We Rock The Spectrum Gym in Franklin, Tennessee

Transcript

Marsh Naidoo (00:11):

Hi guys. Welcome to the Raising Kellan Podcast. My name is Marsh Naidoo and I blog at raisingkellan.org where we curate resources for parents raising children with developmental delay and or disabilities. As always, remember, the information on this podcast is purely educational, and as always, consult your healthcare provider for any medical advice. Thank you to Jessica Harrison of Shelter Insurance for sponsoring today's episode. And today we will be speaking to Steven Kormanitsky of the franchise: We Rock The Spectrum, which is slated to open in Franklin, Tennessee later this year. So grab that cup of coffee, sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Marsh Naidoo (01:15):

Well, Steven, I'm totally excited to hear about We Rock the Spectrum.

Steven Kormanitsky (01:21):

Thank You.

Marsh Naidoo (01:22):

And not only that, I, I'm grateful to Dara Bacon for introducing us to each other. Yes. And I would just love to share with the listeners on the podcast a little bit about, We Rock The Spectrum

Steven Kormanitsky (01:38):

Sure.

Marsh Naidoo (01:39):

Get some background information about the franchise, but also hear a little bit about your story Sure. And how you got involved with We Rock The Spectrum

Steven Kormanitsky (01:52):

Absolutely! Well thanks. First and foremost, thank you again for the opportunity and the platform to talk to your listeners about not only our journey as a family with our kids and our son Nash, who was diagnosed with ASD at the age of four, but also the ability to change our lives and do something with a purpose. And that has meaning and also benefits not only our family, but all the families here in Middle Tennessee where we now reside almost a year now after moving from Los Angeles back in 2020. So yeah, so a little bit about We Rock the Spectrum. It's an international franchise. It's one of a first-of-its-kind indoor sensory gym for children of all abilities. It really promotes having an inclusive, safe, fun, judgment-.free environment where both neurotypical and Neurodiverse kids of all ages can come together and play and do everything that the neurotypical kids have the ability to do.

(02:59):

Not to mention the ability to keep the family dynamic together. As you probably know, when you have children and some with or without special needs one parent or guardian has to figure out where do I take that special needs child or children? Cuz there are far few places for a lot of folks to take their kids with special needs. But then even more so where can we keep everybody under one roof? Sure. So I think having the ability to bring something very unique and different from a recreational perspective and not just the clinical perspective and still implement all those fundamental practices and having the right equipment there and having the right staff and the right vibe really sort makes this a special place for a lot of families. And for us, when we were in Los Angeles and when we found out that our son Nash was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, we quickly started to look around and see what are our options, what are our choices here, both from a out of pocket as well as either through insurance or even through the state.

(04:14):

And we quickly discovered We Rock The Spectrum. It was started by a mom named Dina Kimmel about 11 years ago with the same scenario. I have one child who is neurotypical, another child who is neurodiverse and where can I take them together so that they can play with each other as well as their peers and cousins and friends and cetera. So she decided to create the first concept 11 years ago in Tarzana, California. And then quickly decided a few years later to start franchising them. And where I think we're in year eight as a franchise company and there's over a hundred locations worldwide about 26 states and about eight different countries outside the US. So growing exponentially, obviously there's a huge demand for these type of places because there's no shortage of special needs. And so I think this is the perfect time especially being here where we are in Tennessee and being the first one in the state is a huge deal and a huge responsibility.

(05:25):

And we're excited to open our doors in a couple of months. So that's kind of high-level What We Rock is about. And again, we're just so proud of being able to bring this concept here to the community and to the families and kids in Middle Tennessee. And the goal is to eventually open up one in every county. Cuz at the end of the day, there's no reason for families to have to travel over an hour to find these places. And in some cases out of state. We know some families before we got here that were driving to Illinois or the Carolinas where our other locations are just to be able to have a couple of weekends of fun with their kids. So it's definitely a well-needed place and we're just thankful to be able to bring it to Tennessee sooner than later.

Marsh Naidoo (06:18):

So Steven, how y'all come to, We Rock the Spectrum Gym, How did y'all find that resource?

Steven Kormanitsky (06:25):

Absolutely! Well, when we again found out that our son Nash was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, we started to immerse ourselves in everything that was available in our community, in our county, in Los Angeles. And we quickly realized that there was a bunch of these, We Rocked the Spectrum, kids gyms all up and down the coast. And we had no idea because we just didn't look, we didn't research, we didn't take the time to really find out what was available and was what was accessible. So for many years, my son's eight now, so I say the last three years before we came became gym owners. We were avid customers like three, four times a week, especially during the pandemic, which by the way, they were deemed essential. So imagine having a Neurodiverse child home daily, taking Zoom classes and then being done at 12 o'clock and not having anything to do and nobody to play with or interact with.

