Unleashed brands Founding Story

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As lockdowns eased and families were allowed to come back out of their homes, Michael Browning Jr. and his wife had what they call their “re‑entry” moment. One evening on the couch, they asked the same question countless parents were asking: “What are we going to put our kids in?” At the time, they had a six‑month‑old baby boy, a five‑year‑old daughter, and an eight‑year‑old daughter—each with distinct traits, giftings, and interests.

They opened their laptops and began googling “fun after‑school activities for kids.” Within minutes, the problem was obvious: the market was fragmented. Providers, schedules, safety policies, and pricing were scattered across dozens of sites; reviews were inconsistent; trial classes were hard to compare; nothing connected across ages and stages. Parents were literally left to their own devices (no pun intended) to figure out where to put their kids.

That couch‑side search became the lightbulb moment. Michael wanted to make parenting easier. He envisioned a single, trusted place where parents could discover and book the world’s best youth brands; a platform that would partner with parents, help them understand each child better, and recognize that parenting isn’t one‑size‑fits‑all.

The business thesis followed naturally: where there is fragmentation, there is an opportunity for thoughtful consolidation—not simply to roll brands up, but to raise the bar on quality, safety, curriculum, and the overall parent experience.

Purpose has always driven Michael’s work. Even at Urban Air, his aim was to partner with parents on the journey of raising kids—helping children learn the basics of science, technology, engineering, and math, identify and grow in their skills and hobbies, and escape the world through play. With that purpose clarified, he set out to find the world’s best brands that help kids learn, play, and grow—starting with the concepts that were already positively impacting his own family. That insight became the blueprint for Unleashed Brands in 2021: a trusted, parent‑first youth enrichment platform built to simplify “re‑entry” decisions for every family, in every season of childhood.

Michael set out on a clear mission: bring the world’s best youth enrichment brands into one, parent‑trusted platform, starting with the concepts that had already impacted his own family.

•  2011 — Against all odds, the first Urban Air location was opened by Michael and the Browning Family with unwavering family support and sheer determination. With no outside investors and facing skepticism from landlords and banks, this milestone marked the beginning of our journey—proving that grit and vision can overcome even the toughest challenges.
   
• 2014 — Urban Air began franchising and quickly became one of the fastest-growing franchise concepts in the country, earning recognition as a top franchise by Entrepreneur.
   
• 2017 — Urban Air transformed the trampoline park industry by introducing the Adventure Park, redefining family entertainment with innovative attractions and unforgettable experiences.
   
• 2019 — During its rapid expansion, Urban Air strategically hired key Executive Team talent to support and sustain its extraordinary growth. This period also marked the brand’s first private equity investment from MPK, Mantucket Capital, and AHR Growth Partners, providing the resources and expertise needed to accelerate its rise as a leader in the family entertainment industry.
   
• 2020 — During the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, Urban Air achieved an extraordinary milestone, retaining every location and emerging stronger than ever. This accomplishment reflected the strength of the model, the dedication of the team, and the unwavering support of the community.

• 2020 — In the middle of COVID-19, Michael’s vision for Unleashed Brands was born. As a parent navigating life after lockdown, he recognized the need for more engaging, accessible activities for kids. This struggle sparked the idea to create a platform of companies dedicated to making life easier for parents while inspiring joy, growth, and adventure for children.

Their oldest, a child naturally drawn to fine arts like dance, singing, and theatre, attended an in-home Snapology camp during COVID. To Michael’s surprise, she became engrossed in building a motion sensor alarm with robotics and coding, designing inputs that fed a “brain” and triggered outputs like a spinning light and audible alarm whenever her sister crossed the bedroom doorframe. After days of joyful, self-directed experimentation, he was convinced: if STEM learning is fun, any kid will love it. Serendipitously, he met Snapology founder Laura Coe at a virtual conference during COVID; conversations followed, and in July 2021 Snapology became the first brand to join the platform.

 Soon after, Michael sought out the owners of The Little Gym International, a place his oldest daughter and wife had attended for years in Keller, TX. It had become a cornerstone for their family—his wife built friendships in the local community, his daughter developed fine motor skills, made first friends, and learned the love of a coach. When he reached out, the initial response was, “The Little Gym isn’t for sale.” Michael’s reply—“Everything is for sale for the right price”—paired with persistence and creativity ultimately made the deal possible. In December 2021, The Little Gym joined Unleashed Brands. 

• Jan 2022 — Premier Martial Arts acquired, bringing character, confidence, and discipline under the “Grow” pillar.
   
• Apr 2022 — Class 101 and XP League acquired, expanding the “Learn” and “Grow” pillars for teens through college planning and youth esports. This milestone was bolstered by the addition of a new private equity partner, fueling the next phase of platform expansion and innovation.
   
• Feb 2024 — Sylvan Learning acquired, adding the leading K–12 tutoring brand to deepen the “Learn” pillar. With this milestone, Unleashed Brands surpassed $1.1 billion in systemwide revenue and grew to over 1,300 open and operating locations.
   
• Jan 2025 — Water Wings Swim School acquired, adding water safety and swim confidence to the “Grow” pillar and marking Unleashed Brands’ entry into the swim category.
   

Today, Unleashed Brands  owns eight category-leading concepts—Urban Air, The Little Gym, Snapology, Premier Martial Arts, Class 101, XP League, Sylvan Learning, and Water Wings, giving parents a single, trusted platform. As of 2025, the portfolio includes 1,400+ open and operating locations, collectively impacting 20M+ families each year and generating over $1 billion in system-wide revenue.