“We want franchisees with the desire to educate, motivate and care”
Published: 03 December 2015
Chuck Runyon co-founded Anytime Fitness back in 2002 with Dave Mortensen and Jeff Klinger. The 24-hour health and fitness club currently operates in 3,000 locations, celebrating its 3,000-store opening in Stroud, England this year. According to Forbes magazine, Anytime Fitness was the fastest growing health club franchise in 2014, so with this in mind deputy editor Flora Neighbour met up with Chuck over breakfast to talk franchising and fitness…
What made you go into to business in the health and fitness industry?
I’ve always loved sports, I’m very competitive and I love the atmosphere a health club provides – it’s very inspirational. It’s an addicting culture and a fun place to be. I get to be part of a life-changing industry and it’s a great place to work everyday.
You founded the business with Dave Mortensen and Jeff Klinger; tell us a little bit about this process…
It was back in the ‘90s, we all owned health clubs and worked in the fitness industry within a variety of roles. We decided to invest in bigger clubs that were in distress and ran those. We all enjoyed it, but wanted something more and that’s when the idea of Anytime Fitness came about. We were running centres that had pools, childcare areas and smoothie bars, however, the majority of our members simply came in to use the machines and work out. So we came up with the idea of Anytime Fitness, keeping the gym a simple place to exercise without all those added extras. The majority of people want a quick workout.
How does Anytime Fitness differ from other gyms in the UK?
Our research revealed clients want a gym or club that is close to home or to work, so convenience matters, so our locations are selected with this in mind. Also, the gyms are that little bit smaller to give that personal touch, which allows our coaches and staff to get to know the customer and help them as a friend to achieve their goals.
Do you feel the health and fitness industry has changed since you started Anytime Fitness?
Absolutely. There has been some great innovation in the industry in the last 10 years. For example wearable tech, like the Map My Fitness App. We’re trying to blend the digital with the bricks-and-mortar experience. There has never been a better time to run a fitness franchise.
Do you feel it will continue to change?
Yes, for the better. I think technology has provided more opportunities. Globally there is more awareness of the importance of physical activity, which means the spending on wellness will continue to increase. Even employers and the medical sector are starting to realise how important being healthy and active can be for us all. The trend towards wellness will always grow and will never go out of fashion.
Why did you decide to franchise Anytime Fitness?
We saw it as an opportunity to grow fast. It got us access on a geographical scale, which we wouldn’t have been able to do on our own. Plus, we really do like to the play the teacher role to our franchisees and educate them within the sector as well as in business. We are always happy to hear of a franchisee success story.
What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome expanding the business?
When we started in 2002 we had the idea of a non-staffed club. This technology seems prevalent today, but in 2002 we had to create the software package from scratch. It was very difficult creating a model that hadn’t previously existed and we were faced with experts telling us that it wouldn’t work. We were told it would be a security risk or the service wouldn’t be as good. We had to spend time and money with lawyers to establish this model. It took a lot of self-belief to make it work.
What strengths do you need to possess to become an Anytime Fitness franchisee?
It’s an industry still based on people skills and we look for candidates that like to teach, are medical professionals or personal trainers. We want franchisees with the desire to educate, motivate and care. You don’t have to possess a high-degree of passion for fitness, but you have to believe in the business, so being authentic is important.
What advice would you give to someone looking to become an Anytime Fitness franchisee?
Find something you can identify with, and if that’s Anytime Fitness, that’s fantastic! Make sure you follow the model of the franchisor, but also tap into your peers; we have hundreds of franchisees that have been where you have been, use this to your advantage. That resource of advice is very rich, so make sure you tap into it.
What advice would you give to someone looking to franchise his or her business?
Try to have proof of concept first. You have to make sure a franchisee will be able to take on your business with relative ease and make money out of it.
What are your plans for the future with Anytime Fitness?
In the next five years we should be opening another 400 stores per year across the world. So five years from today we will be at 5,000 clubs, instead of the 3,000 we have today. 2016 will be a big year for us internationally, opening a huge number of stores outside of the US, so we’re very excited about that. Globally we are looking at big things.
What do you think lies in the future of franchising?
Huge things. The concept of franchising is getting bigger and bigger. Anytime Fitness was built from the growth of the health and fitness sector and the franchising industry. Franchising is a tremendous opportunity for someone to build a business that works.
