The Great Franchisee | Workout Anytime Entrepreneurs Continue to Grow Throughout US With Their Most Recent Opening in West Plano

The former police officer from Crossville, TN, EJ Williams, and his business partner, Jerry Pugh, recently opened their 21st Workout Anytime location in West Plano. The pair started their franchising journey with the 24-hour, seven-day-a-week concept in 2017 when they opened their first location in Homestead, Florida. 

As a franchise owner, Williams focuses on the growth of not only his business but his employees and the communities they serve. He has loved growing with the brand and is excited to see what the future holds. Williams doesn’t see a limit with Workout Anytime. His goal is to continue growing as long as his team continues to believe in him and the brand.

1851 Franchise spoke with EJ Williams to learn more about his franchising journey with Workout Anytime. 

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

EJ Williams: Before franchising, I was a police officer in Crossville, TN, for seven and a half years. I also owned a small digital marketing business. A few years ago, Jerry Pugh came up to me with information about franchising with Workout Anytime. I started digging into the brand and eventually went to a few meetings with the corporate team. I decided to be all in with the brand once I realized that it was more than just a business; it was a family. 

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?

Williams: Even before looking at Workout Anytime, my perspective of any franchise revolved around the concept that everything is better in numbers. What I mean by that is you get the best rates, the best support, and the best all-around structure of a business because you aren’t alone. I think that’s why most people franchise.

1851: What excites you most about growing with this company?

Williams: Every time we grow, I know it’s not just Jerry and me that benefits– our team grows with us too. Growing our businesses opens more doors and opportunities for people within the Pugh-Williams group. The community that we go into also benefits, and I love seeing the appreciation our team gets when we open in new areas. Even acquiring Workout Anytime locations that had other owners. It’s great to see the gym be brought back to life. 

From a business perspective, I like growing businesses because I’ve found that you gain support with every location opened. The teams at the other clubs can help the new location learn the ropes and be successful from the beginning.

1851: What are your plans for growth? 

Williams: Everyone always asks us what our limit or stopping point is. My answer is that we don’t have one. As long as our team keeps growing and believing in what we are doing, we will keep pushing.

1851: What is the one thing about you that you want us to know?

Williams: No matter what business you go into or what franchise you choose, the key is to never take your eye off the main goal. Never forget why you’re getting into business for yourself. It’s easy to get discouraged when you open a new business, but if you keep reminding yourself of why you want it, you can push through to be successful.

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

Williams: As a business owner, you need to be involved in your community, especially when you’re new to an area. Be at functions and community events so you can reach new people and make connections. Some people think that if you build a business, people will just come, but that’s not always accurate. Really it’s what you put into it.

ABOUT WORKOUT ANYTIME*: 

Atlanta-based Workout Anytime is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept with 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 at http://workoutanytimefranchise.com/.