Extraordinary Brands

When layoffs and industry changes hit the aerospace engineering industry during the pandemic,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelnewbry/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mike-newbry-cyclebar-redmond-franchisee-feature-2732328" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Mike Newbry</a> found himself at a crossroads: return to his career at Boeing or take a leap into entrepreneurship. Choosing the latter, Newbry combined his MBA background with a longtime passion for cycling and acquired&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cyclebar.com/franchise?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mike-newbry-cyclebar-redmond-franchisee-feature-2732328" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">CycleBar</a> in Redmond.&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/extraordinary-brands/info">CycleBar</a> is a boutique fitness concept built around low-impact, high-intensity indoor cycling classes. But what looked like a stable business quickly became a major challenge when the studio lost members and local leadership during the ownership transition. Instead of walking away, Newbry took a hands-on approach to rebuilding the studio and restoring momentum. Today, he is focused on growing CycleBar’s community in Redmond while laying the groundwork for future expansion.Newbry recently sat down with 1851 Franchise to discuss leaving Boeing to pursue entrepreneurship and how he rebuilt momentum after taking over a struggling studio. Here’s what he had to say:1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?Mike Newbry:&nbsp;I’m an engineer by trade, but I wanted to grow my personal self, so I got an MBA and moved into engineering management. Years later, I was working at Boeing during the COVID-19 pandemic. I had to shrink my team and was given the choice of going back to engineering or taking a separation from the company. I decided to separate and try to do my own thing. A franchise consultant reached out at just the right time and presented five different opportunities. I’m very passionate about fitness. I do triathlons, and cycling is my favorite portion of that. I thought, "I can do something I’m passionate about and get other people involved." That would be a really fun life.1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?Newbry:&nbsp;I had it in the back of my mind from a class I took during my MBA where the instructor had owned a bunch of different franchises. He presented the benefits franchising provides, and it stuck with me as something that can work. Trying to start something on my own from scratch felt really overwhelming, but buying something that was already established with proven results sounded like a much better plan for me.1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?Newbry:&nbsp;My perception was that everything is figured out for you—that you kind of buy this thing, have somebody run it, and you're just the owner. I definitely think people should know they need to do their own research. It was a lot more difficult and I’ve had to be a lot more hands-on than I anticipated up front.1851:&nbsp;What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?Newbry:&nbsp;I wanted to do something I was passionate about. Fitness makes up a large portion of my life and what brings me joy. CycleBar had been around for a long time, and even through COVID, the brand felt solid. I felt like I could combine my professional aspirations with my passion for fitness. &nbsp;1851:&nbsp;What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?&nbsp;Newbry:&nbsp;My initial plan was to open all three studios in the market. I wanted to be more than just a single-unit owner. I wanted to build a leadership team that helped me manage and grow a portfolio. My immediate goal is to get this studio back to the profits it was generating about a year prior to me taking over, and then use that revenue to open more studios with the lessons I’ve learned here. 1851:&nbsp;Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?Newbry:&nbsp;Having someone follow their passion and take that leap of faith is the highlight of this. I purchased this studio when it was going through a major transition. It had about 400 members and was doing really well, which is why I bought it—I thought it was a sure thing. But it lost 100 members and its local leadership right before I took ownership. I got down to about 240 members and was starting to panic. I took extreme ownership of it and executed the best I could every day. Since July, I’ve made sure to do the right steps day in and day out, and we’re regaining momentum. We are approaching 300 members now, and I hope to get back to where the studio was so I can continue those growth plans.1851:&nbsp;What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?Newbry:&nbsp;Listen to podcasts like Franchise Secrets so you can hear stories from others. One thing I wish I would have done is call more owners. When they give you that Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), you should cold-call the people on that list. You need to know what to prepare for before you decide whether or not to move forward.About CycleBarFounded in 2004, CycleBar is the largest indoor cycling brand by number of studios and offers a variety of low-impact, high-intensity indoor cycling workouts, which are inclusive of all fitness levels. CycleBar offers an immersive, multi-sensory experience in state-of-the-art “CycleTheaters,” led by specially trained instructors, enhanced with high-energy “CycleBeats” playlists and tracked using rider-specific “CycleStat” performance metrics. Ranked on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Franchise 500 six years running, Fastest-Growing Franchises in 2021 as well as Inc. Magazine’s Inc. 5000 in 2020, CycleBar is headquartered in Irvine, CA and backed by Extraordinary Brands, one of the leading global franchisors of boutique health and wellness brands. To learn more about CycleBar, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.cyclebar.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mike-newbry-cyclebar-redmond-franchisee-feature-2732328" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.cyclebar.com</a>.About Extraordinary BrandsFounded by Paul Flick in 2022, Extraordinary Brands is a multi-brand franchisor platform specializing in boutique fitness and wellness concepts. The company empowers entrepreneurs to launch, scale, and grow standout studio brands through a shared services model and operational consistency. Its expanding portfolio now includes CycleBar (indoor cycling), Rumble (boxing-inspired group fitness), Row House (rowing-based HIIT), and NEIGHBORHOOD barre (barre). Extraordinary Brands continues to pursue growth across Pilates, spin, HIIT, barre, and recovery verticals, with a focus on franchisee success and long-term brand revitalization. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.extraordinarybrands.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=mike-newbry-cyclebar-redmond-franchisee-feature-2732328" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.extraordinarybrands.com</a> to learn more. &nbsp;

