v e t e r an s s u ppl e m e n t
FRANCHISEE IN ACTION: The Camp Transformation Center
Opportunities Abound at
The Camp Transformation Center for veterans and Others Seeking a Fresh Start
Andrew Cruz knew his time as an active-duty U.S. Marine was coming to an end when he started pursuing entrepreneurial endeavors over the last several years. Like many veterans in transition, he wanted to make the move from public service to civilian life as smooth for his family as possible. As a military recruiter in Southern California who guided young people through the stages to join the military, he knew he needed something meaningful, something that allowed him to continue impacting people’s lives. Around the same time in 2015, Lauren Young says she was at rock bottom. The decorated high school athlete with a passion for pole vaulting was hit by a car while jogging with teammates in a Los Angeles suburb during her junior year, and the accident drastically changed her future. While she eventually recovered physically, the mental impact left her feeling adrift through much of her 20s. At 247 pounds by age 33, Young was eager to take back control of her life and her health. Their journeys and goals are different, but ultimately the paths Young and Cruz took led them to The Camp Transformation Center, a Californiabased health and wellness franchise that has given them both the fulfilling sense of purpose they each craved. “My job in the military was to guide young men and women through the process, from paperwork and planning to mental and physical evaluations and then through boot camp,” says Cruz. “That work was fulfilling because I knew I was playing a role in changing people’s lives. That’s where The Camp is similar to me. You support and cheer on the ones that see it through and enjoy a transformation. It’s rewarding to play a role in their journey.” Prior to retiring this summer, Cruz began his business career in tandem with his military service. He ran an ATM business in local barbershops and a photo booth rental company. Having experienced the challenges of managing businesses independently, franchising appealed to him. He learned about The Camp from Co-Founder Sam Bakhtiar. The two became early-morning workout buddies in 2018. “For me, it was that relationship with The Camp’s team and the great business model that ultimately encouraged me to sign franchise agreements,” says Cruz, who owns camps in Ontario Ranch, Laguna Hills, and Anaheim. “Franchising removes the guesswork of what to do and how to do it; you’re not reinventing the wheel.” Alejandra Font, The Camp Transformation Center Co-Founder 66 Franchising MAGAZINE USA
Founded in 2010, The Camp Transformation Center was born out of the realization that despite universal
