23 Daily — Griffin Gordon and Kevin Condon transitioned from being customers of The Little Gym to franchise investors. On November 5, 2026, according to entrepreneur.com, their company Somersault has expanded from their initial investment in seven North Carolina gyms to over 30 locations, with more than 10 additional sites in development and nearly 0 million in annual revenue.

Turning Point: From Customers to Franchise Owners

Gordon and Condon met years earlier at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business before pursuing different careers. Condon co-founded the Philadelphia-based private equity firm Hidden River Strategic Capital focusing on small business investments, while Gordon split his career between private equity and managing small to medium companies, eventually founding an investment firm that specializes in franchisees.

Why They Chose The Little Gym and Its Advantages

As former customers, they watched their children enjoy gymnastics classes and were impressed by the staff’s personal attention to children and families. The Little Gym has been operating for nearly 50 years, offering a mature and replicable franchise model with a growing market. The franchisor, Unleashed Brands, provides strong system support. Kevin Condon highlighted that the rapid expansion was possible due to a strong management team and a repeatable business playbook. Griffin Gordon added that the brand strength and attractive unit economics within the children’s enrichment market made it an appealing investment.

Modernizing Traditional Franchise Operations to Meet Today’s Demands

Somersault partnered with Unleashed Brands to enhance technological infrastructure, including digital systems for customer engagement and operations. Gordon emphasized maintaining curriculum quality and community connections as fundamentals while improving marketing and systems to appeal to modern families. Unleashed introduced an app this year allowing parents to monitor their children's progress and milestones, effectively bridging the franchise's historical strengths with current technology.

Editor's take: Leveraging consumer experience and valuing franchise support reduces investment risks

Gordon and Condon’s journey highlights the importance of industry and brand familiarity in franchise investing. Entrepreneurs who deeply understand target customers and assess the replicability and support systems of franchise models can better identify investment opportunities. To validate such opportunities, potential investors should experience the service firsthand, evaluate franchisor support, and analyze market growth and competition scientifically, ensuring the scalability and feasibility of franchise expansion.