Small Fish Big Fish Swim School

What Small Fish Big Fish Swim School does

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School is a privately held, founder-owned learn-to-swim operator based in South Florida, founded in 2009 by Melissa Taylor and incorporated with her husband. The company operates two indoor, year-round heated pool facilities — a 5,300 sq ft site in West Palm Beach opened in February 2012 and a ~10,000 sq ft site in Jensen Beach opened in 2025 — serving families across Palm Beach County and Martin County. Its core product is a progressive swim curriculum (Small Fish and Me for 2-36 months, Minnows for 2.5-4 years, and Fish Levels 1-6 for ages 4+ through adults), grounded in a 40+ year-old proprietary curriculum developed by A Broido Consulting and delivered by instructors who complete a 40+ hour training program and hold lifeguard, CPR, and first aid certifications.

The business model is primarily a direct-to-consumer monthly subscription, with swim lessons priced at $135/month (one day/week) to $380/month (private), supported by an annual $55 membership fee, plus ancillary revenue from birthday party rentals ($460-$535), gymnastics classes ($85-$199.50/month) via the Sweet Peas sub-brand at Jensen Beach, open swim/open gym sessions, and a scholarship program with Every Child A Swimmer. Customers enroll and manage their accounts through a Squarespace-hosted website and a 2023-launched iOS/Android mobile app built on iClassPro class management software. The underlying physical infrastructure features EPA-approved UV water filtration (single-pass removal of cryptosporidium and giardia) and pools maintained at 90-92°F year-round, positioning the offering against Florida's high childhood drowning rate and underdeveloped local swim-skill base.

Name

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School

Legal name

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School

Website

https://smallfishbigfish.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School is a privately held, founder-owned learn-to-swim operator running two indoor, year-round heated pool facilities in West Palm Beach and Jensen Beach, Florida. It serves local families and young children with progressive swim lessons, gymnastics, and birthday parties via a subscription-based D2C model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Swim Instruction Services

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

akta.pro primary industry

Aquatics Programs (Pools, Swim Lessons, Lifeguarding) (EDALAIAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Aquatic Centers & Swimming Facilities (MPAKAEAF)

Keywords

• Swim instruction services
• Children swimming lessons
• Water safety education
• Infant swim programs
• Educational gymnastics classes

Headquarters

HQ city

West Palm Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Swim Lessons - Monthly Subscription: Recurring monthly subscription for weekly swim lessons. Classes available one or two days per week. Auto-charged on the 1st of each month with card on file.
2. Private Swim Lessons: One-on-one instruction available upon request at higher monthly rate.
3. Birthday Party Rentals: Pool party rentals for 2 hours including 1,000 sq ft pool, pool games, lifeguards, lifejackets, and air-conditioned lobby. Priced at $460 for members and $535 for non-members.
4. Gymnastics Classes: Monthly subscription for Sweet Peas educational gymnastics program for children 6 months to 6 years at Jensen Beach location.
5. Open Swim Sessions: Weekly indoor open swim sessions at $7 for non-member families, free for members.
6. Open Gym Sessions: Hour-long open gym sessions for children 6 months to 6 years at Sweet Peas location.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School delivers progressive learn-to-swim instruction for students from 2 months old through adults, organized into a tiered curriculum (Small Fish and Me for parent-child classes, Minnows for ages 2.5-4, and Fish Levels 1-6 from Guppies through Sharks for ages 4+). The school also operates a Sweet Peas Educational Gymnastics sub-brand for children 6 months to 6 years at its Jensen Beach location, and provides ancillary offerings including birthday party rentals, open swim sessions, baby bonding classes, and scholarships through Every Child A Swimmer.

Product overview

Small Fish Big Fish Swim School operates as a dual-location learn-to-swim provider with a modular service portfolio anchored by its core swim lesson program and extended through related aquatic services and a gymnastics sub-brand. The primary offering is a progressive swim class system for infants through adults, organized into Small Fish and Me (parent-child classes for 2-36 months), Minnows (ages 2.5-4), and Fish Classes Level 1-6 (Guppies through Sharks, ages 4+). The school also provides supplementary services including birthday parties, open swim sessions, baby bonding classes, and a scholarship program in partnership with Every Child A Swimmer. At its Jensen Beach location, the school offers Sweet Peas Educational Gymnastics as a co-located sub-brand providing gymnastics instruction for children 6 months to 6 years across seven age-based class levels. A white-label mobile application (iOS/Android) powers customer enrollment, attendance, and communications. Pricing follows tiered structures for swim lessons ($135-$380/month for 1-2 days/week) and gymnastics ($85-$199.50/month), with party packages and private lessons as add-on revenue streams.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sweet Peas Educational Gymnastics: An educational gymnastics program designed to promote physical, social, and cognitive development in children 6 months to 6 years old. Located at the Jensen Beach facility.

