How to Choose the Outdoor Fitness Franchise That's Right for You
Lily Sweeney, writer
Published at 21/12/2021, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min
Running a franchise in the fitness industry is a great way to combine a love of sport and activity with a love of business and management. And an outdoor fitness business is uniquely equipped to meet the challenges and demands of a post-COVID world. But how do you go about choosing the outdoor fitness franchise that’s right for you, among the many different avenues and options?
Before you dive into the ins and outs of running an outdoor fitness franchise, it’s important to determine which area within this thriving, growing sector of the fitness industry is right for you. Studies show that exercising outdoors lowers blood pressure and reduces heart rate [Lappset], but would you like to offer these benefits to your customers as a fitness tutor? Or a fitness instructor? Or a swimming teacher? Here are the five different avenues you might go down...
- A classic outdoor fitness franchise
As a fitness business focused on the provision of outdoor classes, you’ll do many of the same things you might expect from a career running a gym or an indoor fitness business - you’ll just do them outdoors! During a day in the life running an outdoor fitness franchise, the specifics will vary from specialism to specialism, but generally speaking, you’ll be: Breathing plenty of fresh air and staying active, providing quality fitness services, managing your business, marketing your business and maintaining high customer service standards.
How to choose an outdoor fitness franchise
One great example of a fully outdoor franchise that makes this offering one of its unique selling points is WALX, a company that’s proud to provide an outdoor activity experience suitable for anyone and everyone. You can become a WALX franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £9,995.
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- An education franchise that specialises in fitness
If fitness isn’t your only passion and you’re also very drawn to the idea of working with kids, an education franchise with a physical skills slant could be just right. In a franchise of this nature, you’ll spend each day working closely with inspired, excited children in the great outdoors. You’ll improve their physical abilities and hone their social skills simultaneously, shaping the next generation for success.
Choosing a franchise in the sports education sub-sector
There are many amazing options in the education industry, and even in the smaller fitness and sports sub-sector. One of the best is SportsCool, a sports, dance and yoga coaching franchise for kids with the motto, “Educate. Motivate. Participate.” You can become a SportsCool franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £24,995, along with a monthly royalty fee charged at £600.
- A football franchise
Football fans, look no further. There is, in fact, a way to make football your job without going pro like Beckham. In many ways, running a franchise is really no different to playing football - so if you can do one, you might find you’re naturally gifted at the other. Whether working with adults or kids, running a football franchise will make the game your every working day (alongside the franchise management side of things, of course).
How to choose the right football franchise
Kixx is one of many football franchise opportunities worth checking out if you’re interested in this sub-sector. Intended for kids between 18 months and 10 years, Kixx aims to positively impact kids from an early age, setting them up for future success in life. You can become a Kixx franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £5,000, with franchise fees of £14,995 and an operating fee charged at 20%.
- A swimming franchise
Some of the top outdoor fitness franchises in the UK right now are, you guessed it, swimming franchises. If you love the water and the fresh air, teaching classes at an open-air pool could marry these interests perfectly and generate plenty of profits. Like a football franchise, some swimming franchises work with kids and others work with adults/all ages. Whatever your preference, if swimming is your favourite thing there’s bound to be a franchise in this niche that suits.
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Choosing the right swimming franchise
When it comes to investing with a swimming-focused franchise, you can’t beat an opportunity like Puddle Ducks. In the words of the franchise, “Our mission is to teach every child to love and respect the water and to swim beautifully. That’s why our standards are the highest and our approach is unique.” You can become a Puddle Ducks franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £24,000, with an advertising fee charged at 1%.
- A fitness franchise offering virtual classes
One of the biggest outdoor fitness trends of 2021 was an increase in virtual and home-based classes done in the garden. And in actual fact: These classes can make any and every fitness franchise an outdoor fitness franchise, because your customers can hop onto classes from a location of their choosing. If providing people with that level of versatility (and handling the tech that keeps things running smoothly on your end) sounds good, a fitness franchise with virtual classes could be a perfect, highly profitable investment.
How to choose a franchise in the fitness industry that offers outdoor fitness options
Busylizzy, a franchise targeted towards busy mums and their kiddos, is proud to be versatile. The company runs classes in local studio venues and online, allowing its customers to pick the fitness experience that works best for them. You can become a Busylizzy franchisee for a minimum initial investment of £7,500, with franchise fees of £18,500, a total investment cost of £27,200 and advertising and royalty fees charged at 2.5% and 9.5% respectively.
Start an outdoor fitness franchise today and enjoy all the perks of running your own business with franchisor support
If you’ve found the right outdoor fitness franchise for you and you’re now gearing up to make that professional-life-transforming investment, stay on Point Franchise to continue your research, set yourself up for success and dive more deeply into how to run an outdoor fitness franchise. Discover five tips for marketing your outdoor fitness franchise and three tips for building a business plan for a successful outdoor fitness franchise.
Lily Sweeney, writer