Young Ones: Liberty Harper

Name: Liberty Harper Rank: 4 Age: 32 Position: Founder Liberty Fitness, CEO Harper Consulting Group, Director of New Business Aviatech Company: Harper Consulting Group/Aviatech

Liberty Harper has done it all. She has been a franchisee, a franchisor, a consultant, an Internet TV show host and a development member for a marketing brand. Now guess her age. Harper is 32 years old, but has built a portfolio that would make some of the franchise community’s influencers jealous. Despite accomplishing so much so fast, Harper refuses to sit still. The entrepreneur in her still craves making a difference in people’s lives by relying on a blend of experience that encompasses success and failure. I GOT INTO FRANCHISING BY: When I was 18 my parents asked me to help them open a Curves gym as a franchisee. After a second location a year later we built both locations then sold them. After managing the gyms for the new owners I created a business plan for my own little gym, which I opened 6 months later. Within two years it was a franchise (Liberty Fitness) of 65 locations. It was sold in 2004 and I resigned from the company in 2007. Since then I have been consulting with various franchise systems mostly focused in training and marketing. In 2009, I joined Aviatech (a full service marketing and advertising agency) of which I was a client with Liberty Fitness, with a focus to bring them new business while still consulting. My newest project is co-hosting an Internet based show about entrepreneurs, especially focused on the “a-typical” i.e. women, minorities, veterans, etc. I LOVE FRANCHISING: I’m passionate about helping people grow their business and love the franchise community. IN THE FUTURE: I plan on building more on the coaching, consulting and internet/television show to continue to inspire, become inspired and lead/coach others. DO YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE OPPORTUNITY: No, younger businessmen and women are by far a minority in the franchise industry. CHANGE: It would be great to have a committee of 40 and younger! --NICK POWILLS