“We’re moving the fitness industry forward”

CEO Paul Lorimer-Wing shares how easyGym combines brand expertise with innovation to give franchisees a unique investment opportunity

What led to the easyGym franchise being created?

We were fortunate to already have a successful business model but wanted to put it in the hands of ambitious individuals and investors rather than big corporations.

What help do franchisees get from easyGym?

You get the right to use a very well-known brand. We give you all the tools and know-how to find a property, design it and fit it out in a user-friendly way. Then we help you to arrange the pre-launch, the launch itself and guide you on how to operate the business from there on out. In a nutshell, you get an established system to be able to manage your business a lot more easily, making the process all that much smoother.

Who’s behind the brand? Is there a lot of experience?

Yes, there’s a tremendous amount of sector experience within the team.

To this day, we still have many of the original members. Aside from myself, a large part of the team has been with us for many years now.

What’s included within the easyGym franchise and easyGym studio?

Within every easyGym, the franchisee has the ability to bolt on several unique boutique concepts. The reason we’ve created these concepts is that we’ve found that group workouts really build community and help members get results.

PACK45 is one such concept. It’s an interactive type of functional training, with seven different types of group workouts each lasting 45 minutes. Members get structure and inspiration within a fun environment.

There’s also another concept we’ve developed called CUBOFIT, which supports members to feel comfortable with barbells and dumbbells that are of a lighter weight than a traditional Olympic bar.

We are therefore able to bridge the gap between a fundamentally sound way of training and the fear, in most people, that this sort of training is only for the very experienced. This is in line with our philosophy of empowering people and bringing fitness to the many.

easyGym Studio is the umbrella brand to our boutique offering, which will house two to three distinct concepts that give franchisees more variety to work with and allows us to bring the price down.

What’s more, easyGym Studio, if used on a standalone basis, will double up as a traditional gym outside of class times. Most boutique franchises only run when classes are on, but easyGym Studio will be open 24/7.

What are the key benefits for franchisees?

Great brand recognition, great systems, great support - and tons of digital innovation. They’ll have a lot of tools to give them the greatest chance to be successful.

What makes easyGym different from other fitness franchises?

Although we operate in the value space, our aim has always been to be the premier brand within this space. To us, that means high-quality equipment, friendly service and a strong sense of ownership through the team - from the cleaners to the owner. At head office, we continually work on the culture of the business and are very deliberate and conscious in our efforts to ensure the brand ethic filters down to the gyms on the ground level.

Tell us why boutique fitness concepts are on the rise.

Primarily, it’s because people are social beings. We all want to feel connected.

If members can socialise at the same time that they can move towards their fitness goals, then it’s a win-win.

How have you been able to pivot after the pandemic and lockdowns?

To be honest, developing the brand further was always part of our plans pre-pandemic.

Boutique exercise classes are, without a doubt, part of the future. We want to embrace this movement, as well as building digital products to cater to the cultural and new habits shift that we’re all witnessing.

Have there been any challenges with setting up the franchise?

Yes, there are always challenges when transitioning business models.

Our biggest challenge has been creating the right kind of membership system. We’ve invested heavily in building an experienced team to help us pull that together, as well as the technology to bring it to life.

Where can franchisees set up their gyms?

In our minds, easyGym can exist in many places, but not necessarily all. We follow a model of positioning our gyms in highly visible locations, with a decent catchment of people in the 20-50 age group.

Because of the strength of our brand, there’s a clear correlation between visibility and sign-ups, as people are already familiar with the concept and quality that the brand offers.

For example, you could look at the likes of Croydon or Bristol as good places to venture into. But it’s also about the micropositioning within the locations.

We can synthesise all of these details for franchisees and lend our experience to them whenever they may need it.

How long does the process take from enquiry to completion?

The markets have opened up as lockdowns ease, which has quickened the process.

We review the information you provide, sign the franchise agreement together and begin to look for properties. This can take 2-6 months.

Once this is in place, it’s usually around 8-10 weeks to set up an easyGym and open the doors. Setting up an easyGym Studio will be much quicker, but that model is currently at the trial stage.

Why is 2021 a good time for franchisees to invest in this business model?

I think the low-cost model has always done well during difficult times or recessions because pockets have to tighten up, but people still need a place to go. They still need to stay active and enjoy a workout to let off steam.

What are easyGym’S plans for the future?

We’re pursuing a global agenda and arranging deals across several continents. There is an initial focus on Europe, mainly because that’s where the brand is most well known.

In addition, we’re building technology products so that members can find a trainer and do a workout from anywhere in the world. It’s exciting!

How would you sum up your feelings about this opportunity?

I think it’s a wonderful way to control your own time. To get involved in a space that’s always going to be relevant. Some things come and go, but good health is a core human need.

The easyGym franchise provides you with an opportunity to be part of the community. This will be further enhanced by the technology we’re building to give the franchise a very nice, well-rounded set of anchors for franchisees to tap into.