Local Entrepreneur Opens Seventh Workout Anytime Location

Chris Grove has been in the fitness industry for over 18 years. When deciding to take the plunge into franchising, he knew he wanted to do one thing: help people get healthy. By opening a Workout Anytime, Grove set out to care for people in his community and take care of their physical, mental, and spiritual health. 

In 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Grove felt led to get more aggressive with expansion plans, as he recognized the need for people to improve their overall health. Since then, he has opened four additional Workout Anytime locations in an effort to establish his business in the area it serves. Most recently, Grove is opening his seventh location in Reidsville, where he is looking forward to serving the community and providing additional job opportunities. 

1851 Franchise spoke with Chris Grove 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?

Grove: I began my career in the fitness industry as a fitness consultant and personal trainer  nearly two decades ago. With my willingness to learn and passion for leadership, I was able to climb the corporate ladder until I was a District Manager overseeing multiple gyms with 40-plus employees. I was later approached with the Workout Anytime franchise opportunity and the possibility of stepping away to open my own businesses. I then began researching a lot of fitness franchises before deciding to invest in the opportunity with Workout Anytime. 

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?

Grove: At first I thought there was no way I would ever go into franchising with the investment that comes with it. After doing some additional research and connecting with other successful franchisees, I felt as if the supplementary support would be beneficial to starting my own business. 

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

Grove: It’s a simple concept and proven business model. I also love that Workout Anytime is geared around delivering results. Rather that’s the support to make sure each franchisee is happy with their ROI or the continuing education they provide to support our team members to make sure we are delivering results for our members. This means a lot to me because it shows we care about results and the success of our entire brand. 

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

Grove: We’re looking to change as many lives as we can and impact the community we go in. . What I also love to do now is create careers for people. We’re bringing a lot of jobs to Reidsville and getting people connected into the fitness industry that have aspired to that. In a small town, finding work can be tough sometimes, and I love how we're able to provide that for a lot of young people. The more we grow, our company grows which creates more opportunity for our senior leadership team. 

For future growth, we're looking to expand rather quickly. I'm looking all over the southeast and hoping to expand outside of North and South Carolina. My goal is to open three to four clubs a year.

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

Grove: Entrepreneurship is never easy but if you are willing to learn, sacrifice your time, and have a passion for helping people then don’t let fear stop you from taking the risk. 

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

Grove: Study the industry and keep up with the trends. I believe your people are your greatest asset, so focus on developing your leaders in your businesses.  Also, follow the systems that the Franchise teaches.