The Right Opportunity

Posted on April 03, 2008 by Bill Dube

At times, my husband and I wondered if we'd ever find the right franchise. We looked at all types - fitness, smoothie bars, custom framing, interior remodeling, kids party venues, you name it - but nothing felt right.

When a consultant presented Snap Fitness, we were - surprise! - skeptical. There were no other 24-hour concepts here and we weren't sure it would work in a large metro area.

But owning our own gym is something we've always wanted. We liked the Snap model and the relatively low entry cost. After touring a couple clubs and meeting with CEO Peter Taunton and his team, we decided to make the move.

We purchased a "3 pack" and I quit my job as a Citigroup vice president to oversee day-to-day operations. Our first club hit 600 members in 10 months, the second just opened and a third is a few months away.

As you might guess, picking the right location is key - especially in a competitive market like ours. We also learned to hire smartly, deliver exceptional member service and promote incessantly but inexpensively.

I've been especially pleased with the communications and marketing support. Snap's password-protected franchisee portal is a time-saver. I download promotional materials, read up on best practices, participate in webcasts and stay abreast of company news quickly.

Most important, the staff listens to feedback and acts accordingly - you'll want to make sure your franchisor gets high grades in this area, no matter which one you choose.

I'll admit, getting the business up and running can be a full-time job. But I've cut back considerably now - enough so that I have more quality time than ever with my kids and am able to volunteer at their school.

Regardless of where you land, understand your investment, know your market, be prepared to invest a lot of time those first months and follow the system - don't waste time reinventing what's working. It's worked for me and I hope it works for you - be well.