Page 96 - Entrepreneur - USA (January - February 2020)
P. 96
THE FRANCHISE
Strategy #3 Burn Boot Camp workout in the parking lot of a gymnastics studio in
Differentiate with more than just product Cornelius, N.C. They focused on weight loss, sure, but also on motiva-
Company tion, community, and a sense of belonging.
Burn Boot Camp “I think a lot of companies in our space want to be the best work-
out,” says Devan. “And we’re just a relationship company that rec-
Franchise 500 Placement
ognizes people need to be empowered; we recognize how impactful
#424 last year; #212 this year
trainers can be in people’s lives.”
To give customers hits of Burn between sweat sessions, Morgan
hosts a women-focused podcast and cooking show. “We envision a
hrough a message that pairs fitness with self-love, husband world where women can love themselves today and be inspired by
and wife Devan and Morgan Kline have built a fan following of who they are tomorrow,” she says. “And that’s not an exercise plan with
Tneighborhood moms. And five years ago, when the superfit some macronutrient ratios that you follow for 90 days. That is a prom-
couple decided to franchise their company, Burn Boot Camp, those ise. It’s a brand promise.”
self-loving customers raised their hands to carry the torch of Burn. Recently, the Klines went on a national tour, visiting 120 franchise
Turns out, empowerment is contagious. “There’s a lot of passion here,” locations in 18 months. “We are down in the weeds with the clients,
says Jolene Purchia, VP of business development. “Our culture was training them, hanging out, letting them tell us their stories,” says
built on community from a very early start.” Devan. “As a by-product of that, we’re showing support to our franchi-
The studio grew fast. Already it has 234 locations, with 180 more sees.” They’re letting them know: You belong. You’re doing great. We
in development. And roughly 85 percent of Burn’s franchisees started still believe in you.
as customers. Its membership is 94 percent women, and they appre- As explanation for the company’s giant leap of 212 spots on this
ciate perks like complimentary childcare and universal access to any year’s Franchise 500, Devan points to the power of exponential
location. But it’s the emotional support that steals them away from growth. “This the first opportunity we’ve had for a large number of
other workouts. That’s been true since the Klines held their first-ever franchise partners to expand their businesses simultaneously,” he says.
