Work yourself fit (Daily Mail franchise story)

Work yourself fit

Daily Mail

By: Linda Whitney

A PASSION for going to the gym or the beauty salon could make you the ideal candidate for a beauty, health or fitness franchise.

Opening a fitness club as a franchise cuts the cost of equipment because you benefit from the franchisor's ability to buy in bulk.

You also get training in running your club. You don't usually need to be a qualified instructor — you can become qualified or recruit instructors to work for you.

The main requirement is enthusiasm. 'You need to be a fitness fan with an interest in business,' says David Weir of Energie Fitness, which offers three opportunities to set up in business with a gym.

You can get started as a franchisee running an Energie Fitness Club for £25,000.

The company also offers Energie Fitness for Women, a female-only club specialising in 30-minute workouts (£11,500) and the new Fitless club (£14,995), which offers membership at £14.99 a month.

Its sister franchise Shokk (£17,500) involves fitness sessions for children and teenagers.

Swiss-based company Kieser Training is looking for master franchisees in Britain. You will be recruiting franchisees to open health-oriented strength training centres. Investment varies.

But you need not open a gym. Motivation & Co franchisees provide professionally designed programmes of recreation, motivation and exercise in nursing and residential homes. You can get started, including training, for £13,000.

If you would like to work in the beauty industry, Medi Tech Clinics franchisees offer cell repair and rejuvenation. The cost is £19,500 plus £32,995 for the Beautytek microcurrent machine.

Medi Tech Clinics is also offering a mobile beauty franchise (£14,995), specialising in facial rejuvenation.

Both franchises would suit people with health or beauty industry experience who want to set up in business for themselves.

ENERGIE Fitness: 0845 363 1020.

Kieser Training: 020 7391 9980.

Motivation & Co: 01937 557 166.

Medi Tech Clinics: 023 9241 5000

TIME FOR A CHANGE?

FRANCHISE


CHANGING career is a big step, but if you want to go into business for yourself, a franchise can make it easier.

'Our franchisees include IT consultants, builders and someone from the chemical industry,' says Louise O'Connor of Aspray, which provides property maintenance and repair services to insurance claimants. Investment is £28,000.

Career changers should check their transferable skills.

Franchisors appreciate sales and marketing ability and, for management franchises, value experience of management.

' We look for mS anagement and people skills, as customer service is vital,' says Miss O'Connor.

When meeting franchisors, be ready with evidence of the qualities they require.

'Travel is something I always wanted to do, and I had a lot of experience in customer service, so I knew a travel franchise would suit me,' says Tracey Tweedle from Chester, who became a franchisee with travel agency Travel Counsellors after she was made redundant from the hotel trade.

The £10,000 investment includes training from the company's Travel Academy, including a twoweek residential course and home-based on-line tutorials.

Aspray: 0800 077 6705. Travel Counsellors: 0800 195 7024..





FRANCHISE


RIKKI SMITH, 31, is changing career with an Aspray franchise. He had previously worked in management for retailer Asda after joining as a graduate in 1995.

'I worked as a night manager with Asda for the last six months of 2008 while getting the Aspray business up and running during the day,' says Rikki (pictured). Now the franchise has taken off and he has left his job to concentrate on the business full-time.

'I use my organisational skills and project management experience gained at Asda to help me run the business,' he says.

'My retail background also gave me the customer service focus that is vital for making a success of the Aspray franchise.' He has some shrewd advice for others thinking of changing career by taking on a franchise.

'Make time to take an honest look at your skills, strengths and weaknesses, and work out which franchise would suit you.'