Ex-business banker Fiona Smith was employed by the same company for 15 years before she made the foray into franchising. 

A Plus Fitness franchise in Penrith just outside of Sydney arose around the same time she was eligible for long service leave, and so Fiona “jumped on the opportunity.”

She opened the doors to her first gym 18 months ago, and has since gone on to secure another two sites in Mt Druitt and Hazelbrook. 

She shares her learnings around due diligence and the franchisee experience…  

IT PAYS TO BE PASSIONATE ABOUT THE BRAND

Fiona was a Plus Fitness member before she joined as a franchisee, and also dealt with the business on a professional level.  

“I have spent my career in business banking and was fortunate enough to have Plus Fitness as a client when they made the decision to develop the brand as a franchise.

“It was very exciting to watch the company sell its first franchise, and before I knew it they had sold their 50th site,” Fiona recalls.

LISTEN TO EXISTING FRANCHISEES

Fiona’s work with Plus Fitness enabled her to speak with, and get to know a number of the brand’s existing franchisees.  

“I had a relationship with some of the early franchisees and they had such great things to say about their experiences. I developed a keen interest in the model and contemplated jumping ship many times from business banker to business owner,” she explains.

“I took the opportunity to quiz existing franchisees on their experiences around starting a Plus Fitness franchise and I took a lot of their tips and advice on board throughout this process.”

COMPARE BRANDS WITHIN THE SAME MARKET

Once you’ve decided on a specific franchise sector, don’t settle on a brand straight away – make sure you uncover all there is to know about its competitors.

Fiona conducted research into a number of gym franchises, and found the Plus Fitness offering to be the best.

She says:

• Plus Fitness provided a greater level of support in both the establishment of the clubs, providing end-to-end support throughout the construction and presale, right through to follow up support with our own dedicated franchise support manager.
• The entry costs were the most reasonable with greater value for money than other brands.  
• I was also attracted to the fact that Plus Fitness 24/7 is an Australian owned and local brand. This has many benefits including the fact that they are aware of and respond to market conditions very quickly.

In addition, Fiona found Plus Fitness’s asset finance systems of great value. “The equipment, which makes up a large portion of the initial investment, was funded on an asset finance facility.

“Plus Fitness has relationships with a number of financiers who know their model, so I found there were a number of finance options available,” she explains. 

GET TO KNOW YOUR FRANCHISOR & FELLOW FRANCHISEES

The biggest lesson Fiona has learned is to build a solid relationship with her franchisor. “They have been of great assistance whenever I have needed advice,” she says.

“I have also learned to surround myself with people that have more experience than me, and to take their advice and absorb as much information as I can.

“I often meet with fellow franchisees for a chat and to share ideas about what is and isn’t working so we can learn from each other. There is a really supportive environment between franchisees in the Plus Fitness network,” Fiona adds.

A GREAT SUPPORT NETWORK IS KEY 

Fiona had never owned her own business before, which is one of the main reasons she opted for a franchise.

“I felt that buying a franchise was the perfect way to start. When you buy a franchise you are buying a proven system where the hard work of trial and error has already been done, and you’ve got a recognisable brand to offer your customers.

“You also have the benefit of a support network which you would not have if you went out on your own,” she explains.

Having said that, she faced a number of challenges along the way, particularly in the early stages. “I found myself on a steep learning curve in relation to all facets of business, from marketing to HR to finance. This challenge was alleviated somewhat by having the support of a franchisor.

“A year and a half in, I cannot believe how much I have learned and I feel fortunate to have had this opportunity to develop as an individual,” Fiona says.

A POSITIVE OUTCOME

Fiona couldn’t be happier with her decision to invest in the business, and says she would definitely do so again.

“Being a single parent with three young children, my goal was to achieve financial independence as well as a greater work/life balance than when I was an employee.

“The Plus Fitness model has allowed me to achieve this, as the company has established a system that enables franchisees to easily manage the clubs remotely when needed. I am able to work from home or from the club to fit in with my lifestyle.”