Two Parents Turned a Kids' Gym Habit Into a $20 Million Franchise

Griffin Gordon and Kevin Condon have grown their The Little Gym portfolio from seven North Carolina locations in 2023 to more than 30 gyms, with another 10-plus in development — and the business now generates nearly $20 million in revenue.

The two investors weren't outsiders scouting deals. They met years ago at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, then went separate ways. Condon co-founded Hidden River Strategic Capital, a Philadelphia private equity firm investing in small businesses. Gordon split his career between private equity and running small and midsize companies, later founding an investment firm focused on franchisees.

They were also parents. Their kids tumbled, ran and left class asking to do it again. As a customer, Gordon noticed staff members knew the children's names, greeted parents and made families feel welcome.

The investment took shape through Richard Moore, a longtime Little Gym operator whose family had spent nearly three decades building the business. Moore wanted to keep growing; his parents were ready to retire. An advisor introduced him to Gordon and Condon, who saw a chance to pair an experienced operator with capital and support. In 2023, their firms invested in seven North Carolina locations and formed Somersault.

Why back The Little Gym so aggressively?

The answer, according to Condon, is management plus a repeatable process. "Ultimately, we're backing management teams and organizational leaders," he said. "We have a really good team here, which has allowed us to scale at this pace and given us the conviction to continue putting money behind the business."

He points to franchising's built-in playbook: acquire a business or open a location, then repeat it with good operators. Gordon adds that The Little Gym offers a growing market of parents wanting high-quality services for their kids, a strong brand, and attractive unit economics when the business is run well. In his view, The Little Gym is the best brand serving its target age range — imitators included.

The system turned 50 this year, a milestone the partners treat as proof of an established playbook.

What changed under Unleashed Brands?

Gordon calls Unleashed Brands a strong franchisor partner. Before his investment, he says, The Little Gym didn't have much technology, systems or infrastructure — it operated more like a small-business-owned enterprise. Since Unleashed Brands' acquisition, the traditional strengths have been paired with better operating technology and customer-facing systems, plus a more thoughtful approach to customer acquisition and marketing.

Unleashed also introduced an app this year that lets parents engage with their children's classes and see milestones and pictures. "The core curriculum is the secret sauce," Condon said. "It's been part of what has made The Little Gym special for 50 years. But you can build on that."

Condon saw the product up close with his own children: 45 to 60 minutes in class, coming out sweaty and exhausted, asking, "Can we do that again?" He describes much of the experience as happening in the 2-to-6-year-old age range, though the gyms serve younger and older children too. "It's unadulterated childhood joy," he said.

Why franchise instead of going independent?

Condon's answer is scale. "If we started a competitor, we wouldn't have 50 years of history or an established brand," he said. Franchising carries royalties and rules, but the partners believe the playbook and brand outweigh going it alone. Gordon frames it plainly: franchising done right is buying a small business with the benefit of a national platform.

For newcomers, Gordon's advice is practical — the franchise disclosure document lists franchisees in the back. Start calling owners. "These are people who have already done what you're trying to do," he said. "I can't think of a better resource."

Can Somersault reach $100 million in revenue?

Asked about that milestone, Condon said: "That sounds great." Gordon noted the footprint has quadrupled in three years and repeating that pace would be aggressive, but the partners want to keep growing. His biggest operating lesson: the business is simple to understand and challenging to run well, and everything depends on finding the best people, training them and giving them career paths — from teaching roles to overseeing multiple locations.

With 10-plus gyms in the pipeline, the partners are betting that people, not equipment, decide how fast Somersault keeps tumbling forward.