In April 2025, Tony Hickombottom and his wife, Kendele, opened The Little Gym franchise in Naperville, Illinois, bringing the development-focused children’s fitness brand, part of youth enrichment platform Unleashed Brands, to the market for the first time. For Tony, it was the realization of a dream that took root long before he ever worked in franchising.
Tony knew he wanted to be a franchisee, even as a kid. Growing up, he went to school with kids whose families owned a McDonald’s and had relatives who owned a few franchises. At the time, of course, he didn’t fully understand the world of franchising; simply having a front-row seat to franchise ownership planted a seed. While still deciding his career choice, Tony entered graduate school at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. As it happened, the Jimmy John’s sandwich chain was headquartered in Champaign. At the encouragement of one of his professors, he connected with the company, which ultimately led to an opportunity to work closely with the president and CEO for several years.
After his time at Jimmy John’s and a move to Atlanta, he found himself in franchising again, this time with Kids ‘R’ Kids, an early childhood education and childcare center franchise. Tony shared with BLACK ENTERPRISE, “What’s interesting is that, despite my early fascination with franchising, neither opportunity was something I
deliberately pursued. In many ways, my career took me into the industry rather than the other way around. But looking back, it almost feels like the universe kept pulling me toward franchising, eventually bringing me full circle to becoming a franchisee myself.”The couple discovered The Little Gym in Atlanta as parents, enrolling their two kids and seeing firsthand the impact on their physical, cognitive, and social development, beyond just getting energy out. When a move brought them home to the Chicago area, they noticed nothing like it nearby.
Tony saw an opportunity to fulfill his dream of franchise ownership with an established brand like The Little Gym, bringing the 50-year-old brand to his hometown for the first time. It also fit his and Kendele’s combined experience in the children’s space: Kendele managed marketing partnerships at Boys & Girls Clubs of America and currently runs a nonprofit supporting first-generation, low-income college students through mentoring technology.
The couple entered franchise ownership with a unique perspective, with Tony having spent years on the franchisor side of the business. As he explains, “I understand how challenging it can be to balance the needs and expectations of many different stakeholders, particularly franchisees. I’ve been in rooms where decisions about the direction of a brand are discussed and ultimately made, so I have a good understanding of how and why those decisions happen, recognizing, of course, that every franchise system operates differently.”
With his years of experience on the franchisor side of the industry, Tony understands that one of a franchisor’s most important responsibilities is to support its franchisees and help position them for success. “Over the years, I had the opportunity to observe a wide range of franchisees, some incredibly successful and others who struggled. I observed the characteristics, habits, and approaches that often separated the two.” While he recognizes the experience is different when you’re the one operating the business, he’s tried to take everything he learned from those years on the franchisor side, including franchisee performance, and apply those lessons to his own journey as an owner.
The Hickombottoms’ first year owning the franchise was exciting, rewarding, eye-opening, and, as with many first-time business owners, more challenging than anticipated. On one hand, Tony was finally realizing a dream he had had since childhood. On the other, he was learning just how much goes into building and operating a business, even one part of an established franchise system.
“One of our biggest challenges was building brand awareness. We were the first The Little Gym location in our immediate market, and while the brand has been around for 50 years, many families in our area weren’t familiar
with it. We quickly realized that we needed to spend considerable time not only introducing ourselves to the community but also educating families on what The Little Gym is, what we offer, and how we’re different.”Marketing is an ongoing effort, so they make time to participate in community events, have events at their gym, partner with local organizations, and advertise through neighborhood and homeowners’ associations.
The hard work is paying off, and Tony credits their biggest win as the community they’ve built. “We have some wonderful families who have embraced us, supported us, and made this journey incredibly rewarding. Seeing kids come through our doors each week, watching their progress and getting to know their families has been one of the most fulfilling parts of ownership.”
With experience on both sides of franchising, Tony encourages anyone interested in franchising to pursue it, but to do so with eyes wide open. Do your homework. Research the brand, talk to existing franchisees, and really try to understand what you’re getting into, both financially and operationally. And don’t just talk to the most successful franchisees. Try to understand the experiences of those who have struggled, too.
“I also think it’s incredibly important to be honest with yourself about the role you want to play in the business. Do you want to be actively
involved in the day-to-day operations, or are you looking for something that can eventually run with less of your involvement? How much time are you realistically willing and able to commit? Finding a business you’re passionate about is important, but finding one that fits your lifestyle and the life you want to have is just as critical.”And finally, Tony shared that it’s important to try and enjoy the journey. “There will always be another challenge to work through, and some things will be completely beyond your control. You can prepare as much as possible, but there are certain things you simply won’t fully understand until you’re in the owner’s seat. You must be willing to adapt and learn, finding some enjoyment in the process. And don’t forget to celebrate the wins along the way, big and small. Often, those are the moments that keep you going when things get tough.”
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