Building Community, Empowering Women: How an Ever-Growing ‘Burn Nation’ Translates to High Value for Members, Franchisees and Investors Alike

Boutique fitness franchise Burn Boot Camp is about more than extending the time of your plank or completing more reps during a drill. With notable points of differentiation including camps and nutrition guidance tailored to the lifestyle and time constraints of take-charge women, a bevy of focus meetings and group events, and complimentary childwatch at all Burn locations, Burn Boot Camp is truly building a fitness culture and community for women.

A testament to the fact that Burn “walks the walk,” (or “runs the run,” as it were), is the industry-leading conversion rate from member to franchisee. An unbelievable 75 percent of Burn Boot Camp franchisees are also members of an ever-expanding community of fitness-focused women, or “Burn Nation.”

This pattern doesn’t surprise Jolene Purchia, Burn Boot Camp’s Vice President of Franchise Development.

“Burn Boot Camp was founded on community. It is at our core and has been one of the five pillars in our philosophy since we started,” Purchia said. “It is this community element that has transcended every market in the nation. Our mission is to ignite a global health transformation, and we do that through empowering women to maximize the quality of their lives, creating a community of mentally, emotionally and physically strong women.”

From a consumer standpoint, this commitment to community is huge: members not only access optimum strength and conditioning (Burn workouts are 45 minutes and average a 700 calorie expenditure), but their membership also opens the door to a far-reaching community of powerful women ready to “inspire, empower and transform.”

“It is because we have put community as our foundation that we have grown organically at such an exponential rate as our members become raving fans of our brand,” said Purchia. “That raving fan culture translates into members wanting to be a larger part of our organization vis-a-vis the route of becoming a franchisee. Through the process of becoming a business owner, members have the opportunity to invest in themselves while impacting their community.”

Purchia shared that the brand’s “groundwork of strength and empowerment through community” is the reason she came into the very role she holds today.

“Starting as a client in 2014, I found my second home in Burn Boot Camp and transformed my mind and body. Intrinsically, I knew Burn had to be a larger part of my life very soon into my membership. It is with the same zest with which our clients want to become [franchisees] that I pursued a career with Burn HQ and now have the privilege to award locations and change lives daily,” Purchia said.

Kristin Davis, who owns the Burn Boot Camp franchises in New Braunfels, Texas and Camp Stone Oak, Texas, echoed Purchia’s sense of belonging, and the drive to impact communities that belonging inspired.

“I love that Burn Boot Camp creates this awakening for women,” Davis said. “So many of us are stuck in our day-to-day lives, not even realizing that we need such an experience or place in our lives. Witnessing women right alongside me changing their lives and experiencing confidence and happiness was heartwarming.” Driven to become a part of that empowering experience, Davis transitioned from member to franchisee.

“I wanted to have an impact on communities that was as profound as the impact Burn Boot Camp had on me when I first joined. I wanted to bring the joy, empowerment and community to women no matter how far I had to travel. As Burn says, ‘It's a way of life, not a destination,’” Davis said.

From an investment perspective, that kind of no-signs-of-slowing organic growth when it comes to membership indicates recurring revenue. That, combined with a demand-driven model and ever-increasing pool of members-turned-franchisees, means that Burn Boot Camp is uniquely positioned for impressive growth in the boutique fitness sector.

“Clients become so passionate and engaged that they want to make Burn a larger part of their lives,” Purchia said. That commitment translates to both member and franchisee longevity.

Moreover, Burn Boot Camp’s business model means that they’re well-positioned to do so. Burn offers a low upfront investment; still-available prime territories; an incredible support structure from an operational and marketing perspective; plus help with site selection.

Ultimately, this means that Burn Boot Camp offers members and partners alike a level of value that, Purchia notes, “can’t be topped by any other boutique fitness concept.”

“We will never waver on adding the most value possible to our clients’ lives,” Purchia emphasized. “It is at the forefront of our conversations here at Burn HQ. We’re always focusing on how to continue to innovate and add more value.”

Burn Boot Camp was named in the 99th percentile of franchised system growth in its first four years of franchising by a senior analyst at FRANdata. The brand is currently awarding franchises in the United States and Canada with plans to expand into 10,000 global units over the next 10 to 12 years. The investment range for a Burn Boot Camp location is $142,000 to $350,000 inclusive of the $40,000 franchise fee for a single unit. Area development agreements for a minimum of three units are available to qualified candidates. For more information, visit http://franchise.burnbootcamp.com.