Niche Fitness Franchises

COVER STORY

NICHE FITNESS FRANCHISES

Fitness franchisors are getting creative with boutique brands.

By Jill Abrahamsen

“Investing in a big-box gym isn’t the only option in fitness franchising today. Boutique fitness brands are popping up everywhere. They offer a community-type environment and efficient workouts. They are also affordable, with many that only need 1,200 square feet of space. That means less expensive leases, fewer employees and fewer members needed for the business to be profitable.

Here, we talk to leaders of some innovative fitness brands and learn the inspiration behind their businesses. Take CITYROW, for example. Founder Helaine Knapp launched CITYROW after suffering injuries from overdoing it at a high-impact gym. The studio offers a high-intensity sweat with a low-impact burn.

A terrible accident was the driving force behind Pilates Proworks. After suffering for years with a crippling injury, founder Oscar Sanin turned to Pilates and got life-changing results. He was so thrilled with his recovery, he was inspired to open his own studio.

Whatever the inspiration, fitness franchising is a hot market. On the following pages you’ll find some very interesting concepts. Could one of them be for you?

CITYROW

HELAINE KNAPP

YOU DON’T HEAR TOO MANY PEOPLE REFERRING TO EXERCISE EQUIPMENT as sexy. But if you talk to Helaine Knapp, founder and CEO of City Row, you may just take a second look next time you’re at the gym. Filled with passion for her business, Knapp refers to her water rowers as “organic and sexy.”

Working in the hectic world of tech startups, Knapp put in crazy hours and had little time for exercise. She fell in love with boutique fitness gyms for the convenience and the high-intensity workouts they offered. Unfortunately, at just 25, Knapp’s workouts led to three herniated discs. “I thought I was doing something good for my body, but I really didn’t know how much I was hurting myself with high-impact workouts.”

At her doctor’s advice, Knapp searched for a low-impact workout. “In doing research, rowing kept coming up as a low-impact, total body workout, but I thought it was old school,” Knapp says. Soon she realized many benefits.

Knapp saw a business opportunity and opened the first CITYROW in January 2014, which incorporated rowing with free-weight and body-weight exercises. “No one wants to row for an entire hour,” Knapp says. “It was the first of its kind. It’s a smart and effective workout that incorporates cardio and toning. It’s a high-intensity sweat with a low-impact burn.”

With a huge following, proven systems and a partnership with Franworth, CITYROW started franchising in March. While absentee ownership is an option, Knapp prefers to partner with people who are passionate about fitness and want to be involved in the business.

Pilates Proworks

OSCAR SANIN

A TERRIBLE ACCIDENT IN 1994 CHANGED EVERYTHING FOR OSCAR SANIN. Although grateful to survive a plane crash, he suffered a lot of injuries and endured years of back problems. “I didn’t address the problem properly, and by 2003, I could barely walk,” he says. Not wanting to undergo back surgery, he sought several medical opinions until one of the leading back surgeons in his area suggested he try Pilates. “It was unbelievable. In just a little more than a week, I was able to tie my own shoes again. The results were life-changing,” Sanin says.

Sanin became obsessed with Pilates and hired an engineer and architect to design a customized reformer, now known as the “FitFormer.” It’s a more comfortable and user-friendly version of the classic reformer. Using his new machines, he opened the first Pilates Proworks in 2009, in San Francisco.

Proworks offers a variety of classes, including the “Pilates Pro,” a Pilates-based workout, the “Matbox,” a mix of kick boxing, Pilates, and yoga, and the “Tone and Flow,” which combines yoga and Pilates, so members never get bored. All classes deliver a low-impact workout with great results. “Members enjoy improved posture, weight loss, and better health,” Sanin says.

Now with 17 locations internationally, Pilates ProWorks has enjoyed steady growth and continues to expand. “We give franchisees all the tools they need to be successful,” says Sanin. “Our most successful franchisees are owner/operators. If you take care of this business, it will take care of you.”

i-9 Sports

BRIAN SANDERS

NAVIGATING A CHILD THROUGH THE WORLD OF YOUTH SPORTS IS a sport of its own. Parents run kids around like a taxi service. Kids feel pressured to specialize in one sport at an early age and work on it year-round. Young athletes are often over-scheduled, with too many games and practices. There’s favoritism from some parent coaches (“Daddyball,” anyone?). And let’s not forget about those overzealous parents who take the games too seriously and make an activity that was supposed to be fun, stressful and discouraging.

Enter i-9 Sports. Created to instill a love of sports in children, this home-based franchise offers youth sports leagues, camps, and clinics that are more fun than competitive and focus on sportsmanship. “In our programs, no child will ever be excluded by a try-out, be made to feel like they aren’t good enough by a league draft, ride the bench for an entire game, or be cut from a team,” says Brian Sanders, President and CEO of i-9 Sports.

