MAKING A SPLASH

How mum Holly discovered the ultimate career sea change with a Jump! Swim School franchise

For 38-year-old Holly Singh, the prospect of going back to a job in hospitality, after the birth of her son Jai had lost its spark. The long, and often unpredictable hours, coupled with the challenges and responsibilities of her new young family, made the lure of a fresh new career all-the-more enticing.

During Holly’s hospitality career, she worked in hotel accommodation management, which often saw her on call 24/7.

“Even though I adored my role, where I had the opportunity to speak with lots of people and be in an industry I loved, I knew that it would be very hard to keep up with the job, as well as raise a young family.”

Once Jai was born in 2017, Holly switched to working in finance in the hospitality industry but missed the social interaction of her previous roles.

“You do often get stuck in a rut where it would have been easier to return to a job that I was good at and knew well, but it certainly did not tick all the boxes for me when it came to finding a career I could sink my teeth into and using my skillsets in a fresh environment,” she says.

Holly started to explore opportunities in areas where her passions lay.

Children and water safety had played a part in Holly’s life as a nanny in the UK and when she was teaching summer camp in the US.

“After my son was born, I decided that if I was to go back into the workforce I wanted it to be something I was passionate about and would give me a good work life balance. I had been taking my son swimming regularly and it renewed my interest in swim teaching.

“At the time, my husband owned a cafe next door to a Jump! franchise in Sydney. I popped my head in one day and thought it was such a great concept.

“It was small, intimate and purpose built for learn to swim. This prompted me to make inquiries about the business and as they say; the rest is history!”

While no stranger to long working hours, Holly has found there is more enthusiasm for her work now than in the daily grind of hospitality.

“Don’t get me wrong, the team work hard but it is different. There is a feeling of joy and satisfaction that I have every time I walk through the doors. As a parent myself, I think it is connecting with other parents where I now have this newfound authenticity in my career which I love.

“And my workday plays out so differently, especially with the franchisor †

HOLLY’S TOP FIVE TIPS FOR MUMS IN BUSINESS

1. INVEST IN YOUR STAFF!

Schedule time to train, develop and communicate with your staff. If you have a team of staff who are skilled, happy and fulfilled in their roles it is a much easier task to steer the ship towards a common goal... even when you are not there.

2. BE ORGANISED.

I spend five minutes each day writing a to-do list which keeps me on top of daily tasks and gives me a sense of satisfaction once I have achieved each thing on the list. This keeps me productive. I also make sure I use my phone's calendar and reminders for planning.

3. PRIORITISE FAMILY TIME.

We have scheduled "Mummy, Jai days" and "Family days" which we all look forward to each week.

4. DON'T BE TOO HARD ON

YOURSELF.

Being a mum and running your own business is a juggling act. And there are times when things don't go to plan. Don't dwell on mistakes, take a moment to assess the situation, ask yourself what can be done to solve the issue or what could have been done better. Apply and move on.

5. DON'T OVERCOMMIT.

Only say yes to things you know you can manage. If you are unsure if an activity, event or task will fit in with your workload / home-life balance then it's best not to commit. It will only cause stress and guilt when you can't follow through.

supporting me all the way and having such a great team. All this is a formula which allows me to spend quality time with my partner and son, with plenty of energy to give to everyone around me, including myself!”

For Holly, the intimate nature of the franchise set up is particularly appealing, and it’s backed up by a good community spirit, she says.

And she love the convenience of a family-friendly workplace.

“My son loves visiting the pool and playing with the other kids in the play area. We have built a great team at Jump! Fyshwick and we spend a lot of time on training and development so when I’m not at the facility, I know our team of staff and teachers have the same mission as I do and will carry out their duties to provide the best experience they can for our members.”

The family moved from Sydney to Canberra and while Holly’s husband continues to work in hospitality, the structure of the day allows for more family time.

With a financially sound business that continues to grow, and a better worklife balance, it’s all going swimmingly for Holly.

“Before having my son, my life was more of a catch up rather than it being controlled and manageable. Now owning a franchise, you would think life would be more chaotic, but it isn’t.

“That is the beauty of owning a franchise and being a mum. You take over the reins of a well-oiled machine and have the support of Jump! headquarters. It is the best of both worlds and a perfect dynamic for a mumpreneur!” • Mums with school age children make up 40 per cent of the current franchise owners for

JUMP! Swim Schools

• 78 per cent are owned by a female or a husband/wife duo

• The swim school offers swimming lessons to babies and children in small class sizes at 53 boutique facilities across

Australia and New Zealand.

MUM’S THE WORD

Jump! Swim Schools is raring to go in 2021 as it relaunches its franchise recruitment program and gets set to welcome new franchisees into the chain – and mums are crucial to the mix.

CEO Mark Collins says “We’re relaunching our franchising program to begin actively securing new franchisees across Australia. The time is right for innovation and further growth and we’re really excited about the coming months.

“As we look to grow our network by a further 10 sites before the end of 2021, mums are definitely a buyer group that are on our radar,” he points out.

“The format of JUMP! Swim Schools really appeals to mothers and families with kids, because the business hours can be managed around family commitments, leaving that important space for family time in the mornings and evenings. There’s not a lot of franchise options that allow that level of flexibility. “We’re expecting interest from this market to continue due to the impacts of Covid as well. Many families are considering their options moving forward and seeking out alternatives that give that level of flexibility as they re-evaluate their work-life balance and look to move away from careers that may be demanding more of their time or requiring them to start commuting to the city again.

“Feedback from our owners also shows that our franchisees get a lot of satisfaction out of the type of work that JUMP! Swim Schools involves – helping children get life-saving swim skills and working with kids and families on a daily basis is very rewarding.” n