A. Dear
Gina:
This is a business that you cannot do with very little dollars or
zero-cost. A gym - especially for kids - would need all the safety devices
and equipments.
You need to invest in materials and equipment designed to
help protect young ones and make sure that they are not hurt. Even the
barebones fitness programs offered to toddlers by county recreation areas
have padded mats and other safety devices. Gymboree, on the other hand, has
foam slides, boats, and other fun stuff for the kids. The last thing you
want is a lawsuit from angry parents whose kids were hurt in your gym class.
I suggest you first research your market and find out what they offer.
The web has made it very easy to check on your competitors. Entrepreneur.com
has a list of franchises offering fitness programs for kids. While franchising may not be one of the options you are thinking, the site
has a listing of your competitors - check what activities they offer, go to
their websites and see how they are offering gym activities, etc.
Then develop your own plan based on three things:
- what is not currently
offered in the market that you think you can do;
- what is currently
offered but you can do better; and
- what can you realistically do based on
your resources (the more limited your resources, the more limited your
initial plan).
Your startup costs will include the venue, equipment, and possibly
personnel to help assist you in running your programs. If you will do the
business from home, be careful not to run afoul of zoning laws (read: your
neighbors should not complain). Customers will be coming and going into your
house so you need to think where the cars of your 20 or 50 students will
park at the same time!
The more you know about what you are getting into, the more informed your
decisions will be and you will have a greater chance at success.
Good luck,
Isabel Isidro
About the PowerHomeBiz.com Guide:
Isabel Isidro is the
co-founder and VP-Managing Editor of PowerHomeBiz.com, an online magazine
for home business entrepreneurs that provides guidance on starting, running
and managing a home-based business.
The opinions expressed in this column are
those of the author, not of PowerHomeBiz.com.
Users
should not treat the Guide's response as legal, accounting, or
professional advice as all answers are intended to be general in
nature. Such advice can only be properly given by qualified
professionals who are fully aware of a user's specific geographical areas or circumstances, such
as
an attorney or accountant.
