How Anytime Fitness’ First Franchisee Is Now Fueling the Brand’s Growth on an International Level

Nearly two decades ago, Chuck Runyon and Dave Mortensen had an idea that would ultimately change the game in the fitness industry. Rather than rolling out large, high amenity fitness centers, the pair deduced that demand was high for a simpler concept offering top-of-the-line equipment and exceptional customer service. That idea, which is now known around the world as Anytime Fitness, has since become one of the franchising industry’s fastest growing concepts.

But before Anytime Fitness reached its current size of 3,500-plus locations worldwide, the brand was solidifying its business model in Minnesota. It was during that time that Runyon and Mortensen were introduced to Eric Keller. In 2002, Keller was working as a manager for a few of their larger fitness centers. One night, while they were mopping a track, Runyon, Mortensen and Keller were discussing the idea behind Anytime Fitness. Right away, Keller was inspired. That’s why he jokingly told Runyon and Mortensen the next morning that he quit so he could work on this new concept. When the brand officially launched its franchising opportunity later that year, it became a reality, with its first franchise already lined up.

“I was on board from day one as the first franchisee. The timing couldn’t have been more perfect—Chuck and Dave were interested in moving away from large facilities at a time that it wasn’t expected. And I had always wanted to own a gym, but up until this point, the costs that went along with launching a facility were astronomical. Anytime Fitness provided the perfect opportunity to own my own club,” said Keller. “That was in February of 2002, and as soon as I became a franchisee, the concept took off. Things started happening quite quickly, but it was—and still is today—incredibly exciting to be a part of.”

After opening Anytime Fitness’ first franchise in Cambridge, Minnesota, Keller went on to open four more. He owned and operated those for about eight years, and brought a manager on board to help with the business. In addition to overseeing his five gyms, Keller was also helping Runyon and Mortensen with franchisee validation. And by working more closely with the brand’s corporate team, he realized that he wanted to switch gears.

“A lot of my decision to join the corporate team had to do with my relationship with Chuck and Dave. While I was working as a franchisee, I had become one of their go-to people in the franchise development process—as the first owner, it made sense for me to talk with prospective candidates and share my experiences with them. So, I was getting a ton of calls from potential franchisees. That’s when I made a joke to Chuck and Dave, saying that if they were going to keep giving out my phone number they should at least buy me dinner,” recalled Keller. “That joke turned into a real business opportunity. They needed someone on staff to help with development, and I wanted to be a part of the corporate team. At first, I started helping out in the corporate office a few days a week. But as we continued to grow, it became clear that this was the place I belonged.”

Keller began his career with Anytime Fitness’ corporate team by leading the brand’s domestic support team. At the time, Anytime Fitness has just opened its first non-North American location, and quickly expanded into Australia and New Zealand. So, Keller got to work figuring out the best way to work with international master franchisees.

As Anytime Fitness began to grow into more international markets like Mexico, India and parts of Asia, it became clear that international master franchisee management was essential for continued growth. Runyon and Mortensen again asked Keller to take on another role within the company as its senior director of international operations. Today, Keller oversees the support that the concept’s master franchisees receive overseas. While he’s based out of the corporate office, he frequently travels to different regions to help build their home offices and ensure that Anytime Fitness is running smoothly in the communities that it calls home.

That ability to be successful in a wide variety of markets is something that Keller says is unique. By being adaptable in all types of communities, Anytime Fitness resonates with its members regardless of where it opens up its doors. And according to Keller, that business model is one of the brand’s biggest points of differentiation, especially as the fitness industry continues to become more competitive.

“There are two primary factors that I consistently point to when explaining what makes Anytime Fitness unique. The first is that our business model is exactly the right fit at the right time. Before we broke into the industry, there wasn’t a fitness concept that focused on the basics. So, when we went out there with our simple and strategic mission, people were drawn to it right away. And that trend hasn’t waned—Anytime Fitness is still offering an interesting model that’s ahead of the curve,” said Keller. “The second standout thing about Anytime Fitness is our people. That’s really our secret sauce—this is a brand that’s made up of passionate, supportive people who are interested in being the best that they can be. From Chuck and Dave down, every member of our team promotes a positive environment that’s rare to find in the corporate world. We all understand that there’s an emotional component to fitness, which means that our business model isn’t purely transactional. And we want to put the best people out there to make sure that we’re helping every member who walks through our doors.”

Keller is far from the only franchisee who’s experienced both personal and professional growth alongside Anytime Fitness. As more gyms begin to launch in new communities across the globe, the brand is positioning its franchisees—and their members—for success. And with an initial investment that ranges from $114,950 to $677,800, Anytime Fitness is making its proven business model accessible to all those who want to join its system.

“As impressive as our growth is, people haven’t even seen us at our best yet. I truly believe that there’s endless possibilities in front of us, and we’re going to continue capitalizing on that momentum,” Keller said. “Anytime Fitness is continuing to pull away from the other types of fitness franchises out there. There were a lot of people who have tried to mimic our model, especially after we first started out. But we’re going above and beyond with our franchisees and members—the Anytime Fitness family is doing the harder stuff to not just be relevant inside our gyms, but outside of it as well. We’re moving beyond the traditional membership-based model. Instead, we’re creating a positive and supportive environment that’s changing people’s lives for the better. That’s what excites me about Anytime Fitness, and I’m thrilled to be along for the ride.”