Entrepreneur Transitioned From Owning Nightclubs To Building a Workout Anytime Franchise Empire

Kevin Edmonds spent the majority of his career owning and operating nightclubs and restaurants. However, as he got older, he felt it was getting more difficult to relate to his employees and guests. He also found that growing his business ventures on his own took far too much time and energy. So, Edmonds started considering his next venture.

Edmonds passion for fitness led him to consider franchising with Workout Anytime. Initially hesitant about franchising due to concerns over financial commitments and loss of autonomy, Edmonds discovered that the structured support and operational efficiencies offered by Workout Anytime allowed him to scale his business without the exhaustive workload of independent operations.

Joining Workout Anytime as an area developer 12 years ago, Edmonds played a pivotal role in expanding the brand across North and South Carolina, selling approximately 50 franchises and overseeing the opening of over 40 locations in the Carolinas alone. His journey has been marked by substantial growth, witnessing the company expand from 15 to nearly 200 locations nationwide. 

Edmonds, as a franchisee, is now opening his sixth location in Edgewater, Florida, and his enthusiasm for growing the brand hasn’t waned in the slightest.

1851 Franchise spoke with Edmonds about his success with franchising and his plans for the future.

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

Kevin Edmonds: For the majority of my life, from my late 20s through my mid-50s, I owned and operated restaurants, bars and nightclubs. As I began to transition out of that industry, because I aged out of it, I pursued my longtime interest in fitness. I've always followed my passions and activities I enjoy. I fully exited just as COVID hit, which turned out to be fortunate timing for all my venues.

About 12 years ago, I got involved with Workout Anytime as an area developer. Back then, the company had around 15 to 20 locations — a relatively small operation. I seized the opportunity to become the area developer for North and South Carolina. In this role, I opened franchises and supported others in developing their markets. Over the past 12 years, I've sold approximately 50 franchises, with over 40 of them opening in the Carolinas. Currently, I am working on opening my sixth location.

It’s been fascinating and rewarding to witness the company's growth from 15 locations to roughly 200 during this time. I’ve gained a unique perspective as both a gym owner-operator and on the development side, working closely with new franchisees on site selection, staff training, lease negotiations and more. This experience has made me a more effective operator in collaboration with the corporate team.

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?

Edmonds: Initially, when I was in the restaurant service industry, like many others, I had reservations. You think, “They'll take a portion of my income every month. I’ll pay a big chunk of money upfront. What am I getting?” Like many entrepreneurs, I thought, “I can handle this myself; I don't need them.” What I discovered was, when I was scaling restaurants and nightclubs, managing four venues simultaneously wore me out. Each one was unique with different procedures and operating agreements. As long as I was willing to work 80 to 100 hours a week, I could make it work. However, as I approached my 50s, it became increasingly challenging. 

Not only was it physically demanding, but I also struggled to relate to the same age group of managers and employees as I did in my 30s. That's when I started considering how I could scale without exhausting myself. That’s when I turned to franchising. When I joined Workout Anytime, they showed me the benefits — consistent procedures, support from experts in marketing and sales at the home office — all without the burden of payroll. I could leverage these resources as if they were my own, which individual entrepreneurs typically couldn't afford — like social media and IT support.

Franchising provided me with operational frameworks that allowed me to expand and successfully operate fitness centers across multiple states. This level of growth and success would have been nearly impossible outside of a franchised system. Trying to operate a restaurant, bar or nightclub across state lines is a daunting task that typically doesn't pan out. 

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

Edmonds: They were small enough at the time to pivot and adapt with the industry changes. Even though we’ve grown and now consider ourselves a medium-sized player in the market, we’ve retained that flexibility. We’ve seen this reflected in the size of our facilities. When I joined, our gyms were 4,000 to 6,000 square feet. Over time, we’ve become better at understanding our members’ and communities’ needs, gradually expanding to 9,000, 11,000 and even 15,000 square feet.

I was initially drawn to them because of their smaller, more agile nature and their willingness to take risks and innovate. Despite not knowing where they were headed, I respected the founders and the staff. It was a strong relationship.

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

Edmonds: As of right now, we're also exploring a site in Tamarack, Florida, conveniently owned by the same landlord as our Edgewater location. Florida has been a hub of tremendous growth, both personally for me and for the company. The state has experienced rapid expansion, likely due to heightened health consciousness influenced by the weather and robust insurance programs, which foster more engagement compared to other regions. It's been a highly successful venture for Workout Anytime and myself.

Moving forward, we’re aiming for further growth in Florida and the Carolinas. The objective is to expand alongside my growing team. I want to involve my staff more deeply in managing the gyms and establish a path for ongoing development, even after I eventually step back. Right now, I still love what I do and enjoy being in the gym. I’m genuinely excited about the future of our industry and Workout Anytime's trajectory. There are no signs of slowing down; we just want to keep growing and keep having fun.

1851: What are you most proud of from your time with Workout Anytime so far? 

Edmonds: I was recently named to our first franchise advisory committee and personally own 2 of the top ten performing clubs in the the country at this year’s 2024 annual conference. Titusville was actually the number one club in the country for Workout Anytime. It's very exciting to see the growth there. We have employees who have been there since day one. The Edgewater location is equally 30 minutes away from other locations and shares very similar demographics to Titusville. This is why we're really excited about Edgewater — it also allows our current members, who may live between these locations, to use more than one facility.

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

Edmonds: When it comes to franchising, one of the biggest misconceptions I hear from entrepreneurs — especially those venturing out for the first time from the corporate world — is that they often don’t know what they don't know. Many think they can save money by doing everything themselves and avoid paying royalties. In reality, a good franchisor has already negotiated better pricing for equipment, software, marketing, accounting and other essentials needed to run the business effectively. You won’t get those services at a better price if you go at it independently. 

Without the support of a franchisor, you’d need to be exceptionally skilled in multiple areas and prepared to work tirelessly. Franchising allows you to avoid diving in headfirst, working every weekend and holiday and putting in 14-hour days. Your level of effort determines your success, but we have franchisees who manage their businesses alongside full-time jobs or other commitments because of the system and support in place.

Franchising provides invaluable benefits, including learning from experienced franchisors, structured training programs and ongoing support. Unlike opening a business independently, where you’re on your own, our franchisees undergo comprehensive training through an online university and in-person sessions at our corporate headquarters — this adds up to 40-60 hours of training. This training covers every aspect of the business, from personal training and marketing to sales and operations, ensuring you have the knowledge and skills to succeed.

ABOUT WORKOUT ANYTIME:

Atlanta-based Workout Anytime is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept with over 190 units across the U.S. Founded by fitness veterans John Quattrocchi and Steve Strickland, the company was formed to provide members with first-class fitness facilities at the lowest cost possible while delivering a profitable and affordable business model to franchisees. Built on the founders’ motto of “think big, keep it simple and do it with integrity,” Workout Anytime is preparing for significant expansion into new territories across the U.S. and Central America by providing opportunities to business-minded entrepreneurs. Franchise opportunities are available, and more information can be found on http://workoutanytimefranchise.com/.