When franchise consultant Colin McKeown first encountered the USA Ninja Challenge franchise, he recognized something special immediately.
“I was introduced to USA Ninja Challenge in 2018,” McKeown said. “My wife and I planned a trip to the Northeast, and while we were out there, we met with the founder and saw a couple of gyms. I was always intrigued by it and wanted to learn more.”
Visiting the gyms offered valuable insight into how the brand operates. “It’s always helpful to see the gyms in action,” McKeown said. “There are a lot of things you can do in franchising that don’t have as big an impact. But this? The way the company was set up really fascinated me.”
Today, McKeown works closely with franchise candidates and guides them toward opportunities that align with their values, skill sets, and goals. USA Ninja Challenge consistently makes the cut.
Unlike many franchise concepts that are focused solely on profit, USA Ninja Challenge is built around an authentic mission: to get kids up, moving, and engaged through obstacle-based fitness that’s fun and safe.
“There are not that many youth fitness franchises like this,” McKeown said. “There’s a lot of need for this — to get kids up off the couch and active. This is a great solution. It combines fitness and fun. They’re working on core fitness, strength, and agility, and they’re having fun doing it.”
The concept isn’t just purpose-driven — it’s profitable. USA Ninja Challenge has built a membership-based model that includes steady, recurring revenue from classes, as well as additional income streams from birthday parties, camps, and special events. According to the brand’s 2025 FDD, the initial investment starts at just $413,300, and owner-operators can achieve high EBITDA, making it one of the most attractive models in the fitness franchise category.
For McKeown, USA Ninja Challenge stands out not only for what it offers children but for the thoroughness of its franchise model.
“They have very strong support and systems in place,” he said. “From the technology to the solid curriculum, one of the things they did when they designed the program was take child safety into account, which is a huge question for people going into this type of business. Their safety track record alleviates a lot of concern.”
In his work with candidates, McKeown is diligent in ensuring the right fit.
“Part of what I do working with candidates is understand their net worth and their investment level. They need the skill sets and the financials,” he said. “Usually, there are a wide variety of franchises that might be presented, but with this particular franchise, I have a personal experience of having been out there. That helps me present it better.”
One of the biggest selling points McKeown sees in USA Ninja Challenge is how scalable the model is.
“It’s a combination of things — it’s people who want to work with kids, the impact on the community and the families,” he said. “You also have a scalable, membership-based model. And when they start diving into that — the camps, birthday parties, etc. — people really see how they can grow this business.”
Pre-opening strategies also contribute to early success. “One thing they do is sell pre-memberships before the doors open. This helps them to hit the ground running when they launch,” McKeown said.
And many do, with some franchisees even opening multiple locations in a short time span. “There are a number of franchisees who have done multiples with the concept,” McKeown said. “It’s definitely something that you can scale.”
McKeown emphasizes how strong the corporate team is — a crucial factor in long-term franchisee satisfaction and success.
“The team over there is very strong — great people to work with,” he said. “It’s a very thorough discovery process. The candidates talk to a few different folks from the corporate office. They get one-on-one time and the ability to dive in a little more with somebody who lives that part of the business.”
Once franchisees are on board, that support doesn’t stop.
“The brand’s ongoing support is good as well,” McKeown said. “When you go into business for yourself, it’s not always easy. But they have a very strong support staff in place to help franchisees learn and grow the business.”
With Ninja officially being added to the 2028 Summer Olympics, USA Ninja Challenge is enjoying newfound visibility and global relevance. As the only Ninja franchise partnering with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, the brand is not only raising awareness but actively shaping the future of the sport.
“There’s real excitement here,” McKeown said. “I think people generally like this concept — the investment is pretty substantial, but the response has really been good. The more they learn about it, the more they want to go through the discovery process. It’s not for everybody, but it’s a special model and people should consider it.”
And with the kids' fitness industry projected to double in the next 10 years, now may be the perfect time to get involved.
“It’s a great business — but it’s also a great mission,” McKeown said. “It’s one of those rare franchises that truly makes a difference.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge.
USA Ninja Challenge
SPONSORED
Franchise consultant Colin McKeown champions the USA Ninja Challenge, a unique opportunity that combines profitable growth with the meaningful mission of fostering youth fitness.
