The Franchise King® | Learn How To Become A Franchisee

Lessons From A First-Time Fitness Franchisee

the goldsmith's are first-time-fitness franchisees

(This post, “Lessons From a First Time Fitness Franchisee,” was written by Paul Goldsmith, a trusted Guest Contributor)

Pursue your Passion” is terrible career advice for most people.

(This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy).

I live just outside Nashville, Tennessee, where a good number of waiters, waitresses, and Uber drivers are people who moved here to follow their passion, a career in music. And there are just more dreams than paying gigs to go around.

However, there is one area where pursuing your passion can actually pay off more often than not, and in my experience, that’s through a franchise.

 

It’s Not Easy

Buying a franchise is not easy, but it’s a lot simpler than creating a new business idea from scratch. By definition, a franchise is a proven business model with actual numbers to show what’s possible with that very concept.

That said, being passionate about the franchise concept you acquire is a strategic advantage because when you’re just getting started, you are the local face of the business. No one is going to represent it better than you. Plus, you have to learn how it all works. Each of us does better at something and has more energy, and thus is more likely to succeed when we’re working on something we have a natural interest in.

When my wife and I decided we wanted to explore franchising, we knew it’d have to be something we could get passionate about.



Free Franchise Quiz
Find Out If You'll Be A Successful Franchise Owner!
Invalid email address



 

Our Wake-Up Call

Like millions of other Americans, the COVID-19 pandemic was a wake-up call to start being more proactive with our health.

As such, when sitting down to brainstorm what franchise might make sense for us to own, the first thing that came to mind was a buying a specialty shoe store franchise. I love the store, but the closest one is around 25 miles away.

So after several weeks and ZOOM calls with franchise company leadership, it became apparent that this particular business was not a good fit for us to own. Passion alone was not enough.

Disclosure: we went back to the drawing board and hired Joel Libava to guide us in the right direction.

Joel helped us to expand our search and ask better questions, which led us to consider reaching out to the owner of an existing fitness franchise in our town. The good news was my wife was already a member and knew the concept well.

When we contacted the existing owners, we found out they were open to selling. At that point, we contacted corporate to get the Franchise Disclosure Document and interviewed* existing franchisees to learn their experience.

*We got the right questions to ask franchisees from Joel’s franchise research guide.

 

Lessons From A First-Time Fitness Franchisee

Due diligence completed, we purchased the gym, then the real work began.

As a first-time franchisee in the fitness arena, there are so many systems and processes to learn while keeping the business running at the same time.

We were faithful to watch all the videos from the training portal provided, my wife attended a week-long training session at HQ, and we are in the gym every day.

It should be noted that I still have my day-job…a consulting business. That provides an income while we are on the job learning the franchise.

 

The First Few Months As A Franchisee

For the first four months of ownership, we did our best to retain the current members and spent a significant investment back into equipment and building repairs.

While this was noticed and appreciated by current members, it didn’t translate to increasing membership or revenue.

We’ve learned that while a critical benefit of owning a franchise, rather than starting new business, is that the franchisor will provide you with a proven business model and support system, that still doesn’t make it turnkey.

Nevertheless, as a franchisee, you are still 100% responsible for running the day-to-day operations and marketing of your business.

At around month five of ownership, we began interviewing digital marketing companies and hired the one that specializes in our type of franchise. That has made all the difference in lead generation and booking first-time appointments.

Lesson learned: there’s always a WHO out there that can solve any “HOW Only wish we would have looked sooner” issue.

 

 

Ask Local Franchisees If They’re Open To Selling

If you’re considering a foray into franchising, you may find that the owner (franchisee) of one you currently patronize are open to selling. Just make sure it’s a business that has growth potential and can’t be easily replaced by a website or big box store.

Finally, in my opinion, since you’ll be spending a considerable time working in the business, do yourself a favor and make it one you’re passionate about.

 

fitness franchisee lessons from Paul Goldsmith

(Paul Goldsmith hosts the weekly Next Simple Step podcast where he documents his journey and lessons as an entrepreneur and first-time franchise owner.)

About Guest Contributors

(Guest Contributors for The Franchise King® website/blog are only people I know, like, and trust and are experts in their fields. They write to provide you with helpful information and insights regarding your future or current business. That said, if you find that the products or services their companies provide interest you, by all means contact them! Finally, unlike Sponsored Posts, no money ever exchanges hands when guest contributors write for this website.)

Please Share This Article!
2Shares
Note: When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. In addition, I've started to use AI to help me craft better article titles and headings.
joel libava

I'm The Franchise King®, Joel Libava. I help prospective franchise owners avoid bank account emptying mistakes. For over 20 years, I’ve been showing people how to make smart, informed decisions on franchises to buy, and I can help you, too!
P.S. I'm not a franchise consultant/broker.

“I've been a fan of Joel's for years. He's picked a niche and made himself the undisputed expert. I'd recommend him to anyone looking to start a franchise. "
- Gene Marks, Business Expert, Keynote Speaker
Free Franchise Tools Franchise Compatibility Quiz Net Worth Calculator
VIP Franchise Newsletter

Recommended Reading
How Franchises Work
How Much Is A Franchise?
Pros And Cons Of A Franchise What Is The Franchise Fee? How To Buy A Franchise
Top 21 Franchise Opportunities
Top 33 Business Opportunities Starbucks Franchise Facts
Featured Franchises!
10 Best Franchise Websites
About Franchise Consultants
How To Read A FDD
Questions To Ask Franchisors
Questions To Ask Franchisees Franchise Discovery Day Franchise Reviews
Your Franchise Business Plan

A 401(k) For A Franchise?

Top 10 Franchise Buying Tips
Free Franchise Quiz
Find Out If You'll Be A Successful Franchise Owner!
Invalid email address