HALO Talks

30 Minute HIT initially started in 2004 as a small idea that took hold in a "traditional" MMA gym.  Now with 71 brick & mortar locations in Canada and the USA, it was, "Initially an experiment to see if people would get results and become attracted to the program. It kind of exploded and then we knew we had something really sustainable and we could grow," says Jackson Loychuk, Co-Founder.  They brand has an incredibly devoted following. Everyone in their marketing is a client. They sold their first few licenses with zero advertising, and all their corporate support staff are current franchisees. Listen now to learn what's on tap for this fast-moving team!

With two successful exits behind her, Founder Gail Levy wanted to aid a friend who was searching for something to minimize effects of chemotherapy. With 150 research papers backing it up (there are many more now, 5 years later) molecular hydrogen came on her radar.  The first few years were self funded and, "After a ton of trial and error and having to start from scratch twice!" Hfactor is now a leader in the space and in stores nationwide. Listen now to learn more from this seasoned entrepreneur.  

Using a device called the Cryoskin (and in only 28 minutes per session) how does $38K in revenue the first month with no advertising sound? "It's already happened and the top distributor in the USA is doing approximately $65K per month," says Co-Founder Simon Mansell.  "It's hardware as a service," he continues. "The machine, training, and marketing are all free. One woman would come in, the next day 5 of her friends would follow." Listen now to more about this powerful revenue driver.  

Brian Gallagher and his partner started Throwback Fitness in April 2014 in NYC. They raised less than 100K from friends and family and crafted "the world's funnest workout." Both former investment bankers, neither had experience in fitness which was, "A big plus," says Gallagher. "We went lower risk initially because we didn't know what we were doing! We're students of the minimally viable product and wanted to just get something out there, tweak it and learn as we go. Not everything has to be perfect from the start." Throwback is now certifying teachers nationwide and working with YMCA's to scale their concept. 

Tom Hatten, Mountainside Fitness Founder, signed his first lease in 1990 and went on to build 17 clubs, making the company the largest independent operator in Arizona. Each club has at least 80 group classes with 3 very large studios. With child care and many other amenities, "We live at the top of the middle" says President Craig Cote. With tremendous brand equity in the region, listen to learn more about how they continue to cement their spot in an extremely competitive landscape and what's in store for the future.

Indoor cycling without the mirrors?! YES! And there's a specific reason why Nick Staples, Founder of Zenergy, does it that way. Zenergy started in Charleston, VA in July 2015 and focuses strictly on secondary markets. They've quickly grown to 3 studios with plans for an additional 10 in the next 24 months. "People didn't know what we were doing at first, but they believed in it and were having fun, and I think that in an untapped market, we were able to take something that started small and blew it out of the water," he states. Listen to learn more about how he did it. 

"The worst thing you can do as a gym owner is think because you work out, you know how to run a business," says Jim Czupil, Gold's Gym 2015 Franchisee of the Year. Jim was looking for his next step after retiring from the corporate world. He and his family now own 2 clubs which serve about 11,000 members combined. Learn more about his journey into the industry with Gold's. . . a brand who he's pleased to represent and notes, "They're absolutely there when you need them!"

Mark is a former finance executive who initially turned to fitness because it was a passion. "I thought I'd seed it, but I ended up running it going on 3+ years now!" he laughs. Zyn22 is a hybrid studio model based in the heartland of Texas combining Spinning and HIIT. They're getting a lot of attention, have a great handle on who they are (and who they cater to) and the demand for more is growing steadily. Listen now to learn more! 

Eliud began his career climb at Sam's Club. His store alone generated nearly $250K per day. He gleaned a ton from that well-oiled machine and eventually built up 7 Gold's Gym's with his father and 4 siblings. "Our Dad taught us the value of hard work, and that helped make us who we are today," he states.  The Garcia's have received multiple awards from Gold's corporate as top franchisees. Learn more about the pros and cons of working with family, starting from scratch, and more!         

What did it take to secure the extremely valuable Brooklyn, Bronx, & Queens Crunch franchise market? "Chutzpah!" laughs owner Assaf Gal. With 6.5 million people in those areas combined, Assaf has 10 units secured with two open and a third on the way. He continues, "The brand will help bring people in the door, but when they get in, it's your people that need to engage with them and keep them in." If you're an entrepreneur thinking about entering into a franchise agreement with a HALO sector brand, you'll find Assaf's advice incredibly valuable.  

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