If you are interested in pursuing a new career path or becoming an entrepreneur in a new field, it can be challenging to truly feel secure in your decision to take a step forward towards the future.

When considering reentering the workforce after spending time as a stay-at-home parent, you may feel intimidated by the process. Being a stay-at-home parent is one of the most important and rewarding jobs that a person can have, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to return as a member of the labor force when you feel the time is right.

For some F45 Training studio owners, their past paints a different picture than their current life. They may have been stay-at-home moms, corporate employees or personal trainers working in overdrive. No matter where they come from, one thing is for certain: our franchise owners work hard to overcome whatever obstacles they may face. 

As you go through the discovery process when considering investing in your own F45 studio, you may have questions about how your future studio will look. You will likely find yourself speaking to one of our seasoned sales representatives and asking about the appearance, location, and marketing of your potential F45 studio.

Motivation. Accountability. Safety. Camaraderie. 

These words could all be used to describe the group fitness movement that has swept the fitness industry. According to NBC News, working out in a group can actually be more beneficial than working out siloed or completely alone.

Are you wondering how you can be more successful?

Are you working for the weekend?

Do you clock out at the end of the day and retreat to your couch for some much needed rest and relaxation?

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom or working your corporate job and counting the hours until your shift ends, you likely know the struggle of wanting someone else’s life. You open Instagram or other social media platforms and see someone going to his or her job, enjoying every moment of it, or so it seems. While you recognize that socialmedia is only a highlight reel of someone’s life, you find yourself feeling envious of his or her lifestyle.

If you are looking into F45 Training as a new business venture or career path, you may find yourself wondering what makes F45 so great and how we stand out among the competition.

What is a community? The dictionary defines ‘community’ as a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals. A community is one of the most important aspects of life, as it makes people feel as though they belong in the stage of life that they are currently in. A positive community can make a huge difference in the way an individual feels towards his or her career, social life or hobbies.

In July 2017, F45 Training Shanghai opened its doors as the first studio in the city, and the second in China. Now, three years later, there are three studios under the franchise—Xuhui, Jing’an and Xintiandi—which have seen thousands of members come through and become ingrained within the community.

As a professional athlete, you likely are optimistic about the amount of time you will spend playing your sport, extending your career as long as possible. However, things may not always go to plan. Perhaps you make the decision to retire a few years earlier than anticipated or you experience a career-ending injury. While these are things that we all hope won’t happen, especially the latter, it is important to plan as though they will. 

This year has been full of surprises, to say the least. Most of us were going to the office every day for the first few months, enjoying everything that our company had to offer us. For some, it was a state-of-the-art coffee machine and snacks. For others, maybe it’s was the wellness challenge that your office hosted around the new year. Whatever it may be, we were all showing up day after day to the office, feeling the camaraderie of a corporate environment and enjoying the company of our coworkers. 

The owners of F45 Upper Thomson, located in Singapore, share their story about how they got involved with the brand and why they decided to open a studio of their own. In this excerpt from their testimonial, they focus on the local market and how F45 stands up against the competition, as well as how they have been navigating the COVID-19 pandemic with the F45 community behind them. 

If you are a business owner or aspiring to be one, you will probably understand the idea behind the phrase ‘get comfortable with being uncomfortable.’ This phrase may seem intimidating at first, but when you dissect it piece by piece, you can truly understand the value of living by this kind of philosophy.

If you have been in the workforce for several years, you will be familiar with the term ‘rat race.' It’s the 9-to-5 schedule that you have on paper, but the hustle that extends long past when you ‘clock in’ or ‘clock out.’ It’s the daily grind of going to work and coming home to get straight into housework, cooking, cleaning and taking care of your family or loved ones. It’s scheduling time to see your family or friends and hoping that work doesn’t interfere with your social life.

Do you wake up in the morning with a fire lit inside of you? Do you wake up with motivation to take on the day because you know you’re fulfilling your purpose? 

There’s so much uncertainty in the world lately. People may find themselves wondering how they can possibly make it out of this particular period of their lives with the same level of security that they felt before this pandemic. You may not even have the same career or job that you started this pandemic with. You may have a different idea of what reality is and be longing for things to go back to the way they were before. Truth is, they won’t. But that’s okay, and here’s why.

