A healthy lifestyle from birth – this is what mothers are guided by when they come with their children to the pool for babies . On the Internet, you can often find videos with swims of little ones, from which it is impossible to take your eyes off. Of course, they teach newborns to swim not for the sake of interesting videos, but for the sake of an affordable way to improve their health and join in hardening.
So, after the birth of a child, parents plunge into the search for a suitable early swimming center and are faced with a rather meager choice. In our country, the popularity of early childhood development keeps pace with the times, but the infrastructure for organizing such classes is noticeably behind. After all, it takes money to create it. If you have free capital and a desire to start your own business, pay attention to this niche.
Baby pool business features
A children’s pool is a profitable business in terms of promoting children’s health. This area is for those to whom not only income is important, but also benefits. There is a shortage of swimming pools in both large and small cities. Every year the demand for swimming lessons is growing . As for specialized pools for babies, there is no choice at all. Built over the past three decades, the complexes are aimed at serving adults and older children. It is not safe for mothers with newborn babies to be in such pools.
When developing a business model for an early swimming center, the main thing to keep in mind is future visitors, mothers with children from birth to six months. So that their stay in the pool in the first place was safe. Secondly, it brought pleasure and benefit. Based on this, you should consider the main criteria when starting a business:
- purchase of specialized equipment to maintain proper water quality (be free of chlorine)
- attracting professional instructors to work with young children
- arrangement of premises for a comfortable stay with newborn children (toilets, changing rooms)
- elaboration of pricing policy (accessibility for young families)
Do not forget that by opening the pool for babies, the circle of potential visitors will be quite narrowed. Preschoolers who have not yet grown up to adult pools are also a fairly large number of consumers of your services. They need a bigger pool with lanes. Therefore, if possible, it is better to invest in opening a children’s pool for different age groups . Children with problems in the functioning of the musculoskeletal system can be brought to classes. In complex therapy, they are often recommended to visit the pool.
How to open a baby pool – step by step instructions
An idea for a business is already half the battle. The second half is market analysis and planning. The segment of services for teaching swimming and infant swimming is considered to be developing and gaining momentum. Study competitors in your city , analyze their location and the flow of visitors. It will not be bad to use their services and see how the business is organized from the inside.
The main steps in the “children’s pool” project
- Finding a suitable room
- Repair work
- Buying or building the pool itself
- Selection and installation of specialized equipment
- Passing inspections by various state authorities (fire safety service, sanitary and epidemiological service and others)
- Search for administrative staff and instructors for classes
- Launch of an advertising company
- Website development
Pool room
The choice of premises for the pool is a top priority . The size of a suitable room depends on the direction chosen, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to accommodate in an area of less than 50 square meters . A good option would be a non-residential building in a densely populated area of the city. There are three options that can be considered:
- room rental
- construction of a swimming pool building
- leasing
The rental option will be less expensive at the stage of starting a business. The main thing to remember here is that opening a pool is a long-term investment. You must be sure that your contractual relationship with the landlord will be established for a long time.
The construction of a building under the pool is the best solution in the long term. However, it entails significant cash investments at the initial stage. Construction can delay the launch of a business for a year, or even more.
The essence of leasing is that after the repayment of all lease payments, the property can be registered as a property. For a long-term business, this can be a great solution.
Paperwork
After you study the main issues that will have to be addressed in the course of organizing a business and make the final decision to start your own business, the stage of paperwork will begin .
To get started you need:
- decide on the form of a legal entity and apply for registration with the tax service.
- To study the regulatory documents that will regulate the activities of the company.
- Get permission to work in the Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture.
Construction of a children’s pool
If your direction is baby swimming , it is possible to purchase a frame pool or ready-made swimming bowls. If you decide that the complex will have a large swimming pool, you will have to build it from scratch.
The search for responsible contractors is not an easy task, it is better to pay due attention to this moment, long deadlines and poor-quality work will add a headache. Pay special attention to the strengthening of load-bearing structures, installation of pipelines and water treatment systems.
