Mini Athletics: Inspiring Kids Through Fun and Fitness

Kirk Bowyer, who founded the kids sports franchise Mini Athletics with his wife Clare in 2016, recently spoke with 1851 Founder, Publisher and CEO Nick Powills during his regular podcast, “Meet the Zor.” During the interview, Bowyer recounted his journey into franchising, which all began with a shift in perspective after becoming a parent.

Watching his son's first soccer class made Bowyer realize how young kids were pushed into specific sports too early. This led him to create Mini Athletics, a franchise aimed at letting kids explore a variety of sports and have fun rather than focusing on just one.

“I felt as though [my son] needed to be inspired by sport,” Bowyer said. “And that's pretty much where the birth of Mini Athletics came from.”

After seeing the program's success, the Bowyers considered ways to expand the business. They decided on franchising because they believed in their business model and wanted to work with others who shared their passion for helping kids. They took the time to ensure their model was solid before selling their first franchise to an elementary school teacher, which kickstarted their franchising journey.

“We loved the concept because we knew we had a great business model, felt confident that it was going to be replicable, and we were also going to be working with people that were as passionate as we were,” Bowyer said. “And so we decided that [franchising] was going to be the way we were going to go about it."

Bowyer also reflected on the passing of his father and how it sparked a realization about the kind of legacy he wants to leave behind. He emphasized that while financial success is important for sustaining his and his wife’s mission, their primary goal is to make a positive social impact by enriching the lives of children in various communities.

“On my deathbed, I don't necessarily want to look back and think, ‘I've made lots of money,’” he said. “Rather, I'd look back and think, ‘We've made a real social change in so many different communities which enrich the lives of children.’”