Franchisee Friday - Soccer Shots
Anna Larson and her husband say that they love their Soccer Shots franchise because, "On a daily basis my local business has the privilege of providing a remarkable experience for children and their families through the game of soccer, and this is incredibly fulfilling. The Soccer Shots team, both corporate level and franchisee level represent a group of exceptional individuals who are passionate about making a difference and I feel honored to be a part of that community."
Anna sees the value of franchising in her local community, and is our #FranchiseeFriday! Find out more about Anna in our Q&A:
Q: How does your franchise participate in community outreach efforts and give back to the local community?
A: Our team does quarterly community outreach programs to give back to local organizations and causes in our community. Not only are the community outreach programs we do fantastic for team-building with the staff, but it’s an important part of our business. We’ve volunteered at organizations such as Feed My Starving Children as wellas participated in fundraisers for local preschools. Additionally, we offer scholarships to all of the schools we work with and partner with school directors in touch with the families to offer pro-bono seasons to children in underserved areas or families who may not have the financial means to enroll in the program.
Q: What steps does your franchise system and your locations personally take to promote diversity in the workplace?
A: Diversity is important to both the organization as well as to each specific location and team. At Soccer Shots, the children we work with look up to each member of our team, especially their coaches, so it’s important that we have a diverse team of role models to inspire the children both on and off the field. We want the children we serve to be able to say “I could be a leader just like my coach.” It is important for all children, no matter what gender, or background to feel inspired that this is possible.
Q: What methods do you use to improve the franchisee-franchisor relationship?
A: The Soccer Shots franchisee-franchisor is great, but like any successful relationship, is constantly a work in progress and requires effort and mutual commitment from both sides. We've been able to establish a successful relationship with the franchisor by having a clear sense of expectations, meaningful and consistent communication, opportunities to share candid thoughts and feedback with one another as well as a strong shared vision - to positively impact children.
Q: What traits do you look for when evaluating potential managers to help run one of your franchise locations?
A: We look for people who align with our mission and vision, as well as individuals who not only look at our soccer program for what it is, but for what it could be. We want our managers to be able to see the potential of the programs and more importantly, have the ability and vision to make that impact even larger. It’s important that managers care deeply about the impact we are making. Successful managers at Soccer Shots have the skill and dexterity to use their binoculars to see the big picture and their magnifying glass to be detail-oriented and are capable of knowing when which is needed.
Q: How have you used technology at your franchise to increase efficiency in your operations, and what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve solved with a technological improvement?
A: Parents are increasingly wanting more frequent communications and faster responses regarding their children’s soccer programs, and we’ve been able to meet that demand through the use of technology in our communications. By implementing technologies such as mass texting services, email lists, mail merging features and social media platforms, we’re able to communicate quickly and effectively with thousands of families each week to keep them updated on the soccer programs, coaches, etc.
For more information about franchising with Soccer Shots, click here.