Local 26-Year-Old with a Passion for Fitness Purchases Workout Anytime in Aiken, SC

In search of his next professional endeavor after leaving the teaching industry, at just 26 years old Cody Melvin decided to purchase the existing Workout Anytime location in Aiken, South Carolina, in February of 2023. Melvin has always enjoyed fitness and has been around it for most of his life, so purchasing his own gym was a natural fit. 

Having tried out most national gyms offered on the market, Melvin decided that Workout Anytime offered the best opportunities for gym goers like himself. He wanted to own a gym where he would personally love going and that he believed gave the community the best option for a fair price. 

1851 Franchise spoke with Melvin to learn more about his franchise journey with Workout Anytime. 

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

Melvin: After high school, I went to college with my then girlfriend, now wife. From there, we both went to grad school. I worked as a student custodian throughout my time in college, and when I went to grad school, I started doing that full-time. After grad school, I decided to stay home and take some time off, since I had been working my entire life up to that point. However, once things started getting too expensive, I began working as a teacher. Unfortunately, it was not nearly as enjoyable as I anticipated. By that point my wife was making enough money for us to live on, so I decided to explore other options. I’ve always liked fitness. I played football in high school and both my father and mother were involved in powerlifting. I began weight lifting at 11 years of age and had injuries in high school which led to a break, but then began again in college where I had my most significant injury and turned toward arm wrestling.

When we were looking at what I could do, I considered both starting and buying a business. After researching both options, it became clear that starting a business on my own was significantly riskier. I decided to look at gyms because of my interest in fitness and how it offers the ability to make a solid estimate for profits. I had been to what feels like pretty much every major national gym that exists other than Workout Anytime, so I had a pretty good idea of what a gym should look like based on what your goals are. When I finally looked into Workout Anytime, I really liked the model. 

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?

Melvin: I thought it was like an HOA, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea. However, I’ve come to realize that there are a lot of benefits to franchising. The franchise knows a lot that I don't and can help me with things that I'm not familiar with. I'm happy to compromise when necessary and appreciate the support from the brand. 

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

Melvin: The business model is significantly better than other fitness concepts on the market, and what excites me the most is owning a gym that I enjoy attending. Other concepts I’ve been to wouldn’t allow me to work out at the gym as successfully as I do at Workout Anytime. I also believe that it's a reasonably-priced business model. 

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

Melvin: Ultimately, I just want me and my wife to be happy. I hope that we can manage to have the financial success necessary so that we aren't burdened, especially when we begin starting a family. In the future, I would like to open another location if I can get this location set up to where I don’t have to be here all the time. 

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

Melvin: My advice would be to have enough money that you can offset long term costs. In my first month, I had to change a lot — and it was very expensive. Fortunately, I knew that in advance, so I could change the way we did certain things to make it cheaper over time. You're going to have to be willing to spend money to save money. You also have to be familiar with whatever local laws there are, as well as with the franchise itself and the business model.