WORKOUT ANYTIME Franchisee Jeff Cercy Says Model's Simplicity and Potential for Growth Are His Reasons For Investing

Most people are content following just one career path their whole life. Others thrive on new experiences and new adventures. Jeff Cercy identifies with the latter.

For nearly 21 years, Cercy served in the Marines and the Army Special Forces, where he was deployed to Afghanistan shortly after 9/11. Outside of the military, Cercy decided he wanted to dabble in business ownership, so he became a franchisee for Sports Clips and LA Boxing in Colorado. His Sport Clips location was the first in the state, and under his guidance, it became a top unit in the company’s entire system. That success trickled down to his LA Boxing franchise, too, and he won a Franchisee of the Year award during his first year of operation. All of these ventures were only side jobs for Cercy—during this time he was in the military and operating two additional franchises, he was also working in pharmaceutical sales for a Fortune 100 company.

But Cercy knew there were more opportunities out there. After selling his LA Boxing franchise, he decided to seek out a new fitness business concept. That’s when he found Workout Anytime. By 2013, Cercy eventually opened his first location in Buffalo Grove, a suburb just outside of Chicago—marking the arrival of Illinois’ very first Workout Anytime.

“I was very intrigued with the model’s simplicity and the growth potential. Workout Anytime was the perfect fit for someone like me,” Cercy said. “I needed a business investment I could operate as a semi-absentee owner since I work full time at another job. This business model is very simple, has minimal moving parts, no inventory, only a few employees are required and it has great franchise support—and most people don’t realize the money that can be made in running a gym. Workout Anytime is really the full package.”

Based in Atlanta, Workout Anytime is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept. Founded by fitness veterans John Quattrocchi and Steve Strickland, the company was created to provide members with first-class fitness facilities at the lowest cost possible, while still 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 has its sights set on significant expansion into new territories in the years to come.

Cercy hopes to help the brand spread, too. He plans to encourage other potential franchise owners to join the Workout Anytime team, and he would like to see the brand grow across all of Illinois. But for now, he’s focused on making his first location a hub for growth. So far, his plan is working—in the past three years, he’s opened four locations.

“With my previous career in franchising, I found that I really enjoy going into a new market and building a brand. I see great value in Workout Anytime. It’s welcoming family feel differentiates it from the other big box gym concepts out there. This brand has huge potential for growth in this market and across the country.”

For more information on development plans for Workout Anytime, click here.