Technology is making a massive impact on numerous industries – including health and fitness. One brand that’s finding a unique way to integrate new tech is Body20. And the brand is growing rapidly thanks to its unique offering and a solid franchise program. Learn more in this week’s Small Business Spotlight, https://body20.com/.
What the Business Does
Optimizing fitness using new technology.
CEO Greg Breitbart told Small Business Trends, “BODY20 is a rapidly growing fitness franchise that leverages technology through the use of an FDA-cleared Electro-Muscle Stimulation (EMS) suit to revolutionize the way people workout and help unlock their full potential. BODY20 offers a 20-minute one-on-one workout with a certified BODY20 Coach that guides you through customized strength and cardio programs, giving your body over 150 times more muscle contractions than a conventional workout without any use of traditional gym equipment.”
Business Niche
Providing a more efficient workout for all.
Breitbart says, “BODY20 is leading the pack in electro-muscle stimulation as a workout for the masses. In just 20 minutes, the FDA-cleared EMS suits used in our studios give your body over 150 times more muscle contractions than a conventional workout. The best part is that BODY20’s EMS sessions are for all ages due to their low-impact nature – you can have an 80-year-old working out next to a 20-year-old.”
How the Business Got Started
A long journey across multiple continents.
Breitbart explains, “We have a really interesting back story that starts in South Africa. The original founder came to the United States about 5 years ago to open a BODY20. At the time there were around 40 locations in South Africa and the United States market for whole-body EMS was ready for take off as the devices we use were just starting to get FDA clearance. He met my current partner Christopher Pena in south Florida and they ended up opening up the first BODY20 together in Fort Lauderdale and partnering to franchise BODY20 in the United States. That’s when I got introduced and ultimately became CEO.
“My father and I had just finished building and selling, ironically, an electricity company and he had just moved to Florida to retire. We built the company over 7 years to over 125 employees and over $400,000,000/year in revenue and had a successful exit so I think he probably thought he was done but then he tried BODY20. He started as an obsessed customer, networked his way into Chris and the original founder and eventually ended up becoming their partner. That’s when I ended up joining and taking over as CEO.
“I’d say the rest is history but that would downplay the ridiculous amount of hard work, ups and downs and work still to do. So perhaps the start of history at least from my experience at BODY20. Since then we ended up buying out the original partners, rebranding the business, reconceptualizing the physical space/experience and changing just about every other aspect of the business to make it what you see today. We didn’t have overnight success but our patience and determination to do things the right way even if it meant going slower ultimately paid off. Today we have over 225 BODY20 locations open or in development and happy franchisees.”
Biggest Win
Rebranding the business.
Breitbart says, “It is not common practice for a franchisor to stop selling franchises for over a year. But that’s what we did to focus on rebranding the business, re-conceptualizing the physical space/experience and changing just about every other aspect of the business to make it what you see today. The risk and hard work paid off. Since we rebranded and relaunched the franchise opportunity, our new studios are opening with more success than ever before. And we have over 225 BODY20 locations sold.”
Biggest Risk
Taking a break from franchising to build a strong brand.
Breitbart adds, “Basically, the first few years were tough. And we had just about everything thrown at us including a once in a 100-year global pandemic, which surprisingly was probably our easiest challenge. Pausing franchise sales to focus on making our current locations successful and rebranding BODY20 for the success of future studios was a major risk. While our growth was stagnant for those months, it was important we retooled some things and adapted to set ourselves up for a strong future. New studios are opening to more members and higher profits than studios before the rebrand. We have also surpassed 225 signed franchise agreements. So our growth is only just beginning. The risk is paying off.”
Lesson Learned
Don’t wait to grow an amazing team.
Breitbart says, “My main regret is not hiring some of the rockstar team members we have today earlier. There were good reasons, mostly financial that we held off. But seeing the impact that our newest key hires are having on the business today makes me wish we had had them sooner.”
How They’d Spend an Extra $100,000
Supporting franchisees.
Breitbart adds, “To help continue BODY20’s growth, I’d hire additional support staff at our corporate office and keep introducing more resources to our franchisees so that they stay happy and can run strong businesses. After all, we are only successful if our franchisees are successful.”
Secret to Success
A relative lack of experience.
Breitbart explains, “An ironic fact about me being CEO of the BODY20 franchise is actually my lack of franchising experience. I know it sounds funny. And it’s been a weakness at times. But it’s forced me to probably over-hire experience on our executive team. It has also allowed us as an organization to think more outside the box than your average franchisor because we didn’t just go with the solution we used last time. As we brought in more and more experienced executives, we realized how unique we were doing things. Mostly for the good, but of course we reinvented a few wheels that were not as good too.”
Favorite Quote
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” – Teddy Roosevelt.
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Image: BODY20, Greg Breitbart
