IT Business Expert Combines his Knowledge of Tech and Love for Exercise to Bring Fitness Club to Blue Ridge

Kyle Retter started his career working in aviation. He eventually opened his own IT and tech business, and was hired by fitness club Fitness Premier 24/7 Clubs to assess their IT and Security needs. While serving this brand, he became really interested in working with them on multiple levels. As a fitness enthusiast, he dreamed of owning his own gym. When he started working with Fitness Premier, he knew signing with them was the right decision. Kyle recently signed with the brand to bring Fitness Premier 24/7 clubs to Blue Ridge GA.

Kyle has long-term goals of opening 10 locations in the next 10 years. For right now, his main goal is to create awareness in Georgia while fine tuning the IT services and tech operations. 

1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?

Retter: My main career has been in aviation since 2006. I worked on various aircrafts (electrical and avionics) and did that until I started my own business two years ago (IT and security). At the beginning of last year, I was hired by Fitness Premier to assess their IT and Security needs. While working with them, I fell in love with the brand. I also have been really into working out for some time and always wanted to own a gym. I began to learn more about the brand and understood the idea and the support of franchising. I eventually decided to sign with the brand. Having this gym will give me insight into the ownership process, which will allow me to help the other franchisees grow in the realms of IT. We have been strategizing for over a year to try and make it the best we can possible. I will be working to give more IT support in order to make the franchising process the best possible. This new journey is allowing me to combine my love for working out with my knowledge of IT.  

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?

Retter: I didn’t really know what franchises offered before. I really trusted them. The further I got in this journey, the more I realized how helpful it is to have this support.

1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?

Retter: After working with them from the IT side, I felt comfortable with them and it felt like a good match. 

1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth? 

Retter: My long-term goal is to have 10 gyms in the next 10 years. Right now, I'm focusing on using tech and IT services to bring in additional revenue streams for the Fitness Premier Franchise. I want to continuously improve. The goal of this center is to create awareness in Georgia and really fine tune our services and operations on the tech side in order to implement them across the board. 

1851: What is the one thing about your story you want us to know?

Retter: Even though I’m new to franchising, I have many insights into this business because I am working on multiple different ends. The structure of our classes, services and daycare will set us apart from other gyms in the area. 

1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming a franchise owner?

Retter: Know who you are getting into business with!

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 and 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.