Anytime Fitness Franchisees Recognized for Creating a Strong Community in their Gyms

Fitness has always been a passion for Brandon Borden. No matter what job he held—whether he was selling real estate or picking up shifts as a bartender—he was always drawn to fitness. So, when his father became a member at a local Anytime Fitness club, Brandon decided to do a little digging into the company’s business ownership opportunities.

“Owning a business was always something that I wanted to do. Even when I was 16, I knew that this was the path I’d end up on, even if I wasn’t sure what type of business it would be,” said Brandon. “Fitness has always been my passion, so it makes sense that I ended up with Anytime Fitness. I’ve been in the industry on and off for 20 years. So, when my dad joined a local Anytime Fitness gym, I started talking to him about his experiences. That prompted me to do some research into the brand, and in July of 2009, we opened up our first club.”

Brandon and his wife Amber now own four Anytime Fitness clubs—three are located in Reno and the fourth is in Sparks, Nevada. Their growth as franchisees, from one to four gyms over the past few years, is evidence that business is booming. And according to Brandon, that upward trend isn’t a surprise. He says their success is partially due to the fact that Anytime Fitness has established a business model and system that’s designed to help its franchisees see positive results.

“Anytime Fitness is really ahead of the game as far as fitness trends are concerned. We’re not hyper-focused on packing in members.  We’re more of a community and family that’s goal-oriented and results-based. When someone joins one of our gyms, they become a part of that family,” said Brandon.

Both Brandon and Amber are feeling a sense of family from Anytime Fitness now more than ever. That’s because the husband and wife duo were named “Franchisees of the Year” at the company’s annual conference in September of 2017. Given that Anytime Fitness’ system is comprised of nearly 4,000 locations globally, being recognized as the best of the best is a tremendous honor.

“To be honest, it was a huge surprise for us. One of our club managers submitted a nomination for the award on our behalf, and there are a lot of things that factor into actually winning. You have to be dedicated, and I think corporate saw that we had good numbers and we care deeply about the brand. We’re very honored and humbled,” said Brandon. Amber seconded that notion, adding, “I personally think that our numbers are so strong because of how involved Brandon and I are in the day-to-day activity of our clubs. There isn’t a job we wouldn’t do when it comes to our facilities, whether its cleaning toilets or scrubbing carpets. Brandon makes it to our gyms every day, and the biggest thing for us is being involved and engaged.”

Franchisees like the Bordens are able to experience success as business owners by following the proven model that Anytime Fitness established in 2002 and continues to enhance today. By adhering to best practices and relying on a supportive community of fellow franchisees and corporate team members, entrepreneurs like the Bordens are able to reach their fullest financial potential while simultaneously helping members of their local communities achieve their health and fitness goals.

“My most important advice is to ‘be there.’ There’s a difference between looking at this as an investment opportunity versus a career. You have to take it seriously and be passionate about your gyms and your members. You need to be willing to put in the hours and follow the system that Anytime Fitness has laid out,” Brandon said. “But at the end of the day, the most important thing is to have a love of working with people. There’s a real sense of community in Anytime Fitness gyms and across the system that needs to be understood and appreciated in order to be successful.”