Can you tell us a bit about yourself and what you were doing prior to opening TRIB3 Deansgate?

I’ve worked in the learning & talent space for the last 16 years. I founded my own small boutique consultancy that works with organisations to help them unlock the potential and performance of their people. This is something I’m still doing and am lucky to work with some amazing brands and people.

Why did you go down the franchise route and why did you choose TRIB3?

Franchising was something I had been exploring, with some of the most well known franchise brands on and off over the past couple of years. For me franchising was about taking a huge leap and doing something radically different in terms of industry, whilst having the support of a known brand, with processes and learnings to mitigate some of the risk.

Fitness has always been part of my life from a very young age and I also see the connection to ‘the day job’ in working with & developing people. It was during a short career break I read an article in the Guardian about the rise of fitness boutiques in the UK which featured TRIB3. I picked up the phone and called Kevin and within a week I was over in Spain experiencing the brand. TRIB3’s values truly align to my own so how could I say no!

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

An opportunity to enter into a management agreement with TRIB3 International surfaced itself.

Its been great and a real impact in having their operational knowledge shared and have them part of the day to day store team from day one. I have weekly check-in’s with operations to make sure we are all aligned.

In terms of support I have received, its been everything from finance, through to recruitment and property maintenance. Any support thats needed I pick up the phone.

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?

Personally, I value networks and the people within them. Franchising has opened up a whole new world and I have met some of the best people I ever will. The skills, knowledge and experience I’ve gained I have also applied into my other business and those are things you carry with you always.

Can you tell us about any community involvement, including any local partnerships, incentives or charity work you are involved in?

One of our valued customers Max is raising money for the stroke association. It’s a charity very close to my heart having lost my father to a stroke last year. On Monday 31^st Jan Max is attempting to complete all eight TRIB3 workouts that day. That’s a huge task and we’re going to really get behind him on this.

Being in the centre of Deansgate is a really good vibe and we’re just starting to look at some exciting partnerships.

What is the most invaluable piece of advice you could give someone looking to buy their first franchise?

Be crystal clear on how much cash you have; how much you are prepared to invest and what the limit is. It’s so easy to get carried away in the excitement and completely blow the budget.

In your opinion, what makes a successful franchisee?

To be successful you have to come at it with a growth mindset.

Worry less about looking smart and put more energy into learning. Also realise the franchisor is wanting to learn too. You likely bring a skillset/mindset/perspective that’s valuable to the overall success of the brand. Early on realise you are operating within and outside of three teams – your own team in my case the store team, your home team – whoever’s got your back like a partner, friends or family members and the franchisor team. Skills to navigate people and everything that comes with them are crucial.

What are your plans for the future?

Break even. Make profit, open another site, and repeat. The plan is to open more stores and take more of a back seat in the day to day operations.

For more information about franchising with TRIB3 and the available partnership options, email the team today at franchise@trib3.co.uk