Get All Access for $5/mo

This Family Wanted to Own a Business That Got Them Excited, So They Opened An Urban Air Adventure Park When Rachelle Nurse and Joseph Goodly took their kids to a birthday party, they found a business opportunity.

By Chloe Arrojado Edited by Frances Dodds

This story appears in the October 2021 issue of Entrepreneur. Subscribe »

Courtesy of Urban Air Adventure Park

Rachelle Nurse and Joseph Goodly were not having fun. They're a married nurse and physician — yes, Nurse is a nurse — and they wanted to buy a franchise to create a new source of income for their family, but most brands were too risky, or just didn't get them excited. Then, in 2016, a neighbor invited their daughter to a birthday party at an Urban Air Adventure Park — and once they arrived, they realized this fun zone might be a fun investment. Its appeal was twofold. First, they could manage it alongside their full-time work schedules. And second, it encouraged their now 10- and 13-year-old children to power off their video games and enjoy some face-to-face play. In 2018 the couple opened a Texas location, and in 2020 they added another New York location to the 153-park network.

Related: A Husband-and-Wife Team Converted Their Family Business to a Franchise to Make More Time for Family

The pandemic complicated operations at times, but the couple has found that their customers are more than ready to fill their social void.

You're in the business of giving people a good time. Does that make the business itself a good time?

Nurse: Franchisees are so serious — whether it's the operators and investments or making what you need in order to survive as a family. At the end of the day, sometimes we've just got to take a little step backward, smile, know that we'll get through it, and not be so tough on ourselves. We've touched so many people. I remember a young family coming in and the father ran up to us because he knew that [COVID-19 restrictions] wouldn't let us continue to be open in New York, and he said, "I need you to stay open because I lost my son a few months ago." It was the first time his family had been out, and they had a blast. We have kids who come in here and just forget about all the other challenges in their lives.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Urban Air Adventure Park

You both come from the healthcare industry, where you work with seasoned pros. At Urban Air, you mostly employ young people. What has that been like?

Nurse: Young people today have a different core work ethic and different expectations. They will challenge you. We're able to say, "You made a mistake, but let me show you how we would do that."

Goodly: To be quite honest, teenagers have very busy schedules. They have sports, various other activities, and family commitments. So we have to continually hire staff. That's been a challenge, but it's also been rewarding. It feels good to give these teenagers opportunities. It feels good to give back to the community, and give these kids their first jobs so they can get ready for the workforce.

Related: 7 Things You Need to Know Before Becoming a Franchise Owner

Owning an adventure park sounds like a kid's dream. How has owning a franchise impacted your kids?

Nurse: If you ask our parents what they wanted for us, it was for us to go to college, to get a good job, and to work for somebody else for the rest of our lives. That's not what we encourage. College is not optional for our kids — however, we do encourage innovation. We tend to have conversations about innovation and entrepreneurship, and when they come up with an idea, we ask: How do you patent that? How do you grow it? How do you market it? How do you get it out there to sell it to somebody?

Goodly: I tell our kids to get overexcited, scale an idea aggressively, and cover it with altruism. That's how you make it in the world. So they're already thinking of that.

Chloe Arrojado

Entrepreneur Staff

Editorial Assistant

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Is Bank of America Still Down? Thousands of Users Report Mass Outage — Here's What We Know

Users across the country are reporting issues accessing their accounts — with some showing $0 balances.

Business News

Google Says It Won't Follow Amazon's Lead With a Return-to-Office Mandate — Yet

In a town hall, Google leaders told staff the current hybrid plan will stay in place.

Marketing

How to Leverage AI and Automation for Greater SEO Success

Discover how AI and SEO automation can streamline tasks without sacrificing quality.

Business News

Is AI Accidentally Spilling Your Company's Secrets? A VC Firm's Private Conversations Were Included in Public Meeting Transcripts.

A meeting transcript with "hours" of private conversations was sent to someone who wasn't meant to read it.

Business News

Tesla Sales Show Demand Could Be Speeding Up For Electric Cars

Tesla's most recent earnings report shows the EV maker is selling more cars now than it was last year.