Building a business on a passion

Sean and Amy Davis founded Louisville, Kentucky-based Sports Nutrition Authority in 2016. The mission of their business is to educate customers about nutrition and supplements and to help them meet their health needs. Their stores offer a generous selection of products, great customer service, and low prices. Contact Sean at sean@nextlevelsn.com or visit www.sportsnutritionauthority.net.

What inspired you to start the business?

We have always had a passion for our own health, fitness, and wellness. We wanted to use that passion to create a business with health and wellness as part of the model. When we shopped for ourselves several years ago, we couldn’t find products that fit our specific goals and we quickly realized that it was even more difficult to decipher product information on what was being sold on the internet. We wanted a place where we could go for expert advice, a place we could learn about nutrition for our specific goals, and a place that didn’t intimidate us—we wanted to feel comfortable asking questions. Since there wasn’t already a store like this, we created it and are excited to have the opportunity to share it with other health and wellness enthusiasts.

What sets your brand apart for the customer?

We offer a great selection of products—more than 70 brands—along with everyday wholesale pricing that’s fully disclosed on shelves. Another big plus of our stores is that we educate and inform customers to help them with their health and wellness goals and needs.

What sets your brand apart as a franchise opportunity?

We offer a concept that has a low cost of entry, potential of additional revenue streams, with healthy profit margins. It’s a business that is easily scalable to multiple locations because of the low market penetration. These factors will give franchisees the opportunity to soar in this niche market environment. Joining the health and wellness revolution has never been easier.

Do franchisees need to be fitness experts?

We will teach and train franchisees on every aspect of the business, which means they don’t need to be an expert in fitness or supplements. Ideally, we are looking for candidates who are passionate about health and wellness, have an entrepreneurial mindset, and have a background in management.

Why will customers shop at a Sports Nutrition Authority store rather than buy their products online?

Customers can buy supplement products online, but when it comes to nutrition, consumers are flooded with information—so much that it can become overwhelming when you’re trying to figure out who to trust and who’s trying to make a quick buck. The benefit of walking into a Sports Nutrition Authority store is that the customer can ask questions, learn valuable information about nutrition, and walk out of the store with the right product for his or her particular goals. Many of the top nutrition brands are moving away from online sales and serving the masses. Instead they’re focused on producing smaller batches and providing the consumer with products made with high-quality ingredients. That’s what makes Sports Nutrition Authority special: We’ve done the research and we work only with the top brands in the industry.