Fitness Premier Builds a Legacy of Excellence in Fitness

Fitness Premier was born from a passion for fitness and a belief that the industry could do better. Founders Jason Markowicz and Rick King, who are both lifelong athletes and former college competitors, noticed a gap in the gym market. There was a need for a well-rounded, community-focused fitness experience. Their early exposure to high-volume, low-cost gyms left them wanting more.

“It just never really felt right to us,” King said. “We thought there was a better avenue, a better model, more amenities and offerings that we could provide to our communities.”

In the early 2000s, they decided to act on that belief, launching their gym with a mission to deliver value and a complete fitness offering, even in smaller, more suburban or small town markets. This choice wasn’t just strategic; it forced them to get things right from the very beginning.

“You don’t have a lot of people,” King said, describing their early markets. “If you don’t do things right out of the gates and consistently, you’re not going to maintain market share.”

That early commitment shaped the Fitness Premier model. The founders created a brand with a mid-tier price point that was accessible for the community, and backed by amenities typically found in larger urban gyms.

Embracing Technology To Scale and Improve Member Experience

Fitness Premier’s growth has always been tied to its adaptability, especially when it comes to technology. Early on, operations were manual, communication was limited, and running multiple locations did not feel sustainable. But as the brand grew, the team prioritized technology that helped streamline operations.

“The biggest difference between where we were then and where we are now is that we’ve really focused and latched on to the new technologies,” King said. That included switching billing systems to reduce errors, integrating CRMs to better communicate with members, offering 24-hour access, and implementing tools like InBody scales and recovery services to deliver a high-end experience in a community setting.

Why Franchising Made Sense

Fitness Premier didn’t jump into franchising overnight. The idea evolved from experience — specifically, the challenges of managing far-flung corporate-owned gyms. At one point, the team operated locations in Nebraska, Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas, and the lack of scalable systems made management difficult. “One of the key takeaways was our inability to manage locations from that far away,” King said. “It was just in general going to be tough to manage the people and the performance and put out the kind of value proposition that we wanted.”

Initially, they began offering equity to operating partners to encourage ownership-style accountability. Over time, this evolved into full-fledged franchising, giving operators the opportunity to own 100% of their business under the Fitness Premier name.

A Hands-On, Data-Driven Franchise System

As the company expanded through franchising, it still kept a hands-on, values-driven approach.

“We still run these locations like we own them,” King said. The brand now supports its franchisees with weekly training calls, mentorship programs and performance tracking. There are also internal teams that are dedicated to monitoring data and maintaining quality standards across the system.

"We do a lot of leadership and development and mentorship programs," King said. "We do weekly training calls with all the franchisees and management teams to report metrics and highlight any areas of success and or deficiencies, and focus on training programs around them."

This commitment to support has become one of the brand’s biggest differentiators. The focus is on creating strong, profitable franchisees who operate with the same passion and excellence that defined Fitness Premier from day one.

Looking Ahead: Intentional Growth

After lessons learned from early, rapid expansion, the team is approaching growth with greater strategy and discipline. “We’ve really set our growth trajectory in a very modest and conservative way,” King said.

Now, with a strong internal team, experienced franchisees, and a tested operational model, Fitness Premier is ready to grow again — this time, at a pace that matches its infrastructure and goals.

"We're very comfortable where we are internally now, with the support staff, the executive team and the group of franchisees that we have, to start to grow the brand and expand at a faster pace than we have in the last 10 years," King said. "That's what we're the most excited about."

Fitness Premier may have started small, but it's grown into a successful franchise by focusing on value, community, and a better gym experience for everyone.

For more information on franchising with Fitness Premier, visit: https://1851franchise.com/fitness-premier/.