Superfish Swim Schools Co-Founder and Managing Director Andrew Baildon OLY recently joined the speaker lineup at SWIMCON25, presenting on the business side of Learn to Swim operations alongside son Flynn Baildon.
Their session focused on the realities of building, managing and evolving successful swim school businesses in an increasingly competitive industry.
Drawing upon nearly three decades of experience, Andrew shared insights from developing Superfish Swim Schools from a single Gold Coast swim centre in 1996 into a multi-location operation teaching thousands of children every week across South East Queensland. His presentation explored the balance between premium customer experience, program quality, team culture, operational systems and long-term business sustainability - all while maintaining a strong drowning prevention mission at the core of the organisation.
Alongside his achievements as an Olympian and Commonwealth Games champion, Andrew also holds a Bachelor of Business (Communication - Marketing) from Bond University, bringing both practical business expertise and strategic marketing knowledge to the Learn to Swim industry. His experience across swim school operations, brand development, facility growth and industry leadership continues to position Superfish Swim Schools as one of Australia’s most recognised independent swim school brands.
Flynn Baildon brings a next-generation business perspective to the organisation, combining operational knowledge from within the swim industry with experience gained in Brisbane’s property development sector. Holding a Bachelor of Business (Entrepreneurship), Flynn previously worked across large-scale development projects in Assistant Development Manager and project management roles, contributing skills in operations, systems, stakeholder communication and strategic planning. His experience brings a fresh commercial perspective to the evolving Learn to Swim industry, particularly around customer engagement, innovation and long-term business growth.
Growing up immersed in the day-to-day operations of Superfish Swim Schools, Flynn represents the future direction of the family business while continuing the organisation’s strong focus on professionalism, innovation and community impact.
Superfish Swim Schools is proud to contribute to national industry conversations around Learn to Swim excellence, business development and drowning prevention education, with ongoing opportunities for speaking, consultancy and industry collaboration continuing to expand throughout Australia and internationally.