Products and services

• Swim Classes (Small Fish and Me, Minnows, Fish Levels 1-6, Adult) Learn-to-swim lessons for children and adults organized into progressive skill levels, from infant water acclimation to advanced stroke technique.
• Small Fish and Me Classes Parent-and-child swim lessons for babies and toddlers from 2 months to 36 months, focusing on water safety, buoyancy, breath control, and foundational swimming skills.
• Minnows Classes Swim instruction for children aged 2.5 to 4 years, progressing through Minnows, Advanced Minnows, and Super Minnows levels, covering submersion, breath control, floating, and introductory independent swimming.
• Fish Classes (Level 1-6) Progressive swim lessons for children 4 years and older across six skill levels: Guppies, Goldfish, Clownfish, Angelfish, Barracudas, and Sharks, teaching fundamentals through competitive stroke technique.
• Birthday Parties (Swim School) Pool party rental package at both West Palm Beach and Jensen Beach locations, including 2 hours facility use with pool games, certified lifeguards, lifejackets, and air-conditioned viewing area.
• Sweet Peas Birthday Parties Gymnastics-themed birthday party package at Jensen Beach offering exclusive gym use with Tumbl Trak, balance beams, obstacle courses, and party room for ages 1-6 years.
• Open Swim Indoor open swim sessions in the year-round heated pool, free for members and $7 for non-member families.
• Baby Bonding Classes Parent-baby water bonding sessions designed for early water introduction and parent-child aquatic interaction.
• Open Gym Supervised unstructured gymnastics play for children 6 months to six years at the Jensen Beach location, with equipment and rotation setups under coach oversight.
• Sweet Peas Educational Gymnastics Educational gymnastics program for children 6 months to 6 years at the Jensen Beach location, featuring age-appropriate classes (Wee Peas through Six Peas) that integrate movement with cognitive and social development activities.
• Lil Wiggles Movement-based activity program for young children, promoting physical development through playful exercise.
• Scholarships for Swim Lessons Financial assistance program partnered with Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS) offering up to $500 toward group learn-to-swim lessons for children ages 1 year through adults demonstrating financial need.
• Mobile Application (iOS/Android) iOS and Android mobile app enabling enrollment management, student attendance tracking, party booking, and push notifications for customers on the go.

Quantifiable outcome

• 88% reduction in drowning risk for children who participate in formal swimming lessons (WHO research)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Every Child A Swimmer (ECAS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Every Child A Swimmer Foundation to offer swim lessons to children who need them most. Program provides up to $500 in group learn-to-swim lessons funded through grants. Recipients must demonstrate unassisted continuous swimming and breathing and meet financial criteria. Addresses Florida's high childhood drowning rate through scholarship program.
• United States Swim School AssociationminorOthersIndustry membership organization. Founder Melissa Taylor attended association conference in San Diego, networking with over 300 other swim schools. All instructors participate in 8-hour workshop provided by the association.
• National Drowning Prevention Alliance (NDPA)minorOthersIndustry membership organization dedicated to drowning prevention through education, advocacy, and awareness. Founder is a current member.
• USA SwimmingminorOthersNational governing body for competitive swimming. Affiliation provides credibility and connection to broader swimming community.
• Hope Floats FoundationminorOthersDrowning prevention foundation. Partnership displayed on website as part of organization's mission to educate community on drowning dangers.
• A Broido ConsultingcoreTechnology or IntegrationDeveloped the training program and curriculum used at Small Fish Big Fish. Training program, teacher training, and evaluation systems have been defined over 40+ years of proven success in teaching students of all ages.
• iClassProcoreTechnology or IntegrationClass management software provider powering the website's customer portal, scheduling, payment processing, and tracking. Enables one-stop online portal keeping families engaged and connected.
• National Swimming School FoundationminorOthersFounder Melissa Taylor received professional accredited pool operator certification by the National Swimming School Foundation in 2011.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SafeSplash Swim School: Franchised indoor swim school focused on children 3 months and up with structured curriculum, small class sizes, and year-round availability. Direct competitor with overlapping age segmentation and subscription-like enrollment model.
• Goldfish Swim School: Largest US franchise swim school, offering year-round indoor learn-to-swim lessons for children 4 months to 12 years in dedicated heated-pool facilities. Most directly comparable multi-unit operator with similar curriculum-level structure and parent-child class formats.
• SwimJim: NY-based multi-location indoor swim school teaching infants through adults with progressive levels and private/group options. Comparable curriculum and year-round indoor pool model, though regional to the Northeast.
• British Swim School: Franchise-based swim school operating in the US with year-round indoor lessons, gentle/beginner-to-advanced curricula, and water-safety emphasis. Competes for the same parent demographic with similar lesson-format pricing.
• Sunsational Swim School: In-home and facility-based private swim instruction provider with flexible scheduling and tech-enabled booking. Comparable on customer segment (families/children) though delivered via mobile instructors rather than dedicated facilities.
• Emler Swim School: Regional multi-location swim school in Texas with proprietary curriculum and year-round indoor heated pools serving infants through adults. Comparable on instructional model, though regionally concentrated like SFBF.
• Aqua-Tots Swim Schools: International multi-unit swim school franchise teaching infants through adults across eight levels in dedicated indoor facilities. Closely comparable curriculum structure and family-focused positioning.
• Big Blue Swim School: Multi-location indoor swim school chain serving infants through adults with progressive level curriculum and subscription pricing. Comparable model with similar facility footprint and year-round heated-pool delivery.

Broad incumbents

• YMCA of the USA: National community organization offering swim lessons as part of broader aquatic programming across thousands of branches. Competes on price and convenience for entry-level swim instruction, though without dedicated learn-to-swim school specialization.
• Streamline Brands (Swimtastic / Foss Swim School): Multi-brand operator of indoor swim schools (Swimtastic, Foss Swim School) and competitive swim teams. Broader incumbent in the same category with deeper corporate infrastructure and multi-region reach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SFBFswimschool
• Facebookfacebook.com/SmallFishBigFishSwimSchool
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/small-fish-big-fish-swim-school

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Small Fish Big Fish Swim School