One of the many benefits from having spent time in the military is the superb level of physical condition one may attain as a result of the immense training and conditioning resulting from military service. What many veterans may overlook, though, is the notion of using that conditioning experience, developing a passion for fitness, and parlaying all of that into a franchise ownership as a post-military career option.
Shane Giglio did just that when he opened an Anytime Fitness complex in Bullard, Texas.
“I’ve always wanted to own a personal gym under my name,” Giglio explained. “I made a comment to my wife and an Anytime business popped up in our town. I knew there wouldn’t be room for two gyms in town, so we became members instead of starting our own gym at first.”
Taking the Leap
After becoming friendly with the gym’s owner at the time, the Giglios decided to take the next step and build their own Anytime Fitness facility in Bullard.
“I just really liked their business plan,” Giglio now says when looking back at when he first began the process of opening his own gym in March of 2008. “They laid everything out, step-by-step and took away the guesswork about who to trust. They just made everything easier to get started.”
It Takes a Team
Having served in the U.S. Army on active duty from February 1997 to February 2003, Giglio is quick to point out the role his wife Tammy played in the success of his home life by standing by his side. In fact, because Giglio works another job in the oil industry full time, without her, Giglio claims, the Anytime Fitness business venture wouldn’t have been possible.
“Most army wives are independent because their husbands get deployed and they have to learn to adjust to how life is,” he said. “Luckily, she was able to take the business on her own whenever I had to work in the oil fields. I’m home for two weeks at a time, but she doesn’t really need me at this point.”
Knowledge is Power
One crucial element Tammy brought to the table, Shane said, was her business knowledge. She played a major role in helping the former aircraft hydraulic technician obtain a SBA (Small Business Administration loan) to ease the financial burden of starting a new business, especially when that new business ended up costing the Giglios nearly $60,000 to get started.
“When we started, we had everything on lease plans,” Tammy explains when asked about how the business began. “The SBAs are a better deal, though. They have lower interest rates and allow us to spread our payments out over 10 years while the leases had us paying everything back between three and five years. It’s easier to make a profit when you spread it out over 10 years.”
Tammy says that though the family’s first Anytime Fitness business cost them as much as it did, she notes that there were a few miscalculations when they began their business, and a normal start-up fee shouldn’t be nearly as much these days.
“I would say it would take somewhere between $30,000 and $35,000 to get it started today,” she says. “And for a franchise these days, that’s a fair price.”
And with a second gym already opened, Shane points out that being a veteran only helped their cause.
“The second time around, the cost is usually $10,000,” he says. “But, because I was a veteran, I got a $1,000 discount, and was able to start the second one for $9,000. Still,” he paused before continuing. “I’m lucky enough to be married to a woman who is smarter than I am. That helps.”
Keep Customer-Focused
With two Anytime Fitness centers under his belt, and already a $20,000 profit turned this year, Giglio is in the process of opening a third. He also says that he would someday like to branch out into other business areas, such as commercial real estate. None of this would have been possible, he says, without the attention both he and his wife have paid to customer service.
“The ultimate reason for these gyms is to help people achieve their goals,” he said. “I don’t tell people to sign up and then not be around when they need me. I’m always there to help. I’ll give my customers my personal cell phone number to call me if they have to. We’ve become friends with a lot of people.”
“My wife has done a wonderful job, too,” Giglio continued. “We have around 900 members signed up, and she knows the first and 900th names. We understand what a customer wants. This really is a total team effort.”
BREAKOUTS
FOR VETERANS, ANYTIME FITNESS OFFERS:
- A discounted franchise fee.
- IFA VetFran Program.
- SBAs and small business development programs.
- Efforts to promote current military veteran franchises to consumers.
- Financing assistance to military veteran franchises.
- Assistance when a franchisee is called up for guard or reserve duty.
- A team dedicated to supporting your veteran franchise program.
ANYTIME FACTS
Year founded: 2001
Number of franchises: 1,300
Number of franchises veteran-owned: 200
Number of company owned franchises: 11
Franchise fee: $19,000
Franchise fee percentage discount amount to military veteran franchisees: 20 percent
Average total investment: $150,000
VETERAN ASSISTANCE FACTS
Financing assistance to military veteran franchises:Anytime Fitness has an in-house affiliated financing company called Franchise Financial. Franchise Financial officers are committed to helping veteran franchisees find financing through every available means.
Assistance when a frachisee is called up for Guard or Reserve duty: Handled on a case-by-case basis, depending on the specific situation.
Motivation behind starting a veteran-focused franchise program: Anytime Fitness has an appreciation for the sacrifices veterans make for their country.
Plans to strengthen veteran-focused franchise program: Anytime Fitness plans to advertise with "Operation Franchise" and to promote the good deeds performed by our veteran franchisees at every opportunity. They also hope to engage existing veteran franchisees to recruit new veteran franchisees.
Assistance to veteran franchises during the start up and kick off phases: Anytime Fitness makes sure they are away of the many ways we support all franchisees -- and the special programs we have in place to support veterans.
Ongoing efforts to assist and support the veteran franchises:
Anytime Fitness has created a Virtual Roundtable so that veteran franchisees located all over the world can communicate with one another -- sharing ideas about what works and what does not.
Team dedication to supporting your veteran franchise program:
Anytime Fitness has veterans working in virtual every department -- sales, franchise support, compliance, legal, communications -- at corporate headquarters. These individuals are always eager and available to assist veteran franchisees.