Growing a Franchise
Young Franchisees To Know: Brooks Rankin
Rankin has worked and owned several different gyms over the last nine years.
Fitness has always been an important part of Brooks Rankin and his family’s life. Rankin grew up as an athlete and always maintained an active lifestyle and even worked at a fitness club in college. After college, he did an internship at a private club in California. He wanted to take his passion for fitness and translate that into a business. He looked at franchise opportunities and he and his family opened a gym in 2010 in Pennsylvania. He has consulted for many gyms and has worked at eight different gyms over the last nine years, all of different sizes and types. Working in these different environments has given him an idealistic approach to operating his own club; creating a culture that has the best interest in mind for guests, members, staff, and owners.
Rankin’s family also has a strong medicine background in and he is very passionate about working out as a means of means of preventative medicine.
1851 Franchise: Why did you choose an opportunity with WORKOUT ANYTIME?
Brooks Rankin: I was speaking with a colleague who is a fitness industry consultant, and he gave me the inside scoop on an up and coming concept, WORKOUT ANYTIME. I looked into it and quickly realized the brand was unlike any other fitness chain I’d ever seen. I love the simplified business model it provides and the easy access it gives to customers.
1851: What are your expansion or development plans? What is your end goal with WORKOUT ANYTIME?
BR: The end goal is to open multiple locations and create a regional option for the communities we serve.
1851: I know you have worked with your family in the past in the fitness industry, but this is your first time going into business your own. What are some of the challenges you have encountered going out on your own?
BR: It’s similar to what I have done in the past, but on a completely different scale. However, I have been committed to this since day one, and understand what I am taking on and what needs to be accomplished. I also understand that things take time to fall into place – but I am ready for them.
1851: What is your goal as you continue with the WORKOUT ANYTIME brand?
BR: I want to remain a part of this iconic brand because if its integrity. I want to become an admired franchisee and a front runner within the company. That way, I can be a peer for fellow franchisees to come to when they are first opening their own locations for guidance and advice.
1851: What are the values you try and run your business by?
BR: This is a customer service business, so first and foremost it is important to have a clean facility, filled with staff that is friendly, approachable, and helpful. Further, it is important to be there to help people to achieve the results they are coming to the gym for. Yes this is a business, but it is one that can help to betters people’s lives through health and fitness. I want to provide a nice club for those people, at an affordable price.
1851: What made the WORKOUT ANYTIME brand stand out to you?
BR: They did a god job outlining what they would do help us when franchising with their brand, and followed through on all of the promises they made. I appreciate their values and idealistic approach, as it aligns with how I desire to run my own business. They stood out as far as a business plan goes, and are all around good people.
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About the Author
Nick Powills
FollowNick Powills, CFE, founded No Limit Agency in 2008 and serves as Chief Brand Strategist for the Chicago-based firm. No Limit is a full-service communications agency that establishes and elevates brands by bridging Public Relations, Social Media, Marketing, Advertising, Digital, and a lot of creativity, to best strategize well-rounded and successful campaigns for 50+ global franchise brands. By presenting visionary ideas and building real relationships, No Limit is able to create effective media branding strategies to help companies grow. Nick currently leads a staff of writers, media strategists, designers, social media experts and digital producers in an office think-tank where brands are humanized for strong, compelling media stories. Prior to starting No Limit at the age of 27, Nick spent four years working at a franchise PR agency where he mastered the art of building rapport with media outlets and creating newsworthy pitches for earned media placements. He holds a Bachelor of Journalism from Drake University in Iowa.