Water treatment will be a significant expenditure part of the budget , but it is not worth saving on it. From the equipment you will need: pumps for water circulation, sand filters, electric heaters, stations for regulating and pumping chlorine and more. Choose equipment that will meet all necessary standards and regulations.
Arrangement of a children’s pool
Small children will visit the pool accompanied by their parents. Together they will assess the atmosphere of your center . Creating a cozy and friendly environment is best done together with designers. Take care of comfortable showers, changing rooms and waiting areas. You can’t do without playpens and changing tables.
To maintain a comfortable temperature in children’s pools, specialized systems are used for heating and dehumidifying the air. Cleaning will be done by ultraviolet lamps for disinfection.
To make the complex popular with children, you can install water slides.
Staff at the early swim center
To a large extent, the success of any business depends on the staff. Specialists with medical education are best suited to work with infants . They know the body structure and characteristics of newborns. In emergency situations, they can provide first aid. The main task in their classes is not to teach them to swim, but to strengthen the body with the help of water gymnastics and diving.
For training with preschoolers, give preference to trainers who have experience working with children.
In addition to trainers, the complex needs employees who will ensure its smooth operation. These are administrators, cleaners, a technical specialist, an accountant.
Advertising and marketing
The task of marketing is to determine the target audience and satisfy its request. Your main clients will be women aged 22 to 40 who are preparing to become mothers or who already have children of preschool age and children of early school age. These are mothers who prefer a healthy and active lifestyle.
To develop a good customer base, you need to spread the word. In the modern world, social networks and parent forums are a good platform for attracting customers. On interactive maps, your complex should be reflected as a place for children to study and develop.
Do not forget about street advertising , signs and additional signs should be visible and attract attention.
You can search for clients by distributing leaflets in children’s clinics, antenatal clinics, kindergartens and schools.
Look for partners among children’s entertainment centers, children’s party studios, children’s clothing stores, etc.
Financial investments and their payback
To start such a business, you must have an amount in excess of two million rubles and a well-developed business plan.
Main items of expenditure:
- Repair of the premises with laying communications (from 1 million rubles)
- Equipment and installation costs (up to 2 million rubles)
- Advertising company (100-200 thousand rubles)
It is difficult to name the exact amount of monthly expenses, but it will clearly exceed 300 thousand rubles:
- Rent and utility payments
- Tax payments
- Employee salary
- Maintenance of the complex
If there is not enough equity capital, you can attract investors, or consider bank lending programs.
It should be borne in mind that in the first six months you will have to work in the red until the water complex is fully loaded. Based on the experience of working pools, with proper management and involvement in your business, you can reach a profit during the year. Most likely it will not exceed two hundred thousand.
In the field of development of kids, they come not for high profits, but for the realization of ambitions and creative ideas. Although there are growth prospects in any area. You can always analyze and diversify the services provided. For example, install additional swimming bowls, add a group of “water gymnastics for pregnant women”, children’s massage.
Will it make it easier to enter the market to purchase a franchise to open a children’s pool
? For a specific amount, business owners will talk about the way the business develops.
But keep in mind that not everyone is thorough in their work. Often neglect the quality of finishes and equipment, the level of service. An implemented project, for example, in St. Petersburg, will not always be successful in another area. Therefore, it is better to delve into the study of a niche in your region.
What risks should be taken into account
For those who are just going to become a businessman, you need to remember that owning a business is a series of ups and downs.
Repair work may be delayed , and all planned opening dates will be disrupted. During repairs, the cost of the work performed often increases. In addition, no one is immune from errors in the calculation of costs and from changes in financial conditions (increase in utility bills, growth in rental rates).
The more complex the equipment, the more likely it is to fail. A good instructor, in whose training funds have been invested, may quit.
To reduce risks , it is necessary to control the quality of work at each stage and try to create a friendly atmosphere for both employees and visitors.
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