A graduate of St Mary’s College, Marc held many positions with Young’s Market Co, including Vice President of Operations & Director of Sales before starting ROCKIN’ JUMP with his wife Shelly and friends Drew & Sue Wilson. Early in ROCKIN’ JUMP’s development, Marc oversaw the establishment of our operating procedures and personnel management style that led to our break out success as a customer service driven organization. Today, Marc is our key growth evangelist and expedites future franchisees through the process of joining our brand. He & Shelly are also parents to 4 energetic kids, so they really understand how important it is to find a place for kids to work out all of that energy.
BeTheBoss: Tell us about the Rockin’ Jump franchise concept.
Marc Collopy: While our parks share a similar format with other trampoline park concepts – a large open jump arena, dodgeball courts, slam dunk basketball and a foam pit – for us, that’s just the foundation. We’ve developed an industry leading safety training program, a superior operations system, a unique and very effective park marketing strategy, and ultimately the best business culture in our market – one focused on hospitality, guest satisfaction and fitness disguised as fun.
BTB: How and when did you become involved with Rockin’ Jump franchise?
MC: Rockin’ Jump came to be in 2010 after my wife and I took our four kids to a local trampoline park. The kids had a great time, but as parents we were underwhelmed by the service and lack of amenities for adults. But it gave us a eureka moment that has led us down the path to now owning 4 of our own parks and with over 32 franchises committed in early 2015.
BTB:What was your background prior to starting Rockin’ Jump franchise?
MC: My wife Shelly and I were both involved in the beverage distribution business, Sue Wilson was a pharmaceutical sales representative and her husband Drew was an entrepreneur – having founded a high end kitchen remodeling company and a real estate investment firm.
BTB: What are some of the advantages in being a Rockin’ Jump franchisee?
MC:
- Industry leading safety, operations, marketing and hospitality training
- Significant savings on insurance premiums as a result of being part of one of the largest trampoline park franchises in the world.
- The best business culture in the trampoline park market
- A franchisor that believes in cultivating win-win relationships with its franchisees
- Constant innovation to our brand, marketing, operations and format based on actionable experience from our own corporate park management experiences
BTB: Who is your ideal franchisee?
MC:
- An experienced business manager (corporate or entrepreneurial) with experience in Human Resources, Finance and/or Operations
- A genuine like for and interest in serving families and their children
- Someone who enjoys an active lifestyle and has a passion for providing a venue for other families to do the same
- A person who is prepared to provide amazing customer service and to cultivate a team of employees who are empowered to do the same
BTB: Tell us a little about the Trampoline Park Market.
MC: Trampoline parks are a recent and quickly growing phenomenon, originating in the USA. There are roughly 250 trampoline parks in the USA, with the majority of them having opened after 2009. There are countless independent operators and a few larger franchisors. Most parks are quite large, often exceeding 30,000 sq.ft.. Whereas Rockin’ Jump parks have proven to be quite adept at competing and succeeding in a smaller format of around 20,000 sq. ft.
Safety is a key concern for most trampoline park operators and their insurance companies. It will be interesting to see how successful independent operators can be in the coming years as insurance companies begin to favor & hold accountable franchisors and operators with proven and organized safety programs.
Trampoline parks are becoming quickly popular worldwide, with a few USA based franchisors beginning to expand internationally (ourselves included).
BTB: What are some of the greatest lessons you’ve learned in growing this franchise?
MC: It’s really important to pick the right franchisees. Just because someone has enough money to open one or more of our parks does not make them the right fit. We’re looking for people that are genuinely interested in a “partnership”. While we offer a proven and organized franchise system, we also recognize that we are going to learn from each other and that cooperation will ensure we evolve with the needs of our guests.
Ensuring our franchisees select the right location and get into fair lease agreements is essential, which is why a member of our founding team manages franchisee onboarding herself. Our entire team participates in the process of getting franchise locations open, but effective coordination from the top is key.
BTB: Do you have a mentor and is their someone you use for inspiration?
MC: Honestly, I view my partners and my entire corporate team as mentors. We have so much to learn from each other and as long as we keep communicating effectively with each other and our franchisees, we’ll continually be inspired. That being said, I’ve met a number of other franchise founders in the fitness and family entertainment sectors and find my ongoing conversations with them to help me set realistic goals for our company.
BTB: What advice do you have for someone looking to acquire a franchise?
MC: Buying into a franchise isn’t just about how much money you can make. If you really don’t get excited about the business, you’re likely to be miserable and not successful. Choose your partners wisely. Sometimes your best friend or sibling is better off as just your best friend or sibling.
BTB: In your opinion, why do you think that Rockin’ Jump would be a great opportunity for someone?
MC: I’d like to think that this question has been covered by my previous responses. Ultimately, if you are a driven, family & fitness oriented individual that is prepared to run a very fun and community focused business, then Rockin’ Jump deserves a serious look.
