1851

Making the transition from an emerging to an established franchise brand can be a challenging one. Not only is it rare for franchises to cross the milestone 100-unit mark&mdash;it&rsquo;s even more of an accomplishment when brands are able to take that momentum and continue growing to establish a presence that spans thousands of locations across the globe. So, what does it take to be one of those big brands? 1851 Franchise caught up with Chuck Runyon, the co-founder and CEO behind one of the fastest growing concepts in the fitness industry&mdash;<a href="https://www.anytimefitnessfranchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tricks-to-becoming-a-big-franchise-brand-a-conversation-with-anytime-fitness-2705708" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anytime Fitness</a>&mdash;to learn more <a href="https://1851franchise.com/details/2705694/How-Anytime-Fitness-Found-a-Winning-Way-in-Fitness" target="_blank">not only about how the brand is excelling in its segment</a>, but how it&#39;s become a rapidly expanding leader in the industry overall.

1851 Franchise: What advice do you have for other franchisors&mdash;in any industry&mdash;that are&nbsp;trying to become a big, established brand?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Chuck Runyon, co-founder and CEO of <a href="https://anytimefitness.1851franchise.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tricks-to-becoming-a-big-franchise-brand-a-conversation-with-anytime-fitness-2705708" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">Anytime Fitness</a>: When you boil it down, the two things that matter most are franchisee profitability and trust.&nbsp;If you listen to franchisees and put their success first, franchisees will buy more units and growth will follow.&nbsp;The best leaders understand that nobody is an expert at everything. If you surround yourself with good people, and you lead by setting a good example, you&rsquo;ll give your team the best possible opportunity to realize its fullest potential.

1851: In your opinion, what are the things that brands absolutely need in order to become a large concept?&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Runyon: Proven consumer appeal, a business model that reduces human variability through automation and repeatable processes in a steady or growing sector.&nbsp;Nobody likes unpleasant surprises.&nbsp;You need to provide your customers with the products and services they enjoy &ndash; whenever they want them and however they prefer them.&nbsp;And then, when their preferences change, you need to be nimble enough to accommodate those changes.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

1851: Do you have any tips or tricks that have helped Anytime Fitness become a big brand?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Runyon: Most brands understand the importance of designing a better consumer experience.&nbsp;But most companies stop there&mdash;and that&rsquo;s a big mistake.&nbsp;We design a better experience for all of our stakeholders &ndash; members, franchisees, employees, vendors and even our board members. And we&rsquo;re always nurturing these groups by investing in,&nbsp;and living,&nbsp;our core values:&nbsp;<a href="https://lovework.sebrands.com/?utm_source=1851franchise.com&utm_medium=article&utm_campaign=tricks-to-becoming-a-big-franchise-brand-a-conversation-with-anytime-fitness-2705708" target="_blank" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">People, Purpose, Profits and Play</a>. &nbsp;&nbsp;

1851: Now that Anytime Fitness has become such an established concept, how are you continuing to build on that momentum to maintain your position as a brand to beat?&nbsp;&nbsp;

Another secret to our success has been to balance a micro and macro mindset. Do we think strategically about leading a global network of nearly 4,000 clubs?&nbsp;Yes, of course.&nbsp; But if you&nbsp;only&nbsp;think about the big numbers, you&rsquo;ll lose sight of the small numbers&mdash;and that&rsquo;s what the big numbers are made of. That&rsquo;s why we still think about the franchisee in Omaha, or the member walking into our club in Madrid, and we ask ourselves,&nbsp;&ldquo;How can we further assist that single-unit owner with running a profitable business, or how can we help that member gain more education, motivation or achieve progress from working out at Anytime Fitness?&rdquo;&nbsp;We grew from 10 clubs to 20 clubs by focusing on individuals. If we hope to grow from 4,000 to 8,000 clubs, we need to do the same thing. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tricks to Becoming a Big Franchise Brand: A Conversation with Anytime Fitness

1851 Franchise

Anytime Fitness co-founder and CEO Chuck Runyon offers insight into the fitness concept’s successful journey from emerging to established brand.

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