(07:24):

So we were able to take Nash and drop 'em off from 12 to four o'clock and it was a lifesaver. My wife and I were working from home, My youngest daughter, Colette, was at preschool, thank God, and was occupied there until it was time to go. So poor Nash had nothing to do and nowhere to go. But then when we found out that they offered not only the other amazing services with us being present, they also had The Rock care, which is break time, respite. And so we would drop 'em off. But what's even more interesting, which I think is exactly the vibe we're going for, is that my daughter, Colette, who at the time was four years old, would wanna get dropped off there as well. Sometimes with Nash, sometimes without him, especially when we were trying to get our affairs in order to make the big move from LA to Tennessee, we needed a little help.

(08:21):

So there were times, like I said, where Colette would wanna get dropped off. And what's interesting is Colette was four years old at the time. One of her best friends was a boy, 15 years old with cerebral palsy. She also had a girlfriend, 10 years old with Down syndrome. Not once did she come home and ask me why there was differences on the way they walk, talk, or look not once we're talking about a four-year-old little girl who was, is more observant than anybody I've ever met. If I wore a t-shirt twice in two days, she would call me out on it. But for some reason she did not see any kind of difference. All she saw was, these are my friends, they like me, I like them, and I enjoy playing with them. And what else do you want as a human being, as a parent as somebody looking from the outside in or vice versa, just to be like, wow, we can literally raise the next generation without judging or having to apologize for any reason. So that was probably the moment that I realized this is something special. And even though this is the first of many to come, we really want to amplify that vibe here in Tennessee. And that's what I want people to get when they come. Everybody is welcome everybody, no matter their speed or capabilities or interest levels, there'll be something for everyone. And that's the key here,

Marsh Naidoo (09:55):

That is, that's an amazing mission. It really is. We rock the spectrum already up in Franklin or are you guys going to be opening soon?

Steven Kormanitsky (10:07):

Yeah, so that's a great question. So <laugh>, the anticipation has been driving everyone crazy for the last year. So we do have a location we're in pre-construction at the moment with Covid and everything, the supply chain and all these other issues that have delayed our opening. We were hoping to open and fall, but we're feeling good about a December or at the very latest mid-January opening. So we're a few months away we're getting everything ready to go and fingers crossed we should be good to go in two to three months.

Marsh Naidoo (10:43):

I mean, walk me through what a, We Rock The Spectrum gym looks like, going through those doors, what hits you in the face?

Steven Kormanitsky (10:53):

Sure. So we have a variety of different things that we're gonna be offering. Everything from open play where you can come with your parent or guardian and spend time playing with all types of activities, whether it's the trampoline or the 50 foot zip line or our various rock climbing apparatuses. We're gonna have over 30 different types of sensory swings that we can interchange daily, weekly. We offer a variety of different adaptive classes. Everything from dance to yoga to karate and music. That way when you come and take a class, you don't have to turn around and leave. You can stay in play. So you can make it a destination visit as opposed to just a half an hour or an hour. And then you have to turn around and head back to your respective neighborhoods. So there's gonna be a variety of things that we're gonna be offering.

(11:42):

But when you walk in, we'll have our rock shop, which will be a variety of really cool different sensory toys and merchandise that we're gonna also be displaying in the gym. So people can actually try them out if they decide to purchase them. There's gonna be a cafe there where people can bring their food they can buy prepackaged snacks, all healthy treats as well as beverages. Once you check-in, you have free range of over 5,000 square feet of open place space. We also have a private room for birthday parties. Those are where we're gonna be doing our adaptive classes, special events. We're gonna be bringing in guest speakers, doing workshops, seminars. Really the goal is to create this place as a recreational destination, not just an indoor play space for kids, but we really wanna make this a destination. So when you're coming there, you can do a variety of different things. We even offer respite and drop-offs. If a parent needs two to four hours of a break, if they run errands or need a grab lunch or whatever the case may be we'll offer a respite and break time care. So again, the parent has the ability to be there with the child or they have the ability to drop the child off and run their errands and well, our staff qualified staff will definitely be there to take care of all the kids

Marsh Naidoo (13:05):

You already knew that was gonna be my next question.

Steven Kormanitsky (13:08):

Well it's very important, and I always make this sort of comparison that we're not a Chuck E Cheese. And again, no knocking on them, absolutely. But we're a different type of place because with our type of facility, you're gonna need to know the staff by name. You're gonna know the owners, their kids, You're gonna know everything about these people because they're all part of the community. We're a community-based family run business. And it's important for us that the community knows us in some cases have my number on speed dial if they need it. The staff is gonna be made up of undergrads and grad students that are all pursuing a career in child development, special education. Maybe they wanna be an occupational therapist, a physical therapist, maybe a BCBA. We're really looking into that talent pool of all the neighboring colleges, universities and institutions that can provide those fresh, young, energetic, empathetic talent because it's all about the vibe, right?

(14:09):

Because we'll bring in all the great amenities and services and all the great experiences, but at the end of the day, you're entrusting us with your children and it's imperative for us to have the right qualified people there on a daily basis, whether it's open play, drop off or a birthday party. We want quality over quantity. And so it's really a passion point for my wife and I and our family to make sure that we vet everyone and that we find the right talent. Cuz they're gonna be taking care of your children, they're gonna be playing with your children, gonna be doing the arts and crafts activities. And for us that is almost as important as the concept is the people working there and interacting and helping your children grow and interact. So it's really important for us to make sure that whether it's Vanderbilt or Belmont or all the neighboring universities and colleges, we find the best and brightest and we have them there to service the community.

