Episode #522: Curtis Christopherson on Effective Franchise Training, Revenue Models, and Industry Trends

HALO Talks: Elevating Wellness

Curtis Christopherson has been a pioneering force in the personal training industry in Canada for the past 25 years. At a time when personal training was predominantly reserved for the affluent, athletes, and celebrities, he launched Innovative Fitness with a single location. He successfully navigated the company through significant challenges such as the dot-com bubble, the financial crisis, and the pandemic. Today, Innovative Fitness is renowned for its high-end boutique model, specializing in one-on-one and one-on-two personalized fitness and training sessions within their 4,000 to 5,000 square foot facilities. His commitment to quality and innovation has firmly established the brand as a leader in the field.

Curtis details the operational and strategic initiatives that have fueled their continued growth as well as discuss the importance of standardizing personal services in their franchise model, the benefits of brand partnerships, and the holistic approach to wellness that includes everything from movement to metabolic health. He also provides insights into overcoming challenges like noncompete clauses, the critical role of training for new franchisees, and their use of technology to enhance customer experiences and trainer capabilities.

On building out the brand Christopherson states, "We have a pipeline of eager and hungry people that want to help us expand, many of which were our employees and the people that work for us. . . We also had a client base that were affluent enough and loved what they experienced from a service perspective."

Key themes discussed

• Expanded to Seattle, focused on local engagement.
• Studio operators should embrace engaging community conversations.
• Discussed CrossFit franchise challenges, growth strategies needed.
• Trainers wield influential, trusted prescriptions over customers.
• ABC Fitness: A "34-year overnight success" in the billing industry.
• Feature offers significant opportunity for Trainerize and Glofox.
• Holistic fitness: Movement, nutrition, sleep, metabolic health.
• Supporting franchisees operationally ensures mutual success.

A few key takeaways:

1. Operationalizing and Standardizing Personal Services: Curtis emphasizes the necessity of detailed documentation and providing franchisees with tools for hiring and scaling. This ensures consistency and helps franchisees deliver on brand promises.

2. Strategic Partnerships and Support Systems: He underscores the value of brand partnerships that add significant benefits for franchisees, such as connections with insurance and equipment providers. Their collaboration with ABC Trainerize and Glofox for membership management systems illustrates a strategic approach to operational efficiency.

3. Trainer-Centric Business Model: The Innovative Fitness model prioritizes employing full-time trainers working exclusively for the company. This ensures a balanced supply and demand for the clientele, while also maintaining their high quality of personal training services.

4. Holistic Fitness and Wellness Trends: Curtis discusses the industry’s evolution towards integrating movement, nutrition, sleep, hormone, and metabolic health into fitness offerings. Their platform supports wellness professionals in prescribing products and services, portraying a comprehensive approach to fitness and wellbeing.

5. Expansion and Franchise Support: With plans to expand from Vancouver to Toronto and into the US market, Curtis outlines their methodical planning process for growth.

Click here to download transcript.

Resources:

• Curtis Christopherson: https://curtischristopherson.com/
• Innovative Fitness: https://www.innovativefitness.com/
• Prospect Wizard: http://www.theprospectwizard.com
• Promotion Vault: http://www.promotionvault.com
• HigherDose: http://www.higherdose.com

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