USA Ninja Challenge, the leading kid’s Ninja franchise offering obstacle-based fitness for children, is coming to Poway, California, thanks to Marine Corps veteran Obi Amrine. After serving 20 years in the Marine Corps and spending several years in the private sector, Obi and her husband Mark are opening a family-run gym that gives children across San Diego County a fun and engaging way to build agility, balance and confidence.
The Amrines wanted a business that allowed their family more flexibility while creating a lasting legacy for her daughters. The decision to franchise came during the pandemic, when balancing work and family life made the need for change clear.
The Poway gym is designed to meet the needs of families who want more than traditional sports programs. USA Ninja Challenge provides kids with a fun way to get active, build strength and gain confidence without the high costs of club sports. This model creates opportunities for children who may otherwise be left out.
By opening in San Diego County, the Amrines are addressing a growing demand for youth fitness options that balance activity with modern lifestyles. The Poway location is the first step in her broader plan to expand the brand across Southern California and help more kids stay active.
1851 Franchise sat down with Obi to discuss her franchising journey with USA Ninja Challenge and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Obi Amrine: I was in the Marine Corps for 20 years. When I transitioned out, I went into defense contracting and then worked for Amazon in different roles in the private sector. Now I work at Bose.
What got us on this journey was COVID. I was working for Northrop Grumman, and because of my job, I couldn’t work from home. We needed someone at home for the kids — our youngest was starting kindergarten and our oldest was in third grade. My husband left the workforce to care for our girls and also used that time to finish his master’s degree.
We started looking at the landscape of “what ifs.” What if something like this happens again? Our girls are getting older. How do we adapt to meet our family’s needs?
That’s when we began thinking about entrepreneurship, and eventually focused on franchising. At first, we looked casually, but about two years ago, we started searching more seriously. We found a franchise consultant, set up a meeting, and explained our values and what we wanted to accomplish. Both of our girls are very active in sports, so that played into the conversation as well.
We realized corporate America was not suited for both of us and the lifestyle we wanted as a family. With our kids being active, we needed something more flexible. The broker came back with six options, and this was the one we chose because it aligned with our vision for ourselves, our family, and where we wanted to go.
1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Obi: There’s so much more to franchising than McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A. We looked at Chick-fil-A, but it didn’t work for us. There are many different ways to approach it. It doesn’t have to be brick-and-mortar. It doesn’t have to be in food or the traditional spaces people think of.
The key is to do your research. I recommend finding a broker. Ours was amazing and helped us get to this point. There were things we didn’t know — I would have never thought about USA Ninja.
What I want people to understand is that even though you step into an established model, it’s not automatic. It takes time. We started this journey last January, and we won’t open our doors until November. That’s almost two years from start to finish.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Obi: What excited us most about this model is that while our girls are active and still spend time online, we know a lot of families whose kids hardly move. They’re glued to screens, and parents have to call them three or four times before they even respond.
What we like about this model is that it’s not a traditional soccer, softball, or baseball program. It reaches kids who may not enjoy those sports, or families who can’t afford expensive club fees. It gives those kids an opportunity to be active, develop skills and be included when they might otherwise be missed.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Obi: Priority number one is to get the kids in the gym. Of course, there’s a financial and business component, but the main goal is getting kids into the gym.
Secondly, this is a family-run business. It’s an opportunity for our girls to see us building something. Our oldest is very entrepreneurial at heart. She’s done her own projects, but this gives the girls a way to see and explore other options. College may not be the path for them. My daughter’s soccer career may not take off. But we want them to understand there are many ways to succeed.
Our growth strategy is to build this out in Southern California so we can meet more kids where they are. That’s basically it.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Obi: As parents, we love to compare our childhood to kids today, but it’s not the same. We were latchkey kids. Our parents were always working multiple jobs and often gone, so we spent our time outside.
Today is different. Kids may be learning to program or do other things on their phones, but it’s not the same kind of movement. The important thing is understanding we can’t place our timeline onto theirs. The question is, how do we get them moving?
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Obi: Do your research — literally, do your research. For us — my military background, time in the private sector and my husband’s sales background — we looked not only at our growth strategy but also the franchisor’s. Understand what that means for you. You may have a long-term vision for your franchise, but what is their growth strategy? How will turnover — or a lack of strategy — affect you five years down the line?
About USA Ninja Challenge
USA Ninja Challenge is the leading kid’s Ninja franchise, offering an exciting obstacle-based fitness experience for children across the United States. Since its founding over a decade ago, USA Ninja Challenge has grown into a trusted brand nearing 40 gyms and more in development. The franchise combines fun and fitness by teaching kids agility, balance, and problem-solving through a series of structured obstacle courses. Partnered with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, USA Ninja Challenge is raising awareness for Ninja's Olympic debut in 2028. With low initial investment, high margins, and rapid ROI, USA Ninja Challenge offers franchisees the opportunity to build profitable businesses while making a lasting impact on children's physical fitness and confidence. For more information on USA Ninja Challenge or to learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.usaninjachallenge.com.
USA Ninja Challenge
SPONSORED
After two decades in the Marines and years in corporate roles, Obi and Mark Amrine found franchising with USA Ninja Challenge offered flexibility, family focus and a lasting legacy.
