Leisure Media HCM March 2010 - TourismInsights

interview
JOHN KERSH
The vice president of
international development
for Anytime Fitness talks
to Kate Cracknell about
the challenges of fitness
franchising and the
company’s international
expansion plans
“F
ranchising is an entirely
different game from
fitness,” says John
Kersh, vice president of
international development for US-based
health club franchise Anytime Fitness.
“If you have a successful fitness company,
it’s easy to think that you can just step
into franchising – that it would be a
natural transition. But it’s not so natural
and it’s certainly not easy.”
Formerly director of international
development for IHRSA, Kersh left the
organisation in 2004 to pursue interests
in franchise-based start-ups. It was, he
says, an interesting time in the industry,
with a large number of franchisors
emerging in the wake of Curves’ success.
“There was a land rush for franchising
without necessarily having profi table,
proven concepts,” he says, “but after a
while there was a wake-up call: growth
began to stall and various types of
fi tness franchise began to close.
“What attracted me to Anytime
Fitness [which he joined in 2008] was
how solid the concept itself is, and how
successful many of its franchisees are. It
has a lot of staying power.”
Personal trainers can be
independent or employed
by the club, depending on
the owner’s preferences
striking a balance
Kersh continues: “Ultimately, as I say,
fitness and franchising are very different.
If you’re operating a club, your concerns
relate primarily to your members. If
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march 2010 © cybertrek 2010