When franchise consultant Colin McKeown first encountered the USA Ninja Challenge franchise, he recognized something special immediately.
“I was introduced to USA Ninja Challenge in 2018,” McKeown said. “My wife and I planned a trip to the Northeast, and while we were out there, we met with the founder and saw a couple of gyms. I was always intrigued by it and wanted to learn more.”
Visiting the gyms offered valuable insight into how the brand operates. “It’s always helpful to see the gyms in action,” McKeown said. “There are a lot of things you can do in franchising that don’t have as big an impact. But this? The way the company was set up really fascinated me.”
Today, McKeown works closely with franchise candidates and guides them toward opportunities that align with their values, skill sets, and goals. USA Ninja Challenge consistently makes the cut.
Unlike many franchise concepts that are focused solely on profit, USA Ninja Challenge is built around an authentic mission: to get kids up, moving, and engaged through obstacle-based fitness that’s fun and safe.
“There are not that many youth fitness franchises like this,” McKeown said. “There’s a lot of need for this — to get kids up off the couch and active. This is a great solution. It combines fitness and fun. They’re working on core fitness, strength, and agility, and they’re having fun doing it.”
The concept isn’t just purpose-driven — it’s profitable. USA Ninja Challenge has built a membership-based model that includes steady, recurring revenue from classes, as well as additional income streams from birthday parties, camps, and special events. According to the brand’s 2025 FDD, the initial investment starts at just $413,300, and owner-operators can achieve high EBITDA, making it one of the most attractive models in the fitness franchise category.
For McKeown, USA Ninja Challenge stands out not only for what it offers children but for the thoroughness of its franchise model.
“They have very strong support and systems in place,” he said. “From the technology to the solid curriculum, one of the things they did when they designed the program was take child safety into account, which is a huge question for people going into this type of business. Their safety track record alleviates a lot of concern.”
In his work with candidates, McKeown is diligent in ensuring the right fit.
“Part of what I do working with candidates is understand their net worth and their investment level. They need the skill sets and the financials,” he said. “Usually, there are a wide variety of franchises that might be presented, but with this particular franchise, I have a personal experience of having been out there. That helps me present it better.”
One of the biggest selling points McKeown sees in USA Ninja Challenge is how scalable the model is.
“It’s a combination of things — it’s people who want to work with kids, the impact on the community and the families,” he said. “You also have a scalable, membership-based model. And when they start diving into that — the camps, birthday parties, etc. — people really see how they can grow this business.”
Pre-opening strategies also contribute to early success. “One thing they do is sell pre-memberships before the doors open. This helps them to hit the ground running when they launch,” McKeown said.
And many do, with some franchisees even opening multiple locations in a short time span. “There are a number of franchisees who have done multiples with the concept,” McKeown said. “It’s definitely something that you can scale.”
McKeown emphasizes how strong the corporate team is — a crucial factor in long-term franchisee satisfaction and success.
“The team over there is very strong — great people to work with,” he said. “It’s a very thorough discovery process. The candidates talk to a few different folks from the corporate office. They get one-on-one time and the ability to dive in a little more with somebody who lives that part of the business.”
Once franchisees are on board, that support doesn’t stop.
“The brand’s ongoing support is good as well,” McKeown said. “When you go into business for yourself, it’s not always easy. But they have a very strong support staff in place to help franchisees learn and grow the business.”
With Ninja officially being added to the 2028 Summer Olympics, USA Ninja Challenge is enjoying newfound visibility and global relevance. As the only Ninja franchise partnering with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, the brand is not only raising awareness but actively shaping the future of the sport.
“There’s real excitement here,” McKeown said. “I think people generally like this concept — the investment is pretty substantial, but the response has really been good. The more they learn about it, the more they want to go through the discovery process. It’s not for everybody, but it’s a special model and people should consider it.”
And with the kids' fitness industry projected to double in the next 10 years, now may be the perfect time to get involved.
“It’s a great business — but it’s also a great mission,” McKeown said. “It’s one of those rare franchises that truly makes a difference.”
To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge.
Sign up for the 1851 Franchise newsletter to get our biggest stories before everyone else
By signing up, you agree to our user agreement (including class action waiver and arbitration provisions), and acknowledge our privacy policy.
No related articles found
