The Camp Transformation Center

The best franchise to ownOverview
The Camp Transformation Center is a radically different type of gym franchise. Founders Sam Bakhtiar and Alejandra Font realized that while everyone knows what it takes to lose weight – eat healthier and work out more – millions of people struggle to get results.

Their pitch was simple: challenge people to lose 20 pounds in 6 weeks. Form group classes of 'challengers' and have them work out 5 times a week for 6 weeks. Pair a high-intensity, interval workout with meal planning and a ton of positive emotional support. Track everyone's weight progress publicly in the gym. Convert them to members if they succeed so they have clear incentive to hit a realistic and short-term goal.

Additionals
The Camp Transformation Center is a low-investment fitness franchise with a simple business to manage. The franchisor handles lead generation for franchisees removing the most difficult piece of gym ownership. Franchisees get substantial numbers of interested customers and spend time signing people up rather than marketing and advertising.

This passion for the results The Camp has on a surrounding community is a key part of what makes great franchisees. A love of the customer, and the desire to get to know them and their needs sets The Camp apart from all other gym concepts and sets the franchise owner up to thrive long term. Franchisees serve as not only a business owner but also an encourager and sounding board for people going through a life transformation.

Franchisees also need to have a sales-mindset. While The Camp assists the franchisee in generating leads and interest in the concept around the local community, it is up to the franchise and his or her staff to turn those leads into Six-Week Challengers.

Why Our Franchise?
The Camp has devised an extremely effective digital marketing program to get members in the door for the Challenge, even before a franchise's doors open. Effective Camp franchisees are comfortable with sales, but more importantly, have the customer service skills that exude through a staff that makes a Challenger feel welcome and comfortable and have a passion for transforming people's lives in their communities.

"Every single location that I've had, the amount of traffic we get from the marketing help from corporate, it's so much that you have to hire extra staff just to control that sort of volume," says Xavier Sanchez, a franchisee who now owns six Camp franchises across California and Colorado. "I know that there are other fitness franchises that are so much more expensive to start off and your return isn't great right away. But with this, I think the investment is a lot smaller and the return can be much greater."

This return on investment is aided by higher membership fees. Compare this to fitness programs charging low monthly fees, hoping members forget to visit so they make a profit. With a large percentage of The Camp's Challengers signing on for monthly or annual memberships after their weight loss, revenue streams develop quickly and are even more aided by supplement sales before, during, and after a challenge. This accounts for a significant portion of franchises sales.

This model is extremely scalable, as current franchisees will attest. This was a goal from the outset of the creation of The Camp. A simple equipment package and affordable real estate options in light industrial areas help the franchisee get off the ground quickly, and a refined model by a corporate team that has grown gyms across the country helps support the franchisee as he or she scale their business.