A luxury car baron in Brisbane is stepping into the fitness franchise arena. Martin Roller is the new Queensland area developer for kids’ gym franchise MyFirstGym (MFG) and plans, along with wife Renee, to develop and expand the concept from Cairns to Northern New South Wales. 

Roller said his first-hand experience and passion for the business model was the driving force behind the couple’s commitment to the franchise. 

“I’m a big believer in the MFG concept and having seen the enjoyment on my kids’ faces after participating in a range of classes and activities I’m convinced the gyms will not only be a big hit for the kids and families that participate, but also the individual franchisees who invest in the business,” he said. 

“There’s lots of interest in the franchise and we have some ambitious goals, so we need to focus on the first steps right now, which is to identify the right partners and find the best possible premises,” Roller told Inside Franchise Business.

“As we start to grow, we’re committed to dedicating our time to our franchisee network. We firmly believe that a well-trained, supported and high performing franchisee network will be our best sales tool, and we’re here to facilitate that.”

“We’re going to open our own club in 2020 which we will use to showcase to potential franchisees, and from there we will be working with property experts to identify the best premises to support our development schedule. We’ll also develop a financing model to ensure the clubs are affordable and within reach for the right candidates.”

General manager Kerri-Anne Horig is on board to help the Rollers achieve their growth plan.

MyFirstGym growth in Queensland

Dan Newton, CEO and founder of MFG, is looking to extend the Queensland-based national business from the 11 gyms operating across the state and in New South Wales to more than 40 locations across the region within five years.

“I am ecstatic to have Martin and Renee at the helm of developing the MFG brand in Queensland. Their combined knowledge and expertise in customer service and sales is such an asset to our company,” Newton said.

“MyFirstGym now has area developers across five Australian states, and we’re very confident in the high-quality team we have in place. We have a wealth of experience within the group, with high credibility and incredible track records across different industries and sectors.”

Newton told Inside Franchise Business, “As the pioneer of such a unique concept we are continually learning. As a collective franchise team, we are growing stronger and stronger as we continue our journey.

“At this stage in our growth, our present challenge as a business is being able to successfully position our brand and most importantly our purpose, so people understand the value and magic that sits within the product and our programs. We’re hard at work at this at the moment!”

What does it cost?

A franchisee can expect an opening investment to cost between $450,000 and $500,000. And while the business has a fun component, an ideal franchisee will be committed growing a serious business with an important purpose, said Newton.