I took a step back for a while after closing my location before writing this so it wasn’t too biased to my experience. I strongly encourage anyone considering this franchise to do their homework first! Ask the difficult questions to the franchisors directly!
The members and trainers are easily the best part. The community is strong, and building relationships with members and trainers is incredibly rewarding. There is a good concept here that is hindered by the Franchisor.
The biggest issue for me was the relationship with the Franchise/ Franchisor/ Corporate as a whole. Communication at all levels often felt dismissive and condescending, especially when concerns were raised or feedback was given. A lot of the systems are outdated and there was limited willingness to change them even when franchisees explained what was and wasn’t working. New initiatives were sometimes introduced without enough thought given to the realities of running a location, creating additional work, expense, and frustration. The shortcomings weren’t only noticeable to franchisees. Members would regularly experience them firsthand and question why certain things weren’t working or being improved. That was difficult when the same concerns had already been raised with corporate. Anyone considering this franchise should speak privately with several current and former franchisees! Look into locations that have closed or are for sale and ask direct questions about profitability, corporate support, fees, technology, and what happens when a location struggles. There is much more to understand than what is presented during the initial franchise process.
Listen to franchisees and take recurring concerns seriously. The people operating these locations every day have firsthand insight into what is and isn’t working right now! Corporate should be more open to updating outdated systems, properly consider the impact of new initiatives before launching them, and ensure management has the experience needed to support franchisees. Most importantly, when the same concerns are being raised by both franchisees and members, they should be investigated rather than dismissed. Franchisees are carrying the financial burden and their feedback needs to be treated accordingly.