Is this for real?!!!
If you ask me about my journey as a business owner, I’ll sum it up like this: when Flirt Fitness opened in 2013, I thought we were going to be this little studio, and it was going to be a hobby and a fun thing to do. It grew faster than I ever expected. I can’t think of a single thing that doesn’t set Flirt Fitness apart from other studios, and Flirt’s almost 700 students seem to agree; so, the growth comes as no surprise. This sustainable growth over the first six years in business led me to make a solid decision about Flirt Fitness Studio®. It was time to share the sisterhood; it was time to franchise.
Why is it important to franchise Flirt Fitness Studio®? My answer is intentional and determined. We’re not just a pole studio, we have a strong, solid community and foundation and we have an environment that is incredibly unique. In addition to an incredible environment, we have a proven business system and a training program that is unstoppable. Pole fitness studio ownership can be difficult. With our system we want to help others take out all the mistakes, missteps, errors and difficulties we experienced. We want to empower other women in their goals of pole fitness studio ownership. At Flirt Fitness Studio®, we want to be a part of building the pole community.
The successes that led Flirt Fitness Studio® to this point didn’t always come easy, though. There were of course growing pains. In 2013 when I decided to open the second Flirt Fitness Studio®, I earned about what worked, what didn’t, what my strengths and weaknesses were as a business owner, and most importantly if what I was doing could be reproduced. During that process, I stepped back to look at the business side of things, and I asked myself ‘Is this possible? What is this going to look like if I’m not doing everything myself?’ The answer at that time was no, it can’t be reproduced.” At that point, I started practicing the art of delegation: stepping back and allowing my staff to take on new roles and responsibilities. I found out that when I lead and everyone follows me, that’s what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life. When I empowered my staff instead, I found that I didn’t have to wear as many hats and I could enjoy business ownership more.
In addition to the usual growing pains, I was handling pushback that comes along with the pole industry. “The respect level in our community can be challenging. People say, ‘Oh my gosh you own a business?!’ I tell them about it, and it’s interesting to watch their verbal and nonverbal cues. Not only do our students have to overcome challenges around what we do, but staff members have to encounter it, and as a business owner I do too. I am proud that the environment that has been created at Flirt Fitness Studio® is helping anyone that identifies as a woman overcome any challenges in life, in any community. Our environment and staff empower students to be strong and confident. It takes one class for you to see the change in perception of what we do and what we are all about.
When the third Flirt Fitness Studio® opened, it was seamless due to the learning that was required from the second studio. It was that seamlessness that made it obvious to me that I was ready for the next step.
I started with taking an entire year to get all of my thoughts and ideas about what it takes to open and operate a studio down on paper. Outside of having my two kids a This, at the time, was the hardest thing I had ever done. This process included documenting how to train staff, run the studio, hire people, and curate the very special environment that Flirt Fitness Studio® brings for its students. The Flirt Fitness Franchise opportunity will include a training program with me as a mentor, so that Flirt Fitness Studios continue to be sustainable assets to the communities they serve.
I can’t emphasize enough how student-centric this experience is for me. Students make an investment in the classes they take, and they want to know their investment will be around to actually service them and continue to benefit them. It’s important to me that our students and our community understand what they have here – we’re building confidence in a community that they are a part of, and that can help them overcome anything.
We are not just a franchise system. Many places can provide you a franchise system. Many places can provide you a great environment. Not many places can provide you both the system and the environment. I believe that as much as a franchise gives you the system to success, that is only half of the equation. The other half is the environment that allows women to thrive in a safe place.
To learn more about Flirt Fitness Franchise, visit https://www.flirtfitnessgr.com/franchise/ and/or book a free 30 minute consultation at calendly.com/amy-0