Breaking free from the Corporate World: Robs Case Study

Rob Cruise was our second franchise to launch, way back in 2017. Since then, Rob has built the largest franchise outside of Brighton & Hove, with five holiday club venues and thirteen after school clubs across West Sussex. We asked Rob what life was like now he runs a business with a full time staff member, his own office space, branded vans and thousands of kids coming through his clubs each year.

WHAT WERE YOU DOING BEFORE THE OUTDOORS PROJECT?

I’d worked in publishing sales which I enjoyed but always wanted to be my own boss. I never saw myself working with kids at that point, but knew I wanted a change. It was only after speaking with Joel and Sam (Founders of the Outdoors Project), who inspired me to get involved. I did a few session with the Brighton team and realised I actually loved working with kids. I had always been into the outdoors, so I started to get the idea that I could combine my two passion of being outdoors and working with kids.

HOW HAS THE BUSINESS AND YOUR ROLE CHANGED SINCE YOU LAUNCHED IN 2017?

The business has changed a massive amount since I started out. Although I now make more time for management and enjoy the business side of things, getting out and running sessions is still so much fun and why I got involved in the first place.

Funnily enough though it’s some of the early experience that I’m most proud of. Like the first week I launched I ran a drop in session for Nerf battles and only one kid turned up. I refunded the mum but said to the kid he could spend the next hour firing Nerf darts at me while I ran around as a moving target. It’s a well understood principle with the Outdoors Project that no matter how many children you have with you, you  make sure they have a great time, and I think this is an extreme example of that principle. I remember laughing to myself at the time after the kid left that “the only way from here is up”.

“It’s a well understood principle with the Outdoors Project that no matter how many children you have with you, you  make sure they have a great time.”

STAFFING IS A QUESTIONS WE REGULARLY GET FROM PROSPECTIVE FRANCHISEES. HAVE YOU GOT ANY TIPS FOR THEM?

Resilience to the weather is one of the attributes I’m firstly looking for in my staff. It’s not enough to muddle through if it is raining. You need to positively embrace the bad weather and have them throw themselves into it. Kids will feed off our staffs energy and excitement, so I need individuals who can do this in all conditions.

You also need to be prepared to delegate if you want a bigger business. I have always had ambitious plans for my territory and knew that I wouldn’t be able to get there alone. I took on Kieron as my first full time member of staff in 2021, as well as taking out office space. This coincided with my daughter being born, so having Keiran and a proper office, allowed me to stap away from the business and concentrate on my family. 

NOW YOU ARE A LARGER BUSINESS WITH HIGHER TURNOVER AND MORE EXPENSES, HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE FINANCIAL RETURN FROM THE FRANCHISE?

One of the great things about this business is that there aren't many overheads, so you don’t have to take on large amounts of debt when launching or expanding, and if your clubs are busy you can make a decent living. There are period’s where you need to take on more costs – be that full time staff member, van leases or proper office space – but these are all very manageable and mean you can take that next step to building a far more substantial resilient and profitable business.

"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”

FINALLY WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE TO ANYONE THINKING ABOUT TAKING ON A FRANCHISE?

The thing I’ve loved most about taking on a franchise is that it’s given me the autonomy of running my own business but without the anxiety of trying to invent everything from scratch. If you have a tendency to worry and over-think things as I do, a franchise means easier sleeps. The business model is tried and tested and new franchises are statistically far less likely to fail than a completely new business. As long as you’re organised and trust your team, being your own boss means that you can make time for your own family/priorities in a way that works for you. If you want independence, a sense of purpose, love the outdoors, love working with kids, can hold your nerve in the early days while you’re getting established, and, crucially, can keep on smiling and playing in 6+ hours of rain and mud, this is what you need to be doing.

“A few months into my new business I personally noticed a weird warm feeling I'd never really felt before - job satisfaction!”