Marty Flanagan, Vice President of Franchising for Code Ninjas, was one of the key players in the brand’s expansion into the UK. Almost 18 months on, the global kids coding franchise is celebrating its fourth location launch, with the opening of Code Ninjas Langley, in Berkshire. Here, Marty reflects on the grand opening and why each launch is so significant, 220 locations later.
The saying goes that you can never have too much of a good thing. That’s why, as a brand, we celebrate and recognise every one of our franchise launches around the world – whether in California, Canada, or our very first UK location in Watford this summer. In particular, there’s been a lot to celebrate in the UK in recent months. In addition to Watford, we’ve launched two locations in Greater London and a further in the suburban town of Chandler’s Ford in Hampshire. And there’s even more to look forward to for the remainder of 2020.
For many, the autumn (or fall, for us on the other side of the Atlantic!) signifies a fresh start and an opportunity to take on new challenges. After the frustrations we’ve worked through during the first nine months of 2020, it comes as no surprise that the majority of us have been waiting with bated breath for the sign of a fresh start and a new beginning. The way I see it, the arrival of a new season is as good a fresh start as any.
And so, it would seem that our Code Ninjas franchisees in the UK have introduced our coding curriculum to British families just in time! Whilst the addition of our programme is a new concept for the students and families living in the communities where our locations have launched, this has been presented just as schools reopen and parents try to return to some sense of normality. Parents are more willing than ever to enrol their children on additional educational courses, to help tackle any learning loss caused by six months of lockdown. After relying on the benefits of technology to remain connected to the outside world, they also now have a new outlook on the long-lasting benefits of digital literacy and just what that could mean for their child’s development.
The arrival of Code Ninjas on UK shores also signifies a new beginning for our franchisees. Across the board, launching a new business is a major achievement, both professionally and personally. For the majority, this new endeavour has come after years of saving, researching and frustrations caused by working for someone else for a considerable length of time. You could say that their loss is our mutual gain! This investment is a fresh start in their new life as an entrepreneur and a long-term opportunity that will pay dividends in the future. And, crucially, almost every single one of our franchisees are planning for location number two in the not too distant future.
For us, as franchisor, the launches of our first few UK locations is the first step towards UK domination in the market of kids coding. Our goal is to replicate the rapid growth across the US, which really has been nothing short of remarkable since we launched in Houston, Texas, in 2016. Even taking into consideration the temporary hold-up caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent closures, we’re well on track to achieve this goal. Across the nation, there are 29 launches planned for the coming months. Not bad when you consider the challenging economic climate the world is facing right now.
So, whilst 2020 certainly hasn’t come without its challenges, it’s still not a lost cause. We’re extremely excited that school, and Code Ninjas, is back in session. Here’s to taking on whatever the remainder of the year has in store for us!
Marty Flanagan has been vice president of franchising for Code Ninjas since the kids coding franchise launched in 2016. Four years later and the international franchise network is now made up of more than 340 franchisees in the US, Canada and UK. For more information, visit www.codeninjasfranchise.co.uk
