What do our Franchisee’s say about us?
ROWAN HIBBETT – BRISTOL FRANCHISEE
"After some amazing adventures & time working around the world in the adventure industry and working in the UK with a children charity for many years The Outdoors Project set a new challenge for me. Fast forward a few years and I find myself the Franchise owner for The Outdoors Project Bristol.
I have found buying a franchise a huge benefit, as so much of the ground work has been done for me, enabling me to start up the business quickly and start earning money without having to go through lengthy and costly trials and errors.
All procedures, branding, systems and paperwork were all in place so that when I started it, I really hit the ground running and had 5 full clubs within the first month of trading; with all staff having uniforms, schools having brochures and very thorough paperwork in place.
Starting up, I had a lot of involvement from the Franchiser, including a multiday visit of the premises and a visit both to my own premises and a visit from myself to the franchiser.
Going forwards I get a lot of support and advice on best practices and marketing. I get gently nudged in the right direction but am free to choose how to run my operation and in what direction"
ROB CRUISE, WEST SUSSEX FRANCHISEE
“When I learnt more about The Outdoors Project I could see that it worked, and although I didn't create the business it is completely aligned with my own values. By building my own team and customer relationships, my franchise has become my own. One of the great things about this business is that there aren't many overheads, you don't have to take on large amounts of debt, and if your clubs are busy you can make a decent living quite quickly.
The support is there when I want it, they know most of what works and where to focus, but autonomy is really important too and I definitely have that. When I read all the amazing parent reviews and hear the children talking with such affection about the team that I've built it's an amazing feeling. A few months in I noticed a weird warm feeling I'd never really felt before - job satisfaction."
ANTHEA DALY, LEWES DISTRICT FRANCHISEE
Life before becoming an Outdoors Project franchisee was tough and relentless, 3 children under the age of 6, 2 parents working full time and both commuting 4 hours a day from Brighton to London. When my youngest children started school it quickly became clear that our current work/life balance just wasn’t sustainable, my children needed me around more and I felt guilty not being there so we took a family decision that I would quit my job and do something different that enabled the ‘holy grail’ of being around for my children whilst also having a successful and rewarding career.
Right from the start I believed in the brand and the proposition, it seemed like no other clubs offered anything like it and I was able to see first hand how much the children enjoyed it. I started working some of the clubs to build my confidence and I soon realised that it wasn’t a scary as it seemed.
The sessions and activities are so well planned, tested and organised that you don’t need to be children’s entertainer to deliver them. With only 3 weeks to find a venue, recruit and train a team, buy all the kit and navigate COVID procedures, I was up against it. However, with the support of HQ we got the clubs on sale within 24hrs of deciding to go ahead and by the time I ran my first club in mid July most of our clubs were full.
I couldn’t have asked for a better start to my franchise journey: great location, awesome team, fabulous weather, brilliant activities, all made better with a great bunch kids and parents. One thing I hadn’t accounted for when making my decision was the sense of achievement I felt when I knew I’d had an impact on a child.
There are lots kids out there that need a bit of extra help and it was an amazing feeling to see them developing with the help from me and my team. I am confident I have a business that can roll with the punches and still deliver a much needed service for children and parents.
The Outdoors Project has various revenue streams such as After School Clubs, Holiday Clubs, Birthday Parties, School Workshops & Parent Toddler Group and events, we have a solid business model ready to share and if you believe that this could be the opportunity that you have been looking for we would love to hear from you whatever your previous career background.
