Contoured to Fit
At the time I was going to the gym Curves regularly during my lunch hours and one day, mid workout, I just thought that something like this would go well in my home town; there was nothing like it.
So I started researching into buying a fitness studio. I did a lot of work on the internet, but I found dealing with the US head office of Curves a bit hard, and then Contours popped up on my screen.
I didn't know the brand but went to the website and really liked the way Contours used weights, not hydraulic resistance.
I also read that Contours sports and fitness franchise was one of the top 10 franchises to watch because it was a fairly low-cost system to enter, but with good returns so I got in touch with its head office. Everyone there was really supportive and friendly. They were also really forthcoming with information, which was really important in my decision making process. I think having had a financial background was an advantage because I knew how to leverage myself and I recognised that buying the franchise actually wasn't a big risk.
I signed up with my husband and we opened the studio last November in Wallan, about 40km northeast of Melbourne. My husband, Shane, is the silent partner – he runs his own business, but he signs my papers, and if any machines need a grease and oil, he's there to do it. He's a cabinet maker, which came in handy when we were doing the fit-out. followed the Contours guidelines for the standard colour range and models, but used his skills for the cabinet making. We were also given some ideas for the layout of the studio, to make it easier for the members to find their way around.
We followed the Contours health and weight loss franchise marketing plan to a T: four weeks pre-opening marketing in newspapers and flyer drops, and we told the right people so word got around.
Danielle, a corporate trainer, supervised our first three days. She was great – she didn't try and take over, she just let us do everything and that was what we needed.
It was absolutely crazy, the day we opened. We had dreams of being busy and successful and had expectations of getting 50 members a month. We signed 53 members on the first day and 236 in the first week!
That was our major challenge, it was so exhausting. Looking back I should have talked to other studios about how they managed in the couple of weeks.
I'm thrilled now with the results we're achieving. We have so many satisfied members and as a group have lost nearly 700 kilograms and more than 9,270 centimetres in just eight months.
Financially it has been good and it's given me the chance to spend more time with my children, who are four and six, although I am a bit of a workaholic – I worked more than 70 hours a week for the first few weeks!
But my husband loves it – I am home now more with the kids, and that lets him get on with his cabinet making.
I didn't really have any grand plan to expand, but this has been so successful I'm now looking for a second territory, probably a bit further out from here, a bit more rural, to get a good financial return.
Lisa Crosbie runs the Contours Franchise in Wallan, Victoria 30.09.2008
FCA Member
Contact Contours - Ladies Fitness & Weight Loss Franchise
Tel: 02 8353 5203