USA Ninja Challenge, the leading kid’s Ninja franchise offering obstacle-based fitness for children, is coming to Poway, California, thanks to Marine Corps veteran Obi Amrine. After serving 20 years in the Marine Corps and spending several years in the private sector, Obi and her husband Mark are opening a family-run gym that gives children across San Diego County a fun and engaging way to build agility, balance and confidence.
The Amrines wanted a business that allowed their family more flexibility while creating a lasting legacy for her daughters. The decision to franchise came during the pandemic, when balancing work and family life made the need for change clear.
The Poway gym is designed to meet the needs of families who want more than traditional sports programs. USA Ninja Challenge provides kids with a fun way to get active, build strength and gain confidence without the high costs of club sports. This model creates opportunities for children who may otherwise be left out.
By opening in San Diego County, the Amrines are addressing a growing demand for youth fitness options that balance activity with modern lifestyles. The Poway location is the first step in her broader plan to expand the brand across Southern California and help more kids stay active.
1851 Franchise sat down with Obi to discuss her franchising journey with USA Ninja Challenge and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Obi Amrine: I was in the Marine Corps for 20 years. When I transitioned out, I went into defense contracting and then worked for Amazon in different roles in the private sector. Now I work at Bose.
What got us on this journey was COVID. I was working for Northrop Grumman, and because of my job, I couldn’t work from home. We needed someone at home for the kids — our youngest was starting kindergarten and our oldest was in third grade. My husband left the workforce to care for our girls and also used that time to finish his master’s degree.
We started looking at the landscape of “what ifs.” What if something like this happens again? Our girls are getting older. How do we adapt to meet our family’s needs?
That’s when we began thinking about entrepreneurship, and eventually focused on franchising. At first, we looked casually, but about two years ago, we started searching more seriously. We found a franchise consultant, set up a meeting, and explained our values and what we wanted to accomplish. Both of our girls are very active in sports, so that played into the conversation as well.
We realized corporate America was not suited for both of us and the lifestyle we wanted as a family. With our kids being active, we needed something more flexible. The broker came back with six options, and this was the one we chose because it aligned with our vision for ourselves, our family, and where we wanted to go.
1851: What was your perception of franchising before becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Obi: There’s so much more to franchising than McDonald’s or Chick-fil-A. We looked at Chick-fil-A, but it didn’t work for us. There are many different ways to approach it. It doesn’t have to be brick-and-mortar. It doesn’t have to be in food or the traditional spaces people think of.
The key is to do your research. I recommend finding a broker. Ours was amazing and helped us get to this point. There were things we didn’t know — I would have never thought about USA Ninja.
What I want people to understand is that even though you step into an established model, it’s not automatic. It takes time. We started this journey last January, and we won’t open our doors until November. That’s almost two years from start to finish.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Obi: What excited us most about this model is that while our girls are active and still spend time online, we know a lot of families whose kids hardly move. They’re glued to screens, and parents have to call them three or four times before they even respond.
What we like about this model is that it’s not a traditional soccer, softball, or baseball program. It reaches kids who may not enjoy those sports, or families who can’t afford expensive club fees. It gives those kids an opportunity to be active, develop skills and be included when they might otherwise be missed.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Obi: Priority number one is to get the kids in the gym. Of course, there’s a financial and business component, but the main goal is getting kids into the gym.
Secondly, this is a family-run business. It’s an opportunity for our girls to see us building something. Our oldest is very entrepreneurial at heart. She’s done her own projects, but this gives the girls a way to see and explore other options. College may not be the path for them. My daughter’s soccer career may not take off. But we want them to understand there are many ways to succeed.
Our growth strategy is to build this out in Southern California so we can meet more kids where they are. That’s basically it.
1851: Is there anything else about your story you want us to know?
Obi: As parents, we love to compare our childhood to kids today, but it’s not the same. We were latchkey kids. Our parents were always working multiple jobs and often gone, so we spent our time outside.
Today is different. Kids may be learning to program or do other things on their phones, but it’s not the same kind of movement. The important thing is understanding we can’t place our timeline onto theirs. The question is, how do we get them moving?
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Obi: Do your research — literally, do your research. For us — my military background, time in the private sector and my husband’s sales background — we looked not only at our growth strategy but also the franchisor’s. Understand what that means for you. You may have a long-term vision for your franchise, but what is their growth strategy? How will turnover — or a lack of strategy — affect you five years down the line?
About USA Ninja Challenge
USA Ninja Challenge is the leading kid’s Ninja franchise, offering an exciting obstacle-based fitness experience for children across the United States. Since its founding over a decade ago, USA Ninja Challenge has grown into a trusted brand nearing 40 gyms and more in development. The franchise combines fun and fitness by teaching kids agility, balance, and problem-solving through a series of structured obstacle courses. Partnered with the USA Pentathlon Multisport Olympic Team, USA Ninja Challenge is raising awareness for Ninja's Olympic debut in 2028. With low initial investment, high margins, and rapid ROI, USA Ninja Challenge offers franchisees the opportunity to build profitable businesses while making a lasting impact on children's physical fitness and confidence. For more information on USA Ninja Challenge or to learn about franchise opportunities, visit www.usaninjachallenge.com.
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