Mike Newbry Cyclebar franchisee spotlight franchise opportunity

Mike Newbry: From Boeing Engineer to CycleBar Redmond Owner

1851 Franchise

After leaving the aerospace industry during the pandemic, Mike Newbry bought a CycleBar studio that had lost members and local leadership just before the transition.



This brand page has been paid for by EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS. Content within this page that is paid will showcase a Sponsored icon. This means the brand has engaged 1851 FRANCHISE to write the content. Content without the Sponsored Icon is aggregated media placements the brand earned. Questions can be sent to editorial@1851franchise.com

Former Boeing Engineer Rebuilds CycleBar in Redmond, Washington, After Taking Over Struggling Studio

mike-newbry-cyclebar-redmond-franchisee-feature

FRANCHISE INFORMATION

Request Info

Why Extraordinary Brands?

Executive Q&A

Extraordinary Brands Acquires Basecamp Fitness

NEIGHBORHOOD barre: Nationwide Growth Through Local Franchising

Learn

Visit Website

EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Row House

NEIGHBORHOOD barre

Cycle Bar

Rumble Boxing Gym

SOCIAL MEDIA

NEIGHBORHOOD barre Expands Through Franchising Nationwide With a Model Built for Local Communities

Extraordinary Brands Acquires Basecamp Fitness, Adding The High-Growth HIIT Concept to its Boutique Fitness Portfolio

CycleBar Franchisees Celebrate 10 Years of Impact From Beachwood, Ohio to Berkeley, California

EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS MOST READ STORIES

1851 LOGIN

GROWTH CLUB LOGIN

ABOUT EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS

CONTACT EXTRAORDINARY BRANDS

facebook

instagram

linkedin

First Name

Last Name

Email

Mobile

City

State

Country

SMS Subscription

Make Your Future Extraordinary

image of sarah smith franchise owner of neighborhood barre

Working Mom and Former Corporate Chief of Staff Transitions to Business Ownership With NEIGHBORHOOD barre Franchise in Apex, North Carolina

neighborhood-barre-franchisee-sarah-smith-apex

Image of tim bouziane and michael constantino from rumble boxing  Lithia Florida

Lifelong Friends Bring Sales and Coaching Experience to Rumble Boxing Studio in Lithia, Florida

rumble-franchisees-tim-bouziane-michael-constantino-lithia

image of David Houten owner of row house in Henderson nevada

Former School Psychologist Opens Nevada’s First Row House After Rowing Changed His Life

