Young Ones to Watch: Devan Kline of Burn Boot Camp

In 2009, Devan Kline started his MLB career and discovered that he had a deep passion for personal fitness training. In 2012, he became a certified trainer and started the Charlotte-based boutique fitness concept, Burn Boot Camp, along with his wife, Morgan Kline, in a parking lot. Burn Boot Camp aims to empower women and provide them with a sense of community as they achieve their fitness goals. Since then, the 32-year-old Devan and his wife have grown the wildly successful fitness franchise to 200 open doors and 180 more locations in development over 36 states. 

1851: What initially drew you to franchising? 

Kline: What initially drew me to franchising was the opportunity to scale a positive message that I saw impacting people both emotionally and spiritually. The ability to leverage the vehicle of a franchising model has been an amazing way to connect Burn Boot Camp’s message to a large number of people in a short amount of time. 

1851: Where do you see the most opportunity in franchising and why are you excited about the future of the industry? 

Kline: From a franchisor perspective, the biggest opportunity I see in the industry is the chance to utilize digital media, podcasting, virtual reality and artificial intelligence platforms. The new wave in franchising will be the ability to incorporate these technologies and develop these systems in ways that grow the industry. Overall, the franchise industry has a strong foundation, and I am grateful for it, but it is missing the mark on social media. Franchisors need to get better at expanding brand culture outside of the four walls of a brick and mortar location.

1851: What advice do you have for other young up-and-comers in the space? 

Kline: Go hard and fast and don’t overthink it because at the end of the day you are going to screw up and there is a lot to learn. You don’t need to know everything before you get started but do your due diligence, listen to your intuition and follow what you think is right. 

1851: What advice would you give your younger self?

Kline: If I could go back to when I was playing college baseball at 19 or 20 years old, I would focus more on my personal development. People are only capable of being great leaders if they work on themselves first because the individual always leads the business. I would tell my younger self to prioritize personal growth—get out into the world, learn, network, be curious and ask questions. Also, remember to take all advice with a grain of salt. 

1851: Who is someone you look to for inspiration?

Kline: I always look to my wife, Morgan Kline, for inspiration. I didn’t have many mentors growing up—especially not in the business world—and my wife and I built Burn Boot Camp completely by ourselves. Morgan is a rockstar and is not only the COO of a fast-growing organization but is also super busy raising two kids and a family. Somehow, she does it all with a smile on her face. In terms of inspiration, my desire to create a better life for my family has been all the inspiration I’ll ever need.