BeBalanced Weight Loss Centers Aims to Double in Size as More Health & Wellness Investors Peg it as ‘Next Big Brand’

Ever since BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers first opened its doors, women have raved about the brand’s science-backed, personalized approach, and community orientated model. Armed with a fanatical following, CEO David Cutillo made one specific decision.

It was time to franchise.

Why? Women said it actually worked. Women said it wasn’t a fad. Women said they were ready to stop wasting money on the get fit quick non-sustainable models.

“The difference in the early days was that our business worked. Our members would say that they had tried everything, but nothing was sticking. As weeks, months and years passed, our members remained happy,” he said. “But in order to grow our concept into a brand that could help thousands versus hundreds, we needed to operationalize.”

To get the business scalable and operationally sound, Cutillo didn’t have to look far to find a leader, as his wife, Jennifer Cutillo, had operational experience at her last roles. The duo perfected the customer and franchisee experience, balanced the franchisee support, and positioned the brand for growth. Then, the ultimate validation of potential came in early 2020, when James Webb, formerly Orangetheory Fitness’s largest franchisee (owned 31 locations before exiting the system), signed on.

Webb, who has partnered with his son-in-law Geoff Miller to operate his business said he saw not only the brand and market potential, but also the ability for him to diversify his portfolio while also building upon his established customer base.

“We had been looking for the next big thing,” Webb said. “We wanted to find a concept that had a great vision, growth potential and an economics model that fit with our portfolio growth goals.”

BeBalanced franchisees benefit from the brand’s diverse revenue streams, which include both a subscription model and retail products. 

“We’ve made sure our franchisees don’t have all their eggs in one basket,” said Sarah Gibson, BeBalanced Wellness Programs Advisor. “We have memberships that are billed monthly, multi-week programs that are billed upfront and branded retail supplements that we sell in store.”

Additionally, the brand has built a lifestyle-friendly business model, built around being closed on Sundays, and operating during standard weekday business hours — Monday through Friday, with some appointments available on Saturdays — ensuring franchisees are able to reap the rewards of business ownership without having to sacrifice their personal lives, a rare benefit.

“One thing that scared me about business ownership was the prospect of working 24–7, but that’s not the case with BeBalanced,” said Linda Barilani, a franchise owner with two locations in Pennsylvania. “The business has already been built, so I didn’t have to spend years figuring it out, and I’ve got time to actually enjoy my success.”

Now, the brand, which offers a unique non-medical, holistic-based approach to weight management, is preparing to leverage its well-earned buzz throughout the health and wellness segment and franchising at large to support large-scale growth in untapped markets across the U.S., aiming to double in size over the next two years. How? Through program and franchise owner validation.

“Our programming addresses a lot of sensitive, intimate concerns, and those are things people feel much more comfortable talking about in person,” said Jennifer Cutillo, COO. “We are applying that same care and support to our franchisees.”

As COVID hit, BeBalanced pivoted its business model to offer virtual support to its members. That flexible service model also offered a crucial lifeline to franchisees. 

“When COVID hit, our clients were dealing with enough stress, and the last thing they wanted to do was abandon their health and weight-loss programs simply because stores were shut down,” explained Barilani. “Fortunately, we were able to switch to virtual calls easily and continue working with our clients. As Centers re-opened, the majority of our clients still prefer in-person visits, but they appreciate having the ability to do virtual calls when needed.”

Now, BeBalanced is gearing up to introduce its uniquely lucrative opportunity to new franchisees in new markets across the country, David Cutillo says he has no doubt his team will find excellent owners to represent the brand, wherever it looks.

“The beautiful thing about this business is that, even though the program is science based, you don’t need a science or medical background to wrap your head around it,” he said. “That means we can partner with people from all sorts of backgrounds, so long as they have an acumen for business and a genuine passion for what we’re doing. So far, those are qualities we’ve had no trouble finding.”

The initial investment to franchise with BeBalanced Hormone Weight Loss Centers ranges from $155,650 to $208,450, including a $45,000 franchise fee. For more information on franchising with BeBalanced, please visit https://franchise.bebalancedcenters.com/.