Instead of having the overhead of brick-and-mortar locations, franchisees rent space and run activities on fields and in community centers. The program offers instruction and play for kids ages 3 to 14 in sports, including flag football, soccer, basketball, baseball, and lacrosse. “We have created a fun way to help kids develop athletic ability, a love of team sports, and an understanding that how you play a game is as important as the score,” says Sanders. “This is a feel-good business for anyone who likes to be around children and develop relationships,” says Sanders. “Many of our franchisees were customers first. That says a lot about us.”

For more information, visit www.i9sportsfranchise.com

ALEJANDRA FONT

The Camp Transformation Center

ALEJANDRA FONT ALWAYS HAD AN ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT, BUT HER early days as a business owner didn’t really excite her. “I was in housewares. It was profitable, but it wasn’t for me. It was just a means to an income,” she says.

What Font did enjoy was exercise and fitness. So in 2008, she closed the doors on her business in order to monetize her passion. “I wanted to do something with fitness. I quickly realized that there was a void in the weight-loss area,” Font says.

In 2010, Font opened the first Camp Transformation Center, a six-week exercise-and-nutrition program. “When you follow this program, you get results. Period,” she says. “The program is addictive. Once people start seeing the results, they are encouraged and want to keep going. So they will roll into a new challenge.”

She turned to franchising in 2017 in order to keep the brand consistent as she scaled the business. With more than 106 locations, members everywhere can encourage and support each other through a private Facebook account. “We’ll have upwards of 6,000 members all starting a challenge at the same time. It’s encouraging for members to get that kind of support,” she adds. Font is looking for franchisees who have business acumen and are passionate about fitness. “So many of our staff members have become employees. They see how they can change lives while making a great living. It’s the ultimate validation for me,” she adds.

For more information, visit www.thecamptc.com

Surfs Up

CHARLES HEATH

AS THE OWNER OF A CONSTRUCTION COMPANY THAT BUILT MORE THAN 300 gyms, Charles Heath had insight into the fitness business—so much so that he became inspired to create his own brand. “I learned what to do and what not to do. Often, operation training meetings were going on while we were on site, and I would hear about what worked and what didn’t work for all different brands,” he says.

With an advertising background and a mind for business, Heath launched a unique concept: Surf’s Up Fitness, a total body workout, in a fun environment. “Classes are for all fitness levels, and you can burn up to 1,200 calories per class,” he says. “The workouts are designed to enhance balance, coordination, endurance, and flexibility.”

The beach theme is taken pretty seriously. Fitness trainers are called “lifeguards,” and the locker room is known as “The Pier.” Real sand (approximately 28 tons in each studio), is brought in for a beachy feel. Surfboards are used for most workouts. They create an unstable surface, which works the core and is particularly good for balance. Suspension Body Training (SBT) is incorporated into some of the workouts, and there’s also a spin section.

“We made a big investment in technology. Through our app, members get a report after each visit telling them which workout they did and how many calories they burned in order to track progress. They can schedule classes on our website,” he says. “We are very customer focused and add little touches like free, cold-water bottles, and towels.”

He didn’t miss a detail when it comes to his franchisees, either. “This is a turnkey franchise. It includes everything you need to run the business, from soup to nuts,” Heath says. You don’t have to be a fitness expert to run Surf’s Up, but business experience is preferred. “Look at me. I’m a 64-year-old fat man with a white beard. See what I mean?”

For more information, visit www.surfsupfitnesswoodstock.com

BODYBAR Fitness

YOU MAY NOT THINK OF PILATES AS A HIGH-INTENSITY WORKOUT, BUT BODYBAR Fitness founder and CEO, Laurie Gatlin will convince you otherwise. She designed her program as a modern twist on the traditional Pilates method. The program offers something for everyone, from classes that target specific body parts to fastpaced full-body workouts. They even have a 40-minute express class where the goal is clear: “Get in. Kick butt. Get out.”

Founded in 2012, the family-owned business now offers franchise opportunities. Gaitlin is looking to partner with franchisees who want to be owner-operators and feel passionate about the business and helping people. For more information, visit bodybarfitness.com

Athletic Republic

BEING THE FIRST TO CROSS THE FINISH LINE OR A STARTER ON A competitive sports team doesn’t happen by accident. It takes hard work and talent. But sometimes that’s not enough—it requires that extra edge. That’s the whole philosophy behind Athletic Republic, a science-based training center with programs designed to bring athletes to the top of their games. The foundation of their success comes from their test-teach-train approach to athlete development which helps improve speed, power, agility, and stamina.

Working with students and professionals, trainers help athletes achieve peak athletic performance. There are also programs for athletes recovering from injury and active adults who want to improve fitness levels. Two franchise formats are available—a training center or training clinic. For more information, visit www.athleticrepublic.com