If you are considering becoming a business owner, you may be wondering if now is still the right time for you to take that next step, given the current economic situation. We get that it can be an odd time to consider opening your own business, but what if we told you that you could be in great company? You heard us—some of the largest companies and most influential industry giants actually got started during or shortly after a recession. 

If you are working in the fitness industry as a trainer, you likely already have a passion for improving the lives of your clients and members of your community. Trainers are unique in that they must be well-educated on the science behind working out, as well as be able to personally interact with the clients they train. Not everyone is cut out to be a trainer, but those that have chosen personal training as their career are special and often invaluable to their employers.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, you have likely heard the phrase ‘support local’ once or twice. But what does this phrase really mean and why does it matter? Here’s the breakdown of the importance behind supporting local businesses and how you can get involved if you have the financial means to do so.

COVID-19 has taken hold of our society. People everywhere are scrambling to figure out how they can minimize their risk of getting the novel coronavirus, while still maintaining some sort of normalcy in their daily routines. It is a challenging and delicate situation we are facing as a human race. What has become increasingly clear as time unfolds is that while the virus is unpredictable, there are a few things that are very important during COVID-19. 

As adults, this quarantine is less than ideal. Some of us have lost our jobs completely and now have to figure out what the next move should be. Best case scenario, we have to turn our living rooms, kitchens and dining rooms, or any room for that matter, into a makeshift workspace.

We are crammed into a workspace with our kids, dogs or significant other that, let’s face it, are a tad too close for comfort. Is this current situation our version of the greatest set-up of all time? Nope, sure isn’t! Is it the reality of our current world after we have embarked on a war with an invisible enemy? Yes. 

As you are well aware, countries across the world have asked their citizens and residents to practice social and physical distancing in order to slow the spread of COVID-19. This may look different for different parts of the world, but most places are asking people not to socialize with individuals outside of their immediate household. 

Now more than ever, people are focusing on relationships and ways in which we can continue to foster healthy and meaningful connections. It is important to have a support system that will allow you to thrive, especially during such a chaotic and anxiety-ridden time. Although personal relationships are the most important type to focus on, it is also imperative that you also pay close attention to other types of relationships.

An old advertising adage is that nothing will kill a bad product faster than good advertising. It means that good marketing will make people more likely to try a product and, if they don’t like it, they’re likely to stop using it and tell their friends about their experience.

As we continue to navigate the new normal with COVID-19, it is important to remember that what we do now will shape our life after this pandemic is over. Simply put, what we do now will matter later. Our mindset, self-talk and choices over these next few months will translate into a successful, or hectic, few months after COVID-19 has loosened its grip on society. 

It is no secret that the United States is facing the possibility of a recession due to the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic. Millions of people throughout the country—and the world—are experiencing financial hardships during this time. People are losing their jobs and money, and quite frankly, many are losing hope. Understandably, people are looking for new opportunities to make money and new avenues of income.

We live in changing times—long gone are the days people worked for the same company for years, slowly working their way up the corporate ladder. Modern technology and access to information mean that it’s easier than ever for people to work remotely or even set up and run their own businesses.

Memories of going into an office and seeing your coworkers and employees seems to be a thing of the past—for now. Your employees are likely working from their makeshift offices, which are probably their kitchen tables or old desks they had to dust off. The new normal is having to work from home while children, spouses, housemates or family members are all piled in the same areas. 

Now more than ever, people are turning to online fitness gurus to show them how to get fit and maintain their health goals. With gyms closed across the globe due to the COVID-19 pandemic, people are feeling lost and anxious without their daily workouts. How will they get their workout in? Are they really supposed to use their living room for a workout? How will that even work? 

As we write this, there are a billion people around the world (and counting) largely confined to their homes and only allowed to go out for absolute essentials. It’s an unprecedented situation that is affecting every single person on the planet in some way or another.

Your business is your lifeline and the reason you wake up in the morning. If you are lucky, your business and passion are one and the same, marrying two of your favorite things together. Being a business owner is a beautiful, chaotic and stressful thing, but likely something that you wouldn’t change for the world. 

As a community with a truly global footprint, F45 Training is acutely aware of the widespread fear and anxiety individuals across the world are facing as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Let’s be honest—life is a little stressful lately. People are being laid off, hours are being cut and paychecks are decreasing. It is a challenging time for all of us. Small businesses may feel the impacts of the pandemic in a way that feels permanent. They may feel as though their lifeline is gone and their passion for work has been scrubbed away by the harsh reality of our economic crisis. We get it; we see and feel your pain.