Marsh Naidoo (15:10):

Steven, how does access work to the gym itself and how are you set up for accessibility? For example, say for wheelchair users?

Steven Kormanitsky (15:22):

Absolutely. I mean, everything we're doing is ADA compliant, whether it's walking in the lobby checking in at the front desk being able to use different types of the-amenities and the equipment there. We're gonna be the first to have an adult changing table in one of our bathrooms will be one if not the first small business in the state to have that sort of amenity. We always see child changing tables, but we're not thinking about that parent or guardian or sibling that might need that additional amenity. So we're gonna be implementing that. We're also bringing in personal trainers to allocate certain time during the week to bring in young adults. So it's not just kids. We're also looking at young adults ages 15 to 24 to give them the ability, whether they're in a wheelchair or they're not, the ability to work out and exercise with trained professionals. I know a lot of the gyms, again, I won't mention names, don't offer any type of dedicated time for special needs gym goers. So we wanna make sure that, again, we're not just focusing on the kids, we're thinking about the future cuz these kids are gonna eventually be those young adults. Absolutely. Right.

Marsh Naidoo (16:44):

I think we care.

Steven Kormanitsky (16:45):

We always, I think, lose sight of that. We just focusing on the now or the immediate future, but we really need to think about that transition as they get older. So again, our focus is to be a place for everyone, not just a certain type of group, whether neurotypical or newer, diverse. So we really want to promote that no matter the age or the ability. So again, we're gonna make sure that everything is accessible, compliant, and again, we'll try our best to appease the mass. Right? It's, it's gonna be very hard to have everybody happy, but we're gonna do our best. And what really is important to us is to listen to our guests, listen to our staff listen to the community so that we know what we can do better and improve in real-time. We don't wanna be reactionary, we wanna be very proactive. So it's really important for us to be mindful of every little detail. And back to my point, we'll do our best to appease everyone, but that might not always happen.

Marsh Naidoo (17:46):

How can folks find out more about We Rock The Spectrum? Is there anything up right now?

Steven Kormanitsky (17:53):

Yeah, absolutely. I mean, we got our website at www.WeRocktheSpectrum franklin.com. You can follow us on social media at W RTS Franklin. And we're constantly posting updates information, resources, stuff about the corporation and what they're up to. And the one thing that I did fail to mention and I think is very important and it's a shame on me for not bringing it up earlier, we have a non-profit foundation. It's called My Brother Rocks the Spectrum Foundation. It was started by a corporate company, our parent company. But what it allows us to do in each location, we're allowed to use this platform to raise money and then sponsor kids and families that don't have access for whatever reason, whether it's a financial issue, whether it's a transportation issue, whether it's just being able to figure out what resources they need. So through the foundation our gym here locally in Middle Tennessee is able to work with non-profits, work with like-minded businesses to then raise these funds and provide these services in addition to the services that we're able to sponsor and provide to these families.

(19:08):

We would also help other non-profits with their platform and their cause and their mission because as much as we're getting from the community we wanna give back. So from a philanthropic cause marketing just giving back to the community that's gonna give us so much in return, we wanna be able to do that. So again, the nonprofit arm allows us to sponsor families in Middle Tennessee to get access to these services, whether it's social skills classes, ot, birthday parties, drop off, whatever the family needs, we're here to help. In addition, we're here to use our resources and our platform and our connections to help other nonprofits raise awareness.

Marsh Naidoo (19:51):

Well, listen, this is an amazing concept and I know that parents here in Tennessee would absolutely welcome this opportunity of having a space that they could take their neurotypical as well as Neurodiverse kids. And wishing you the best of luck, Steven, and we cannot wait to hear off your opening date. So be sure to check back with us. We would love to spotlight you when you guys open and

Steven Kormanitsky (20:22):

I truly appreciate that. And I think what you're doing is amazing and it's all about getting the word out there. It's sometimes where you're, you're not in proximity of this community and whether it's a parent or a relative or a friend, I think just getting the word out there and educating people and letting people know that we have these things coming or are available here in the state. And again, to my point about quality over quantity, it's very essential. So if you have to wait a little longer, but you get the right service or the right team or the right person to help you and your family that goes a long way. So thank you again for the opportunity to chat with you and your listeners and we can't wait to have you guys come to our grand opening.

Marsh Naidoo (21:08):

Absolutely. Well, Steven, you have an amazing day and I will say goodbye right now.

Steven Kormanitsky (21:14):

Thank you. Bye-bye

Marsh Naidoo (21:17):

Guys, as always, thank you for listening to the podcast and we would be grateful for a recent review on your podcast player. Thank you for listening to today's episode, and we look forward to bringing you the next episode where we will be talking with Brad Turner, who is the commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Developmental and Intellectual Disabilities, as well as his communications director, Car Kumari. So stay tuned for that episode where we'll have lots of great information for you. As always, remember, get to the top of your mountain. This is Marsh Naidoo signing off.