Nikki Dempsey and Niamh McCreery, our new multi-unit franchise partners, have exclusive territory rights to Ireland with an eight-site development deal. They joined the TRIB3 family earlier this year, supported by their partners who have a wealth of experience in the fitness market. We are thrilled to partner with them to bring the TRIB3 experience to Ireland, with their first store opening in Q4 2021.

We spoke with Nikki and Niamh to learn more about what lead them to joining the TRIB3 family and their journey so far in franchising.

What did you do before franchising and what prompted you to make the change?

Niamh: I’m actually a yoga instructor and before teaching private classes, I was a personal trainer for eight years, working at a gym. My partner and I have always been into fitness, playing sports, going to the gym, traveling to cities to try new workout classes. I’ve always wanted to own my own business and franchising has been a concept that I had been following for the last two or three years so I felt I could pair my passion with a proven business model.

Nikki: I’m new to the industry, having been an insurance broker for over ten years now. I’ve seen close family and friends become really successful running franchises so that sparked my interest in wanting to invest in a franchise myself. Since finding this opportunity, I’m really excited about getting more involved in the fitness industry and hope to teach TRIB3 classes as well as operating several of the stores too.

What drew you to TRIB3?

Niamh: The concept is so unique, especially with the three zones in the studio, which we hadn’t experienced in any other classes we’ve done anywhere before. We knew immediately it would be a great concept to bring to Ireland as it was completely different and we saw a lot of opportunity to grow and scale this concept across a new territory.

Nikki: It was definitely the people we met while getting involved in the process. The brand and the concept are brilliant but the actual people that you’re working with, makes all the difference. Everyone we’ve met on the team and at TRIB3 have been so supportive and I can see myself working with them, which is the most important thing to me.

Why did you want to bring TRIB3 to Ireland?

Niamh: We saw a huge gap in the market for it, so for us it was a no brainer. The combination of the workout, the music and the energy that you feel coming out of a TRIB3 workout was incredible. We’re hoping that there will be a big demand for it and we’ll be able to keep opening up more and more stores.

Nikki: Like Niamh, we wanted to bring something to Ireland that’s not been done here before. There’s a big trend for people wanting to train together so group exercise is starting to become quite popular here but there still isn’ta concept quite like TRIB3 available yet.

What qualities does someone need to be a successful multi-unit franchisee?

Niamh: You have to be willing to be patient, follow the journey and trust the process. Take in as much information as you can, as you have a team around you with so much support and guidance to give.

Nikki: The three things that are most important when it comes to franchising are people, process and product. You have to trust the process and work with the right people. Especially with being a multi-unit franchisee owner, you have to not be afraid of failing - learn from your mistakes and have the courage to keep moving forward.

Would you recommend franchising and this franchise opportunity to others?

Niamh: Definitely. I’ve seen people become very successful in franchising but you have to be passionate about what you’re doing. Also having the support of a franchisor, you’re backed by their knowledge and expertise, which you normally wouldn’t have running your own business. After my initial conversations with the TRIB3 team, you can just tell there’s so much experience within the network so it’ll be great to pull from their experience while being able to put our own touch on it too.

Nikki: 100% because franchising is being given a bag of tools to run your business. The processes are there so especially for people that have little experience in business, franchising is a great way to do it. During hard times and economic downturns, people tend to turn to franchises because the processes are there. I definitely recommend TRIB3 because the processes are there, the brand is developed and there’s a good team of people.

Ready to join our global fitness movement? Enquire today.