Let’s face it—working from home is hard. It can be challenging for those who are used to going into an office every day. Making the shift from commuting to an office to your kitchen table or a subpar makeshift workspace can be uncomfortable and even unmotivating for some. You may even have some new coworkers in the form of children or a spouse that you haven’t quite spent this much time with in a while. Yep, we get it; we’ve been there and we are right there with you!  That’s why we came up with four tips that we think will help you during this time to ensure you stay productive during your workdays.

COVID-19 has completely consumed the media and made it almost impossible to escape. Everywhere you turn, you hear about individuals succumbing to their illness, people who are not adhering to local laws and talks about being in quarantine for several weeks. It almost seems like a complete information overload. At some point, you may find yourself asking why you even bother turning on anything but the same Netflix show that you have binge-watched three times since this pandemic started. 

Ask most prospective franchisees what they think is important when it comes to running a successful business and they’ll probably start talking about cash flow, managing overheads, staff and sales. The truth is that way before a franchisee opens his or her doors for the first time, there are a bunch of actions he or she can take to help ensure sustainable success. Image: Score

At F45 Training, we like to think that we know a thing or two about helping to grow healthy bodies and minds. Over the last few years, we’ve also learned a few valuable lessons on how to maximize franchise growth and success. Here are five strategies we find useful: 

With the fitness industry booming and an ever-growing number of franchises offering investors a chance to earn a living doing something they love, making the right choice can be difficult. Before a potential F45 Training franchisee signs on the dotted line, we recommend that he or she shops around, explores all the options available and asks lots of questions.

F45 Training has jumped six spots to #13 on Entrepreneur's list of Fastest Growing Franchises for 2020. This list is made up of global franchises that have been able to scale quickly, while giving their franchisees the opportunity to join in on the movement.

F45 Training CEO Rob Deutsch started life as an equities trader, but boredom and a love of fitness saw him starting F45 with Adam Gilchrist (an old rugby teammate). In the beginning, the company was just the two of them, and they looked to build a model that would not only deliver amazing results in terms of health and fitness, but also in business. Source: Entrepreneur

While the modern fitness industry has largely been founded and driven by baby boomers and Generation X, the generational torch has truly been passed with a recent study* showing that 80% of gym-goers are Millennials and Generation Z.

If you spend any significant time working in health and fitness, you start to notice certain themes and behaviors that tend to repeat themselves. For one, visit any gym in January, and you're sure to find it significantly busier than it was just a month before. It's a time when fitness and health club memberships spike and people decide to finally start their fitness routine. Fast forward a few months, though, and many people's habits have fallen away as they get back into work and family routines.

With people double tapping, sharing, scrolling, buying, and following more than ever before, a key focus for any franchisee in 2020 should be on getting the most out of their business’ digital assets. Here are some of the top trends and tips F45 Training has identified to help coach franchisees to digital success:

More than forty years after Entrepreneur's first Franchise 500 ranking, the franchise industry is still going strong and more competitive than ever. More than 1,100 companies applied for this year's ranking, and those that rose to the top reveal the latest trends as well as the companies that continue to evolve to keep going strong year after year.* 

The last few years have seen an explosion in the health and fitness industry. Off the back of people wanting to live better, fitness and health club memberships in the US grew 37% in the last decade,* reaching a whopping 62.5 million. About one in five Americans has a gym membership, and this growth isn’t slowing. The industry is predicted to expand to 230 million memberships worldwide by 2030. A huge portion of this growth will come from franchise chains, with the Association of Fitness Studios naming franchising the top industry trend last year.**

If you know F45 Training at all, you know that we’re passionate about fitness—but we’re also nuts about business and franchising in particular. So, we decided to take a look at which franchise trends will be big and making news in the new year. Using a recent study from Entrepreneur Magazine, we’ve shortlisted a few franchise categories to watch in terms of opportunity and growth. 

While there are people out there who are extremely self-motivated and happy to put in the work it takes to get as fit as possible, many of us could do with the help of a trainer or coach. Having someone alongside you as you train—who knows your fitness level, goals, and has experience programming workouts—can get you through a plateau or kickstart your fitness journey. 

To stay ahead of the pack, it helps to know what’s coming around the corner. As F45 Training continues to set the pace for fitness franchising, we’re always on the lookout for exciting developments and learnings—both in terms of fitness as well as the business side of franchising.