Fit Business Insider

I wanted to share something with you that hopefully will remind you of the possibilities that are out there if you’re willing to thing big and take action.

I’ve told the story of attending the first Ryan Lee Bootcamp and leaving having changed my mind (actually Nick and I both decided on the spot) about how we were going to grow our business.

Instead of being a local business that would expand by adding a few new locations, we were going to expand globally through a variety of different channels.

That was the first real turning point for our business(es) and it has worked out better than I could have ever imagined.

But the second turning point was when we started sketching out the concept for what would eventually become Athletic Revolution.

Nick and I both were ‘sports guys’ and always wanted to get back to that side of the industry, and we saw a need for a better model of a sports performance facility.

At the same time Brain Grasso had been working though his own concept of a youth fitness and athletic performance model.

We all collectively came together and started talking about our ‘dreams.’

We saw that most youth fitness or athletic performance coaches were passionate about the coaching side of what they did, but didn’t embrace the business side.

The need for something that could provide business systems & structure was obvious.

The impact that we could have by providing a business model for these coaches was enormous.  They could now have a lucrative career with a business that could not only grow beyond just them, but also be building a saleable (and valuable) commodity when they wanted to retire or move.

And the opportunity was there because none of the franchises that tried to address the youth fitness & sports performance market did much to help the individual coach or trainer.

They all catered to club owners or investment groups that would open 50,000 square foot facilities.

We could create something that individual trainers and coaches would be able to open.

So we sketched out a ‘plan’ and went to work.

That was January of 2008.

Well, if you don’t know much about franchising, it’s a long, expensive and tedious process.

It’s nothing like creating an information product or even a coaching program.  It’s so involved for good reason.  The franchisee’s livelihood is at stake, so every detail is crucial.

Finally, in mid-2009 we could start slowly bringing a handful of franchisees in and get them started. We got the first locations open in the fall of 2009.

Right now we’re up to nine locations.

But what really hit home for me was last weekend when we visited Dave & Andrea Gleason’s location in Massachusetts.  It was exactly what we’d dreamed of building and it was having the exact type of impact we’d hoped for.

We’re now at the next stage with Athletic Revolution where we’re going to start ‘ramping things up’ and helping more and more coaches build the type of business and career they’ve always wanted.  I suspect that we’ll have several hundred locations open in the next few years.

And it’s all because we’ve followed a few basic steps.

So if you’ve ever dreamed of doing something big – take it from me, you can make it happen if you’re willing to do the work.

Are you?

Dedicated to your success,

Pat Rigsby

Pat Rigsby is a Co-Owner of the International Youth Conditioning Association & the youth fitness franchise Athletic Revolution as well as a fitness industry consultant serving thousands of personal trainers and fitness entrepreneurs. Sign up for his fitness business free newsletter to discover proven marketing, sales and business strategies, along with blog updates, news, and more! While you’re at it, follow him on Twitter.