Franchise Interviews meets with the Gravity Vault franchise.  Lucas and Tim will go over their backgrounds and the inception story behind starting Gravity Vault, as well as go over the industry and growth of the concept. Rock climbing duo turned business partners, Lucas and Time were named New Jersey State Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration this year. They currently have 2 locations in New Jersey and are just about to open their 3rd. Lucas and Tim have also trained mechanics and engineers in rappelling to then perform maintenance on a 300 foot-long, $500-million dollar Army spy blimp. After working "real jobs" through their 20s, the friend decided to pursue their passion for rock climbing as a business venture in their 30s.

ABOUT GRAVITY VAULT

Lucas Kovalcik and Tim Walsh - avid climbers and entrepreneurial minded - decided to open their first indoor rock gym, called The Gravity Vault, in 2004. Natives of Bergen County, NJ, they knew there was a need for a state-of-the-art climbing gym in the county and wanted to share their passion for the sport. Opening the first Gravity Vault was only the first step in creating a franchise. They knew how fast the sport was growing and wanted to have a solid foundation with at least two operating gyms before they franchised. Their gyms have been featured in Fitness Magazine, the New York Times, The Bergen Record, 201 Magazine, Rockland Today Magazine and Urban Climber Magazine to name just a few publications. Gravity Vault also has been featured on Fox News and two local cable news programs. In addition to many rock-climbing awards, Kovalcik and Walsh were named co-2013 New Jersey State Small Business Person of the Year by the U.S. Small Business Administration. Listen to the show to learn more.

In Part 2, we get tips from franchise legend John Hewitt and one of Liberty Taxes' top franchisees.