row-house-franchisee-david-houten-henderson

<a href="https://www.cyclebar.com/franchise">CycleBar</a>, the leading indoor cycling brand under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.extraordinarybrands.com/">Extraordinary Brands</a> umbrella is celebrating two of its franchisees achieving a full decade of wellness in their communities. Their starts in the franchise world looked different, but their experiences share the same core: a genuine care for people, the grit to push through tough times, and a firm belief that boutique fitness is here to stay.<h2>A Leap of Faith Turns Into a 10-Year Legacy in Beachwood</h2><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cyclebarjoe">Joe Purton</a> changed course 10 years ago. After nearly two decades in healthcare finance, where he had worked his way into leadership and toward a chief financial officer path, he decided to leave and build something of his own.“I had worked for the organization for close to 20 years, and it really gave me the opportunity to do some soul searching,” Purton said. “I decided that I didn't want to spend the rest of my life behind a desk. I wanted to do something I enjoyed, something I was passionate about, and I wanted to own my own business.”That passion led him to open one of the earliest&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/extraordinary-brands/why-invest-now-2731440">CycleBar</a> studios in the country (just the sixth location systemwide) in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cyclebar.com/location/beachwood">Beachwood, Ohio</a>.From the outset, Purton chose franchising. “When I decided to start my own business, I knew I didn't want to start from scratch,” he said. “I wanted something that was more of a plug-and-play type model… something where I could start with a road map that already existed.”Purton’s studio now has around 500 active members, and many have stayed with it since the beginning. As the business has moved through corporate transitions, changes in the category and the strain of the pandemic, he has stayed focused on building and protecting that sense of community.“They really didn't talk a lot about the community that would come out of opening a CycleBar,” he said. “That's one of the most fulfilling and great things that have come out of all of this.”That sense of community proved critical during the pandemic. “We rented out all of our bikes in the studio. People took them to their homes, and then we would film classes every day,” he said. “We kept everybody together while apart.”Now, as he looks ahead, Purton is focused on continued growth and working more strategically within the business. “We're already around 500 members and we want to surpass that,” he said. “I think we could easily get to 700.”Purton was direct about what it takes to make the model work: “Don't expect to be passive. You have to be willing to get your hands dirty and work hard… It will be successful if you put effort into it.”<h2>Revitalizing a Studio and Rebuilding Momentum in Berkeley</h2>While Purton built his studio from the ground up,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/morningstarryan">Ryan Morningstar</a> took a different path — acquiring and revitalizing an existing CycleBar location in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cyclebar.com/location/berkeley">Berkeley, California</a>.After spending 15 years in the tech startup world, Morningstar was ready for something new. “I've been an operator and an entrepreneur in the tech space, growing operational units and teams, so I really care a lot about people, management and culture,” he said. “I felt it was the right time to take on something of my own.”The chance came in 2023, when Morningstar acquired a struggling CycleBar studio. Since taking over, he has lifted revenue 20% year over year and nearly doubled membership.For Morningstar, success starts with a people-first philosophy — something he credits as the foundation of his growth. “Every single time you come to our studio, everyone tries to know your name and what your goals are to serve you to the highest degree,” he said.That focus extends to both members and staff. “Spend time, energy, and focus on your people — everything from hiring to nurturing,” he said. “You have to be a person and care about people and their growth as a whole.”Morningstar also sees franchising as a powerful model for scaling local businesses while maintaining individuality. “It provides this umbrella that has a lot of the tools you need to be successful,” he said, “but it allows you to operate on a micro-level in individual communities.”As the Berkeley studio approaches its 10-year anniversary, Morningstar is thinking ahead to expansion. “I'm already looking now at other opportunities and I think I'll start the next two locations myself,” he said.<h2>A Brand Built on Community, Ownership and Longevity</h2>Beachwood and Berkeley tell a similar story. In both markets, the studios have lasted because their owners stayed involved and built strong local ties.“I’m a big believer in the power of fitness to change lives,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/loriklein">Lori Klein</a>, president of CycleBar. “I also believe in the power of this business to sustain both the entrepreneurs who invest and the communities they serve. As a leadership team, we remain committed to ensuring our franchisees have the strongest possible foundation to build thriving businesses in the boutique fitness space.”For more information on franchising with CycleBar, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://1851franchise.com/extraordinary-brands">https://1851franchise.com/extraordinary-brands</a>.

Franchisees Joe Purton and Ryan Morningstar reflect on the power of community, resilience and hands-on ownership in building lasting fitness businesses.

cyclebar-franchisees-celebrate-10-years-of-impact-from-beachwood-ohio-to-berkeley-california

Former Boeing Engineer Rebuilds CycleBar in Redmond, Washington, After Taking Over Struggling Studio

MORE STORIES LIKE THIS