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If you're passionate about health and fitness, why not consider running a franchise in this sector? In the UK, thehealth and fitness industry is booming and is expected to reach £22.8 billion by 2020. In this month's edition of Franchisor Q&A, énergie Fitness discuss the fitness industry in 2018, why they feel they are unique to other fitness franchises and much much more.
What makes énergie Fitness unique to other fitness franchises?
énergie hold a long-standing title of being the first UK-based fitness franchisor and are the only fitness franchisor in the UK to operate exclusively in the booming low-cost sector of the market.
We have uniquely positioned our franchise opportunity to operate in the fast-growing sector of the market, which is still only at the beginning of its progressive growth. This is in contrast to many other fitness franchisors who operate in the mid-market or boutique spaces.
Despite an affordable and accessible consumer fitness offering, our franchise model doesn’t offer a budget experience to our members. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. With new branding, an exceptional club fit out including equipment from leading brands, dedicated club hosts and fully trained staff, signature classes and programmes such as thé YARD Club Edition and émpower, and a new all-inclusive two-tier membership offer – our énergie Fitness gyms offer a premium experience from the minute a member joins the club.
Do you think the fitness sector has changed since the business began and if so, how has énergie Fitness adapted the business to meet this change?
The fitness sector has changed significantly. When we opened our first club in 2003, many clubs offered full health facilities including pools, saunas and steam rooms. Then the market shifted in 2008 with the launch of the budget market, something which we were pioneers in, with our Fit4less budget brand offering. Now, we see the industry continuing to expand with consumers demanding more choice and flexibility in their memberships, something our énergie Fitness brand caters for perfectly.
With a two-tier membership offer and fully trained staff who are always on-hand to help, we’re able to deliver a fitness experience which is on the members' terms.
What qualities do you think are important for running a successful fitness franchise?
Interestingly, you don’t need prior experience or interest in health and fitness to run a successful fitness franchise. Instead, we create a focus on driving the right metrics that lead to business growth, whilst building a framework that enables franchisees and their club teams to deliver outstanding service to our members.
In addition, the fitness franchise business model is very flexible and provides franchisees with a range of options on how they choose to run their business. Some franchisees choose to work in the business on a daily basis and run the club themselves alongside their team, whilst others place the running of the gym under the control of a club manager.
What support does energie provide?
When you own a franchise with énergie Fitness, you’ll benefit from one of the most comprehensive franchise business support packages available on the market. Our award-winning UK-based operations team have a 15-year track record of success and are there to provide advice and guidance every step of the way.
From business planning and property acquisition through to ongoing marketing and operational support, we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive gym franchise package that gives our franchisees all the tools they need for success. Whilst we’re here when they need us, we also give our franchisees the space they need to run and manage their own business.
In addition to the direct support, the franchise on-boarding process includes a full training programme for franchisees and their team, covering everything from fitness programming to management to ensure they’re ready for their club’s grand opening.
Tell me about the history of the franchise?
Starting from humble beginnings as a single club in 2003 to now being the UK’s market-leading gym franchisor, we set out to develop a brand that makes a real difference. We want to democratise fitness, and our core purpose is to empower people to transform their lives. To do that, we want to provide a ‘safe’ place where people really feel they belong at an affordable price.
Now operating close to 100 clubs across UK and international territories, the énergie brand continues to thrive, seeing new franchisees come on board and existing franchisees purchasing additional licenses to open new sites.
If running an énergie Fitness franchise sounds like an ideal career opportunity for you, simply click here to find out more!