Success Stories
Navy Veteran Dives Into Business Ownership
Navy Veteran Dives Into Business Ownership
While preparing for retirement after nearly three decades of service in the United States Navy, Sean Bailey discovered a new purpose, helping children learn survival swimming skills as an owner of British Swim School in Lake Mary, Florida.
Sean joined the Navy after high school graduation and served as a hospital corpsman. During his illustrious career in the military, Sean was stationed at bases across the globe, including stints at Okinawa Naval Base in Japan and Camp David in Maryland. Sean completed the arduous training required to be part of the Marine Forces Special Operations Command, where he provided medical support to the elite Marine battalion.
With more than 10 deployments under his belt, including six in Iraq and Afghanistan, Sean is currently the Command Master Chief at the Naval Hospital in Jacksonville, Florida. He leads 2,400 personnel who support more than 164,000 service members, beneficiaries, and civilians.
With retirement looming, Sean contemplated his next move. His high rank in the military allows him to have flexibility and autonomy. He was reluctant to join a company where he was not at the helm.
“After talking to a friend who is a business owner, I realized that if I went to work at one of the organizations I was considering, like USAA or the Department of Veterans Affairs, I would have to ask permission to take leave. He suggested I look at entrepreneurship,” said Sean.
Career Coaching Provides Options
Sean and his wife, Alison, relied on guidance and support from Heidi Simos, a Career Ownership Coach™ for The Entrepreneur’s Source®, to help determine a plan for the future. TES coaches use an education-based coaching program to help people discover their Income, Lifestyle, Wealth, and Equity™ goals to open their minds to new possibilities.
Simos spent many years as a multi-unit franchisee before starting her career as a coach in 2015 with TES.
“I’ve always loved to help people,” Simos said. “I think a lot of people tend to allow fear to get in the way of doing something they really want.”
Sean’s conversations with Simos confirmed his desire to pursue entrepreneurship. He realized he wanted to own a business that would allow him to provide a valuable service to the local community and enable him to give back to fellow veterans. Sean and Alison decided to invest in a business in Lake Mary, so their sons could grow up near extended family.
“I knew he had the right combination of interpersonal and technical skills that would transfer effortlessly into business ownership. Not only was Sean a first-class leader in the Navy, but in our meetings, he came well prepared, organized, punctual, engaged, and consistently maintained a positive mindset throughout our discovery journey,” Simos said.
Learn-to-Swim Business Strikes Emotional Chord
Although Sean considered a number of business opportunities, he felt an emotional connection to British Swim School, the premier learn-to-swim provider for people of all ages.
After joining the swim team in high school, Sean noticed an improvement in the overall quality of his life. Understanding the basics of swimming improved his academics and athletic abilities and helped him achieve success in the Navy. In addition to the value of learning to swim, Sean admired British Swim School because of its focus on water safety. British Swim School teaches survival skills before stroke techniques to make sure every swimmer is prepared to survive an accidental fall into the water. Each quarter, British Swim School has students practice their survival skills by jumping into the pool fully dressed.
“Sean witnessed firsthand the dangers one can encounter in the water. He is passionate about shaping the youth of the kids in his community and providing the skills needed to keep them safe in the water,” Simos said.
Being able to provide high-quality swimming lessons without the hassle of managing his own pool also appealed to him. British Swim School owners rent pools, eliminating the need for the cost of buildout, maintenance, or upkeep. The company has partnerships with both LA Fitness and 24-Hour Fitness.
While Sean wraps up his military career, he is networking with local businesses and training for his new future. He plans to open his family’s British Swim School location in June 2023. Alison currently works in marketing and advertising sales for a company based in Virginia. Her knowledge and skill set will enable her to be a sounding board for Sean as he gets his new business off the ground.
“I’m used to being in a team. I own my own franchise, but there are still 100 people behind you helping you out. They want to see you succeed,” Sean added.
Connect with a TES Coach
Discover your purpose by opening your mind to new options, possibilities, and dreams. Take time to chat with one of our coaches to discover your Career 2.0®. For more information about TES, visit www.entrepreneursource.com, or check out our guide book, “Your Career 2.0® A Survival Guide for the Battered Career and Investor Syndrome®.”