USA Ninja Challenge added a chief operating officer to its team as it stays on track to open at least 20 locations in 2026. Somerset Buchanan brings more than a decade of franchise experience to the system as it prepares for growth.  With just over 40 locations currently operating, adding another two dozen units represents roughly 50% growth in a single year.

In her role, Buchanan will build what is needed to support new and existing franchisees while protecting the experience that keeps families coming back.

“Our big-picture growth is to ultimately get to 500 locations, and so I will be a key contributor to the foundation of what we need to have as an infrastructure to support that,” Buchanan said. 

How Buchanan’s Experience Led Her to USA Ninja Challenge

Buchanan has been in franchising since 2012, when she began her career with Dunkin’ Brands, where she led the U.S. field learning team and worked closely with new franchisees as they entered the system.

She joined Threshold Brands in 2020 and later advanced to vice president of HR and learning, overseeing human resources and leading learning and development initiatives for all affiliated brands.

“I was very involved in setting franchises up for success,” she said. 

Through that experience, Buchanan was referred to USA Ninja Challenge. In August 2025, she joined the youth fitness franchise as COO, bringing experience in supporting and scaling franchise systems.

Her background in building operational infrastructure, along with her leadership of cross-functional teams, positioned her to strengthen internal collaboration and communication. 

“I have been loving my job here,” she said. “What's not to love about what we do? We support young children and young adults in growing their confidence, whether it's just through the sport itself or just overcoming their own internal obstacles.”

Why Now Was the Time to Add a COO

As USA Ninja Challenge continues to grow around the country, 2025 was the right time for Buchanan to join the franchise. It also made sense in her own life. 

“Looking at just the state of the world right now, there's a lot happening,” she said. “Everything around us is moving fast. I'm a mother of three. So for me, it's very top of mind. Are my kids being set up for success?”

The brand’s mission to positively influence youth stood out to Buchanan. She valued that the program is inclusive and not limited to elite athletes. Children do not have to be top performers in traditional team sports to participate and benefit. 

2025 was also the moment for USA Ninja Challenge to add a COO role to its corporate office as it prepares to add another two dozen units in a single year. Buchanan will help build the operational infrastructure, systems and cross-functional alignment necessary to support that next phase of expansion.

“I want to look at how we are truly supporting our existing franchises beyond the launch so that we're really looking at their profitability, driving their annual business planning,” she said. 

One of the initiatives she is focusing on is the lead instructor curriculum. This includes making it more robust and implementing the right learning management system to create a centralized hub of learning not only for franchisees but for their entire staff. With the brand moving quickly, the goal is to ensure resources remain fresh and competitive within the industry. 

Areas of Focus

In addition to curriculum enhancements, Buchanan is overseeing the development of a centralized franchise portal designed to simplify access to tools, updates and communication.

“One of the systems that we're working on right now is a franchise portal so that it makes it easier for a franchisee to find all their items in one spot,” she said. “We also want to make sure there's a clear communication channel in there as well.”

Operationally, Buchanan defines success in one word: retention.

First, retention of franchisees. That means not only renewals, but supporting owners through growth challenges and ensuring they have the tools and accountability structures needed to build profitable businesses.

“If I fast-forward the clock two years, I want to be able to see some of those that might be going through some challenges right now and they're retained, successful and profitable,” she said. 

Second, retention at the home office. As the corporate team grows, Buchanan wants to maintain the institutional knowledge of early team members while supporting new hires as the brand scales.

And third, retention of the ninjas themselves. 

“This is probably the most important when it comes to the business,” she said. “We want them to come into the gym maybe at age 5 or 6 as a junior ninja, and they're here until 17.”

Guiding the Brand as It Scales

Coming from backgrounds in coffee, donuts and home services, Buchanan has been intentional about immersing herself in the world of ninja and obstacle racing.

“My responsibility is to get my arms wrapped around the sport,” she said. “What is it really going to mean nationally and internationally for this sport and are we consistently pushing the envelope to be number one when it comes to the experience in our locations?”

USA Ninja Challenge’s youth-only model gives the brand a clear lane in the ninja gym space. It also helps create a longer-term connection with students, some of whom grow up in the program and later come back as coaches.

“How do we keep that specialty special?” Buchanan said. “How are we truly creating that information flow, that training flow to the coaches and the lead instructors who are the pulse of those businesses so they continue to deliver the service that will make us stand out beyond any of our competitors?”

With rapid expansion ahead and a focus on operational excellence, Buchanan sees her role as helping ensure that as USA Ninja Challenge scales, it never loses sight of that purpose.

“We have a very exciting brand. That's why we're growing so rapidly,” she said. “And I'm just so proud to be a part of this community.”

To find out more information on costs to buy this franchise, please visit https://1851franchise.com/usa-ninja-challenge.