Sorzano, 43, like most of the Eagles players, supplemented his income by running soccer camps and clinics for children. In 1997, Sorzano realized that offering elective soccer instruction at childcare facilities across Charlotte was an untapped niche market.
Soccer Shots, a program for children, ages 2-8, introduces soccer to young children. It also helps out parents who may not have the opportunity to bring their child to another location for a soccer program.
In 2005, Soccer Shots started to franchise. Sorzano owns Soccer Shots Charlotte with Dustin Swineheart and Matt Uher. Sorzano and three other partners own the franchised branch of the business. Currently, they have 110 owners in 180 territories, including one in Canada.
Sorzano spoke to CharlotteFive for the Small Business Series:
Why did you decide to franchise?
"I was running the local business here in Charlotte. As it was growing, my friend and business partner introduced Soccer Shots up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. We were both running a program, and a few friends wanted to do the same thing in the cities they live.
"In order to do that, we decided to franchise. Just like with any franchise, they get to use our name, the curriculum and the marketing materials we produce."
What makes Soccer Shots different from other similar programs?
"One is obviously the curriculum. We tailor the sessions to the various age groups we serve. Our goal is for children to find success and hopefully fall in love with soccer and want to continue to play.
"We also work hard to communicate with parents. We send session summaries home with (the) skill of the day and the character word we taught so parents are aware of what their child is learning."
How important are the coaches to your business?
"Soccer Shots actually pays all of our coaches. With that comes about 20 hours of training. Then we try to monitor how they are doing and make sure we have coaches that know how to work with those age groups and that they are fun and energetic.
"We are serious about finding coaches who really want to have an impact on children and are committed to being prepared and deliver a great experience."
Soccer Shots has several owners. How do you manage these business relationships?
"There are some pretty sobering stats out there showing that most partnerships don't last. They take work. Maybe it's a little bit like a successful marriage. It takes communication, it takes being honest, knowing your goals and making sure that you clearly define who is responsible for what parts of the business.
"I think you have to be able to step back and let people do their job."
What do you do for fun?
"I've got twin 3-year olds. My fun these days is spending time with my wife and them and watching them grow up. We are hoping to get them more interested in hiking and camping, which we really enjoy doing. But that's a work in progress."
