Investing in a healthy lifestyle is becoming a normal way of life in today’s society. People are buying gym memberships, signing up for yoga classes and investing in private exercise instructors. Gym memberships alone have steadily increased since 2000, up 14% just from 2012 to 2016 with no signs of the trend slowing. Some are even turning to massage and specialized muscle and joint pain relief services to support their health and wellness. Parents are making significant investments in activities that offer their children the opportunity to exercise, as well, from swimming and soccer, to basketball and dance lessons.
Franchising has been closely following this trend with dozens of new sports and fitness concepts coming onto the scene each year, in addition to many established child services franchise companies launching new and exciting programs. As this health conscious trend continues to boom, consumers are relying more and more on the products and services that health and fitness franchises provide.
Franchise Gator recently released its ranking of the Top 100 franchise opportunities for 2018. To no one’s surprise, this list included multiple health and fitness focused franchises. Several offer programs with a low-cost of entry, giving entrepreneurs a chance to make a sizeable difference in their community with a minimal investment. We decided to highlight five health and fitness franchises that shouldn’t be overlooked.
i9 Sports is the nation’s first and largest youth sports league franchise business. They offer sports leagues, camps and clinics for boys and girls ages 3 to 14 in most of today’s popular sports. It was ranked the No. 1 Child Fitness Franchise by Entrepreneur magazine and listed among Inc. Magazine’s 5000 Fastest Growing Companies.
As a home-based business, i9 offers franchisees the flexibility to balance work and life, while offering the financial independence that comes with owning your own business. With no real estate or upfront inventory costs, there’s a low cost of entry, making it an ideal investment opportunity.
SkyHawks is a nationally recognized brand offering up to 10 different sports programs for children, ranging from baseball, to soccer, to tennis, to cheerleading. With the recent purchase of SuperTots, SkyHawks now has multiple ways to provide franchisees a dependable and rewarding business to own.
SkyHawks offers a low initial investment and low royalty fees, allowing franchises to see a quick return on their investment. They also present a flexible work-life balance that includes the ability to work from home and set your own schedule. SkyHawks encourages their franchisees to open multiple territories, while providing the support and training necessary to be a success.
British Swim School was founded in 1981 and began franchising in 2011. Currently they have more than 100 units. They provide swim lessons for children of all ages, as well as classes that have been proven to prevent drowning by utilizing one-of-a-kind techniques taught by experienced instructors. The British Swim School is nationally recognized and ranked among Entrepreneur’s Top 50 New Franchises, in addition to being a Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner.
As a British Swim School franchisee, you never have to get in the water unless you want to. They rent the pools and find swim locations for franchisees so there are no buildout costs, maintenance or upkeep required. This allows franchisees time to focus on hiring instructors and scaling the business. Thanks to a low-cost entry fee, it’s a great way to jump into franchise ownership.
Massage Envy is the pioneer and national leader of affordable and convenient total body care services. They have about 1,160 locations in 49 states and several international spas, making it the largest massage therapy franchise in the industry. The unprecedented growth being experienced by Massage Envy makes now an ideal time to acquire an existing Massage Envy Spa.
Massage Envy offers franchisees an innovative, membership-based approach that ensures a recurring revenue stream with a 99 percent success rate. They also provide strong margins and attractive returns, with locations averaging more than $1.3 million in average unit volume.
Massage Envy is currently offering investors a rare opportunity to purchase existing Massage Envy Spas in Dallas, Houston, Albuquerque, New Mexico, California and Washington. These existing spas are already open for business and generating revenue.
The Joint began franchising in 2003 and currently has more than 380 locations nationwide. They offer customers a monthly membership and low rates for basic chiropractic care with no appointments required and no insurance needed. The Joint has given an entire generation of customers access to the health and wellness benefits of chiropractic care.
Nationally recognized, The Joint was named the “Best of the Best” franchise in the health care services segment for 2016 by Entrepreneur and has been included in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 list. Inc. also named them to their annual list of fastest-growing franchise systems.
The Joint offers franchisees an easy to build and quick to open franchise with simple construction and build-outs in a small footprint. In addition, they utilize an easy operating model and attractive economics.
Franchising is a proven path to business ownership in the growing health and fitness industry. No matter what franchise business you choose to invest in, be sure to do your homework. Talking to existing franchisees is invaluable. Ask them the questions you need answers to in order to make a sound decision. Are they getting the support they need from corporate? Does their business model provide a competitive advantage? Are they optimistic about their growth and the future growth of the brand? If you want to review other leading franchise options, then visit Franchise Gator’s Top 100 for 2018.
Eric Bell has 15 years of franchise industry experience and currently serves as General Manager of Franchise Gator. He began his career in 2002 as a Hollywood Tans franchisee in Atlanta where he also served as area manager and helped develop the Atlanta territory. In October 2005, Eric joined Franchise Gator as a sales representative and went on to hold several positions including sales manager and director of sales and service. Eric is a member of the Southeast Franchise Forum and is a Certified Franchise Executive. Follow Franchise Gator on Twitter @franchisegator and Facebook.