Q & A with OTA Denver Franchisee
Take a look at Spencer Burrows (OTA Denver Franchise Owner) has to say about Overtime Athletics:
What would you say you enjoy most about being a business owner with OTA? Besides the fact that I get to spend a lot of time with my family since I work from home, I have never felt more fulfilled in any job I have ever had. On the rare opportunity I get to teach a class and it’s always one of my best days of the week as the kids always brighten up my day. At the sametime I am so blessed to be in a type of business where I can make money but also offer free programming to students who are truly in need and give back to the less fortunate.
What are some specific ways that the corporate team has helped support you? I’m not sure this paper is long enough: From the constant help from Chris Whelan RE: HUB (OTA Proprietary Software), sales, technology, and paperwork involved in setting up the business. As well as the invaluable HR advice I received from Chris Horich, there has never been an issue I couldn’t come to them with and have resolved in a timely manner. The support however doesn’t end there, Chris Whelan’s father David is an invaluable resource for accounting and has helped me on multiple occasions whenever I have questions.
What kind of person do you think it takes to be successful as an OTA Franchisee? I believe in order to be successful in this business it requires you to be organized, dedicated, determined, and passionate about helping kids grow not only as athletes but as people. It also requires patience and constant vigilance when it comes to addressing issues and hiring. Finally, I believe you have to be someone that is willing to roll up your sleeves and really do the work and go after it.
What does your typical day look like now? My days are generally spent up early in the morning with my son emailing current and possible partners to check in on programs and how they’re doing as well as trying to bring new schools into our territory. From there I spend the rest of the morning checking in with instructors to make sure that not only are they good to go for the day, but to make sure everything is going well and to address any concerns they may have. In the afternoon I am typically researching camp locations and competition in the area to make sure at the very least we are at every school they are. In the late afternoons I typically try to visit a few Schools unannounced to check in however I teach a class once a week to give my brain a little break from the strictly business side of things and because I truly love instructing the classes. After the classes end for the day I am typically back home and brainstorming and researching advertising/marketing options both locally and on the web. All this while sprinkling in dashes of interviewing potential instructors, scheduling classes, and running payroll.
How do you feel about the future of the brand? I am beyond excited for the future of this company. I would say that the sky is the limit, but I am not sure even the sky could stop the potential growth I see for this company. With 9 Franchisees already (in 1 year), this is a market that is pretty much never going to dry up. If I had to stake my families future in this company (Which I essentially did) I would never feel more comfortable than I would about that decision. I have seen the potential growth firsthand in Colorado as we have nearly doubled the amount of programs running since January. So to summarize I would say that I am thrilled to see what the future holds and believe wholeheartedly that it will be amazing.
