports clubs, local councils and more to responding to customer enquiries, managing a team of coaches and marketing the business, discover what a typical day looks like for a franchisee. - Limitless potential
Kim dives deeper into potential revenue and business opportunities that many might not consider such as running programs within school times over several weeks, running holiday programs to keep kids active, and so much more, there’s potential for a franchisee to run their business 52 weeks of the year – but the choice is theirs. - Comprehensive training and support
Kim talks about the ongoing training and support each Gecko Sports franchisee has right from the start, which includes a ‘business in a box’ and a tried and tested recipe for success. This includes annual franchisee conferences, complete with sports training, that are held at the AIS. - Before becoming a franchisee
Kim outlines that becoming a Gecko Sports franchisee is a two-way street, and the franchisor and franchisee need to be in sync from the start. As part of this, Kim talks about the onboarding process and what it looks like to ensure it’s a perfect match on both sides. - What the future holds for Gecko Sports
Kim talks about the significant growth the brand has experienced since moving from parent-based paid programs to including more programs for businesses and entities. She also touches on the “Golden Ticket” of ever-increasing school funding which allows franchisees to walk right in and develop long-lasting relationships. - Bayside is primed and ready
Before signing off, Kim recaps the availability of the Bayside franchise, which also includes the Caulfield site, how it was built up by Kim herself but now needs someone more hands-on to grow it even further.
Want to learn more? You can discover how to become a Gecko Sports franchisee by clicking the Jotform link here!
