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Their location allows them access to a pool of college
graduates, who have degrees in business or sports
management. "They come out wanting a job in the
sport industry, and positions are limited," says
Tom.
"They can be a coach, which doesn't pay
very much. They can work in marketing
with one of the pro teams, which is not
long-term or very lucrative usually.
They may become interns and hope
that'll allow them to work their way up
to something more permanent. When
we open a facility, we don't advertise
positions; we rely on word of mouth,
people who know people. We had 120
applicants for 12 full-time positions in
Taunton. We are very pleased with our
staff. Great people come out of college
and want to work in sports, and there may
not be a lot of opportunities."
There's something to be said, too, about a
hands-on owner. Many business owners will
agree that one of the hardest aspects of hiring
is accepting that few employees will value your
business as much as you do–will work as hard
as you do to achieve the desired results.
Business owners who work alongside their
employees, however, serve as role models. Their
employees gain a better understanding of the
business and work harder, not just to please the boss,
but because they understand what's at stake. When
left with the keys to the facility, these employees will
likely take on the responsibility, rather than develop a
"when the cat's away" mentality.
