We have been open for nearly a month at our new location in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. The community has been great and we have met lots of wonderful new Monkey Bizness customers along the way. Businesses like Monkey Bizness are always fun to introduce to new communities. The reaction and reception we get always makes us feel welcome and Sioux Falls has been a great community to be a part of.
By no means is the work done. We are currently executing a 6-month marketing plan and continue to train our employees among other things. We started this journey last August when we toured various facilities and have now completed the lease negotiations, build out, installation of equipment, and grand opening. As such, we took a minute to reflect on some of the successes and some of what we would do differently as we move on.
As we have previously discussed in this blog, our Sioux Falls store was the first or our new concept. We shrunk Monkey Bizness down to less than 3,000 square feet (2,950 to be exact) and tried to create more of a jungle-like atmosphere inside. While we love the design, we are the first to admit we miss having a party room. While there is some aspect of 3,000 square feet that are difficult, the overall design has given us confidence that it was the right first step. As we look to build our next center, we know that not only will 3,000 square feet work, but 4,000-4,500 square feet is ideal.
This is a huge discovery for us and our future owners! Many of our centers today are around 7,500 square feet. By shaving off 3,000 square feet we save many of our owner’s thousands of dollars each year in rent, utilities, and other costs. By caring more about our owner’s bottom line then their top line, we believe we can help create better businesses.
By opening a new store, we have also put our marketing team to the test. I can say that I have been delighted with both their execution of their plan and also their willingness to learn. The buzz that was generated throughout the community and on social media as a result of a plan put in place months ago was fun to see. No, as we embark on executing the second phase of our marketing plan over the next 6 months to build awareness in the community, we are listening to customers to see how we can better reach them.
All of this is part of starting a new business. As an owner, you go through the stages of reckless optimism, confusion, fear, and then eventually to a feeling of accomplishment and pride. Starting a business is hard work, however, I am proud of the team we had and the plan they executed to get us where we are today. We can’t wait to help the next person realize their dream of owning their own business.
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