The franchise journey is a truly exciting process from start to finish. Hear from TRIB3's Franchise Development Executive, Vaughan Maiden, on how he supports our franchisees and what opportunities he sees on the horizon for 2021.

Why is now the time to invest in a fitness franchise?

2020 has been an unexpected crazy year to say the least and numerous individuals have found themselves in long periods of isolation. Here at TRIB3, our core values are bringing people together through our world class programming and helping people feel part of a community. Research has found more than two-thirds of people feel more motivated working out in a group and almost 50% believe they get better results versus exercising alone. One of the most important messages for the fitness industry and for the public at large, throughout the pandemic, has been that being physically active is crucial to long-term health and keeping people fighting fit. Franchising overall is increasingly considered a safer environment for new business owners as it has been consistently growing and maturing so the major lessons have been learned. Boutique operators, like TRIB3, are able to implement physical distancing efficiently into the model as class-based fitness is already built around capacity management and zoning, so these types of fitness franchises will offer a safe but enjoyable way to come back to group exercise. Historically, after any challenging financial global conditions, both leisure and franchising increase in popularity due to more people looking to increase their health and wellbeing. It’s great to be part of a company that focuses on keeping people inspired and motivated to take care of themselves, both physically and mentally.

Has COVID-19 had an impact on franchise growth at TRIB3?

It has been a challenging year for the franchise industry in general. However many people have had time to reflect on their next steps and future ventures, which allows for the entrepreneur spirit to kick in and many opportunities to arise. We believe there will be a significant spike in interest for franchising in 2021 and 2022, especially with boutique fitness franchises as people are now more than ever focused on the role physical activity has on their wellbeing. Despite the uncertain circumstances of the year we’ve also had several new franchise partners come on board and opened further stores in major cities like Bristol and Madrid in Q3!

What does the impact of COVID-19 on the fitness industry mean for potential franchisees?

COVID-19 gave us the opportunity to step back a bit and review our franchise business model. We already had a ‘one studio, one workout’ simple and compelling model which allowed us flexibility to adapt quickly and effectively to COVID-19 as we did not have to change our core business offering. However we are now more flexible with the initial investment required and specification of store available. This allows our franchise partners more options in choosing how to set up their own TRIB3 based on their capital available and the size and space they need. The signature studio space where the sessions take place is always the same, regardless of the size of the TRIB3 store, so this allows our partners to maximize on revenue, without jeopardizing the experience and the consumers’ journey!

What is the most exciting part of the franchise journey for you?

Every part of the journey is exciting as it’s always rewarding to have a new partner join the family, but for me, it really comes down to educating the potential franchisees about TRIB3. Our goal is to give them enough knowledge and information about our business for them to make an informed decision if this is right for them. When it’s established that it will be a good partnership for both parties, we move on to the onboarding process. Once the legal’s are boxed off, we begin the property and demographic search. This is my other favorite part of the journey as our franchise partners can now begin the entrepreneurial part, which we all find very exciting. We work together to provide the best platform for our partners to succeed. We then hand it over to Ana, our Head of Design, who will draw the floorplan and create a 3D walkthrough. It’s amazing when you see an empty space come to life and become a TRIB3 store. It always sends a shiver down my spine when you see all that hard work come to fruition.

What would you like potential franchisees to know when evaluating their next franchise opportunity in regards to TRIB3?

Understanding why you want your own TRIB3 store is so important. There are so many important milestones that need to be covered so we want to make sure it’s a good fit. Capital is required to not only open, but also working capital is needed within the first few months. The franchise journey is a partnership so we are here to help our partners through every step. The other bit is that TRIB3 really is a community, a family. In coming on board with us you get access to an amazing, experienced support team who genuinely really love bringing people together, franchisees, consumers, teams, worldwide through next level workout experiences.

What type of franchisees is TRIB3 looking for?

We are looking for partners who are excited by people, service, experience and standards. We welcome people with all backgrounds as long as they are passionate about people and providing exceptional customer experience. Our franchisees will be supported by an expert team with decades of experience in the industry and established systems and processes, so even if you’re new to fitness, you’ll have the support to confidently make the change and be part of the booming boutique market. The business model centres around putting the customer at the heart of everything so we want people who can deliver exceptional customer service and create unforgettable experiences. We are all about giving an experience so great that people keep coming back, which is the key to our model. That’s why, as your store matures, 80% of your income will be generated from repeat business!

Interested in learning more about starting your own TRIB3? Book a call today!

About Vaughan

Vaughan Maiden has over fifteen years of experience in the fitness industry and has been with TRIB3 since october 2019. He works closely with our potential franchisees, helping them navigate their first steps in joining the TRIB3 family and throughout the franchise journey.