Franchisee Steve Cox discusses the rewards of i9 Sports franchise ownership
After a decade with our company, i9 Sports franchisee Steve Cox can’t imagine doing anything else. He loves everything his i9 Sports franchise offers: work-life balance, being his own boss and the ability to make more money now than in his previous career in the corporate world.
“I was in sales management for a Fortune 500 company, and I hated it,” Steve says. “I had an interest in starting a business for a long time. When I found i9 Sports, their message resonated with me. Of the hundreds of franchises my wife and I looked at, we felt that i9 Sports best met our criteria and had our best interests at heart. Not all franchisors do that, by any means.”
Steve has two franchises now: one in Columbus, Ohio, and the other in Silver Spring, Maryland. He says that sports-minded entrepreneurs make great i9 Sports franchise owners. “You need basic marketing, sales and customer service skills and you need the ability to manage people,” Steve says. “You should be organized, comfortable with technology and able to follow systems. You do need a bit of business acumen; you need to understand how business works and how to run a business effectively.”
The rewards of i9 Sports franchise ownership are numerous for Steve. Among them are going to work everyday in a tee shirt and shorts: “You can’t beat the lifestyle,” Steve says. He also notes that watching his business grow, especially in its impact within the community has been awesome. “We’ve gone from being a tiny player to becoming the dominant player in our community. It’s also been neat to see other sports organizations in our community adopt some of our philosophies, which means we’re having a positive impact.”
Another reward of i9 Sports franchise ownership is working a business that is easily scalable and may provide a path to early retirement. He says, “This business isn’t like a Subway where you have to keep buying more Subways in order to grow. You can have huge growth in what you already have. You can take one territory and expand and grow it by adding new sports and new locations. i9 Sports is much different than a traditional franchise in that way.”
“My goal is to retire early — within the next 10 to 12 years. We have been blessed with a lot of success so far. We are one of the top franchises, and we want to continue that success until we retire.”
Steve recommends i9 Sports franchise ownership to anyone who feels that business ownership is right for them: “If your skills line up, there’s not a better business to run! In my mind, you can’t go wrong with it. It’s been life-changing for me.”
Now is the time to join i9 Sports franchise
i9 Sports is the nation’s first and largest youth sports league franchise that offers flag football, soccer, baseball and basketball to children between the ages of 3 and 14. i9 Sports provides a youth sports experience unlike any other by teaching the importance of good sportsmanship on the field and in life. With convenient, flexible hours that translate into an enviable work/life balance, and no real estate or large upfront inventory requirements, i9 Sports is a compelling low-investment franchise opportunity with an attractive profit potential. Our long-term vision is to become the undisputed leader in recreational youth activities worldwide by delivering a superior and extraordinary customer experience.
Learn more about the i9 Sports franchise opportunity
We are seeking qualified candidates to become i9 Sports franchise owners. Download our free report to start a conversation with us today!
