Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs’ New Roadmap to Ownership Will Allow Managers to Become Franchise Owners in Five Years

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs, the 18-unit exercise brand owned by parent company Fit For You Franchising, allows entrepreneurs to make a change in their careers by investing in the booming fitness industry with the backing of an established franchisor. And now, the franchisor has created a business model that allows Fitness Premier managers who have worked with the brand over time to become franchise owners within five years. 

One franchisee that can attest to the success of this model, is Fitness Premier VP of People Development Mike Orwig, who operates three units of the Midwest-based fitness franchise. Orwig, who started off as a trainer at Fitness Premier, climbed the ranks to assistant manager to operating partner and finally, franchisee. Now, he is focusing on building a roadmap for other employees to do the same. 

“This is something that we have been working on for a very long time and we’ve finally got it on paper,” said Orwig. “It not only allows us to retain people and help them grow, but it will allow us to continue our expansion plans. We now have two paths when someone comes into the system. They can either start out as a franchisee and open up their own location, or they can come in and work their way through the channel.” 

The Path to Ownership 

The approximate roadmap Fitness Premier has laid out to franchise ownership includes: Assistant Manager (6-12 months), Operator (12 months), Operating Partner (24 months) and Franchisee. During each phase, the prospective franchisee will have displayed several qualities such as commitment, obtaining personal and professional metrics, growth, investment capabilities and more. 

Orwig noted that, by creating a roadmap, it allows the brand, and prospective owners, to see what every position looks like and how to get to the next step. 

“We wanted to put some parameters on what job descriptions look like for every single type of person,” explained Orwig. “Ultimately, not everybody would want to be a franchisee, not everybody would want to be a manager, etc. So from our perspective, it's about hiring the right people, finding the right fit and figuring out how we can keep people long term. By putting it on paper, it really allows us to eliminate the guesswork.”

Whether it's one year, three years or five years, there's several different benchmarks that Fitness Premier has in place to allow employees to progress and elevate to the next level.

The Qualities of a Fitness Premier Franchisee

There are three things that make a great Fitness Premier franchisee, says Orwig. Number one is being a lifelong learner. “You have to be open and coachable in regard to every area of the business,” he noted. “Personally, I had no experience in business. But I learned so much by listening to people who knew more than I did every single day.”

The second thing Fitness Premier is looking for is someone who is a great leader. Franchisees  must be able to lead people and have people do what they’re saying. And third, they should be able to empower people. 

“You’ve led people, and now you have to be able to empower them to take what they have been taught and put them into play,” said Orwig. “What that allows us to do is to direct people, get people to buy and also to grow and facilitate a franchise model that's sustainable over the course of many years to come.”

The total initial investment necessary to begin the operation of a Fitness Premier Club Model is $279,849 to $575,499, including a $39,999 franchise fee. For more information, visit https://fitforyoufranchising.com/fitness-premier-24-7-clubs/.

About Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs: 

Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs is a fast-growing, 18-location fitness concept that creates a community with its staff and guests. At Fitness Premier 24/7 clubs, some of the amenities include 24/7 access, hydromassage, group exercise classes, supervised kids club, and training & nutrition programs. Backed by franchise executive Jason Markowicz and his franchisee-focused corporate team, Fitness Premier differentiates itself with great people, culture, and systems compounded by a growth focus in strategic markets. To learn more about franchise opportunities, visit https://1851franchise.com/fitforyoufranchising.