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Personal training, not as you know it

Sarah Stowe

Fitness Enhancement CEO Scott Hunt is changing people’s perception of the personal trainer one client at a time.

In fact he believes people who fulfil the traditional personal trainer stereotype aren’t suitable for the business.

“If they live at the gym and they’ve never had a beer in their life they are probably a terrible personal trainer for us because they can’t relate to the client,” he says.

“The best trainers are not gym junkies; they are caring and have a passion for leading a healthy, happy lifestyle – existing franchisees have backgrounds in teaching, counselling, aged care and so on.”

Hunt outlines the five key traits he looks for in a franchisee:

  • Positive
  • Energetic
  • Like helping people
  • Like being active
  • Healthy

A NICHE OFFERING

Hunt established the business in 1999, and in that time he’s fine tuned the model to ensure it is suitable for franchising.

“I think that’s a big selling point compared to a lot of franchises, where the day they open is the day they franchise. We’ve tried and proven the model, we ran our existing company just like a franchisee would so there are no double standards,” he says.

The focus is around private personal training sessions, and Hunt reiterates the business is far removed from the traditional gym concept.

“We are a 100 percent private, personal training – no one can offer privacy like we do. We are an appointment only personal training studio.

“We’ve had so many gyms open up near us and we are busier than we have ever been because no one can compete with our privacy.”

Hunt believes one-on-one sessions delivered in a private environment are more effective than gyms.

“People get results from having a trainer that actually cares, not from having the latest piece of machinery at a gym. Our best success story lost over 100kg with us – that was a lady who had failed repeatedly at gyms because no-one cared and she didn’t feel comfortable in that environment.

“The vast majority of people don’t go to gyms and enjoy it, I think about 20 percent of the population have a gym membership and only about five percent actually use it,” he says.

THE MODEL

There are two franchise models on offer – mobile and studio.

In both instances, franchisees can opt to deliver sessions on their own, hire staff to facilitate the sessions or a combination of both.

“We make a point that franchisees can be a one man show, or if they want to grow the business then they can definitely do that too – franchisees can take on trainers and grow as big as they want basically,” Hunt says.

Mobile

The mobile franchise costs between $20,000 and $30,000 and as its name suggests, enables franchisees to travel to different locations to deliver personal training sessions.

“It is extremely cheap compared to any other fitness franchise out there,” he says.

“The package includes absolutely everything franchisees need to run a fully operational business, from equipment to marketing, and there are options for franchisees to grow their business bigger and bigger.”

Sessions can also be conducted at the client’s home, where Hunt says there is demand.

“There is a massive niche for people wanting personal trainers in their own home, and the advantage people get with us is the security – when you invite someone to your own home you want to call a reputable company that has been around for a long time.”

Studio

Studio franchises, which resemble bricks-and-mortar locations, cost between $130,000 and $190,000, which Hunt says is a third of the cost of a 24/7 gym.

“They have three separate, 100 percent private training rooms, which means it’s just the client and their personal trainer, no one else is allowed in – there won’t be a stranger sweating right next to them.”

Hunt says the company’s emphasis on privacy encompasses a number of other qualities. “It’s about all the other things that come with that 100 percent private phrase, including personal attention, respecting the customer and being focused on their goals.”

TRAINING

He believes that unlike personality traits, skills can be taught, and the company facilitates training for franchisees who do not hold the relevant personal training qualifications.

“We teach franchisees the skills required to become a personal trainer, and they can also get qualified through us for an extra $3,000.”

He says prior experience working in the industry isn’t important whatsoever. “They do need to have a background in keeping fit and healthy – if someone has never stepped foot in a gym in their life or have never worked out, they probably aren’t for us.”

EXPANSION

Fitness Enhancement is the biggest personal training company in Queensland, and the third largest in Australia, says Hunt.

The business spans Brisbane and the Gold Coast, and it recently signed an interstate franchisee in Melbourne, with more to come.

“We want to be Australia wide within the next few years and we obviously want to recruit franchisees, but the big thing for us is having happy franchisees who deliver successful results to clients.”

He adds the business is tracking well financially. “Every year we grow, we’ve been doing that pretty much since we started.”

Opportunities in other Australian states are currently available, and Hunt says there are great deals on offer for people who register their interest now.