Nick Abrahams, Director of Franchise Development at Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, opens up about why the time is right to invest in a fitness franchise, and why the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise is an opportunity you shouldn’t let pass you by.
Why is now a good time to invest in Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Nick: The pandemic kept us inside at home. We explored virtual or online options, and I think it’s hard to maintain, as it’s a lonely experience. Now, people really want to get back into gyms, which will make customer acquisition easier for our franchisees. There’s nothing more satisfying to have that community connection and the motivation you get from boutique fitness: the structure and convenience of walking into a studio, having easy-to-follow world class programming, being around people and led by a high energy instructor. As a franchise, we’ve been operating a few years and we now have a proven system. We recognize the lifeblood of a successful franchise system is its franchisees. Our focus is delivering excellent support, by providing a healthy ratio of corporate employees to open studios, comprehensive training and the best systems and processes to grow.
Why a Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise?
Nick: With any business, you want to find a differentiator. Floyd is the greatest boxer of all time, which immediately associates this business with success and provides rare brand awareness to help franchisees build a community. In a category where there are several different players, we stand out, not just for who Floyd is and the brand, but also the programming and the results. This is his style of working out. That’s what members are going to get – a unique experience in the studio with Floyd on the screens and you just can’t replicate that anywhere else. Beyond that, it’s the people, the systems, the franchisee-first culture, and the great leadership at the top. We’re determined to grow this sustainably and be the number one boxing and fitness franchise in the market.
Is this a scalable business model?
Nick: Yes – partly, because it isn’t a complicated business to operate and run successfully. I think there’s a lot of simplicity. Our corporate team does a lot of the heavy lifting with programming, marketing, assistance in finding real estate and ongoing operational support. And the core product is recurring monthly memberships – which is hugely valuable. To have repeat customers who automatically pay each month, and who also make additional purchases for one-on-one personal training and merchandise – that’s just such a scalable model.
Once franchisees start that first business and all the staff are humming, it’s so streamlined to replicate. Your studio manager and team can work across not just one, but work multiple locations. We set up our system so that it just makes sense to open more and scale.
What makes a great Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchisee?
Nick: We’ve got a diverse and varied persona of franchisee. We have entrepreneurs from the fitness industry that have operated gyms previously. We also have franchisees that were working in corporate America and had goals to grow their investment portfolio or that committed to a complete career change. All of these varied backgrounds can work, as long as they have a passion for building their own business and for working within a proven system.
We love a really engaged owner. An engaged owner who understands the product, has the ability to motivate and lead their staff, drives good standards and is willing to follow a blueprint for success which our team provides. The ideal franchisee believes in the benefits of the group fitness model, loves customer service, and ultimately cares for their member experience in the studio.
Being an engaged owner could be an owner operator, but it also doesn’t necessarily mean being in the studio every day. You just need to appoint someone who’s a great leader of people, which typically is the role of the Studio Manager. It’s essential for the success of your business to have your staff members motivated through great management. It’s up to you whether you wish to be day-to-day, or appoint someone to help you manage the business.
What is multi-unit ownership like with Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Nick: We’re seeing great franchisees enter our system with multiple territory ownership. Many understand how critical location is and therefore are willing to commit at an earlier stage to secure territories in a defined area and deploy a team to operate all units. These franchisees reap the benefits of our easy-to-follow and scalable model, and can replicate the winning processes in an efficient way. Once a franchisee has one or two locations firing, scaling up the next locations becomes even more streamlined. The opportunity is here right now.
What’s the future goal for Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Nick: We want to get to 600 franchises, but not just 600. We want 600 highly performing franchises. And we also want to have a franchise culture of people wanting to keep improving. So that our franchisees are building these amazing communities and setting themselves up for long-term success, of course, with the support of all of us here at corporate.
Learn more about Mayweather Boxing + Fitness today!
Are you ready to join a community of entrepreneurs that make their passion for fitness a career? Prime territories are still available, but not for long! To learn more, we invite you to visit our research pages here. If you’re ready to start a conversation with our franchise team about investing in a Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise, fill out our form here. Our team will be in touch with a complimentary copy of our Franchise Information Report.
Kerry Anne Hamilton-Gannaway, multi-unit franchisee in Melbourne, FL
When you invest in a franchise, you want to make sure your potential business has a clear path for growth. With Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, our team had scalability in mind when creating the business plan. After only franchising for a few years, Mayweather Boxing + Fitness boasts several multi-unit franchisees. In this interview, we talk with Kerry Anne Hamilton-Gannaway, multi-unit franchisee in Melbourne, FL.
What did you do before franchising with Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Kerry Anne: I have always been in the fitness industry, from coaching to training to teaching classes to instructing and training other instructors. The fitness industry has been in my blood since I was probably five or six.
What attracted you to Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise?
Kerry Anne: I think boxing fitness is not just a physical workout, it’s emotional, mental. I really think that Mayweather Boxing + Fitness brings together a community of people. Floyd Mayweather is a single fighter, but his belief system and the family he has backing him, his team, is a really tight community. I like how that is reflected in the workouts in the facility, in the community that we have there. It attracts a lot of different people, not just women looking for fitness centers. They’re really so diverse. We have men and women, we have people with Parkinson’s, we have kids that have been bullied, that want to come in and get stronger and more confident. It’s something really unique to see. I’ve been in the industry for a really long time and I’ve never experienced anything like it.
What was the process like to become a franchisee?
Kerry Anne: First, we spoke with the corporate team and CEO. I just knew that these people really care. There’s such a great community vibe, even with the corporate team, and then the support system is amazing. They’re really hands-on, they don’t just drop and go. There was a big learning curve for us with the computer software system and how to use that, but they showed up and literally came to my studio to help me, guide me through everything, and if I needed to screen share for help, they were right on it.
If you call or email somebody, they’re going to get back to you within an hour, because they want to help you. It’s nice to have the corporate team available. This continued straight through to where we are now with an open business. I can call them at any time. To have somebody so available to connect with, ask questions, someone to support me, it’s the real deal.
I also have a regional support person. My person and I speak weekly: we go over our numbers, she asks me how the team and studio is doing, and she can see our data within the different systems they have to track to make sure that we’re hitting our goals. You have to make sure you’re working hard, but there’s always somebody to support me, and everybody gets a person from corporate to support you.
What is the franchise culture like?
Kerry Anne: We’re all family, we are the Mayweather family. I’m on the Franchise Advisory Council for the Southeast and we’re there to kind of be the voice between corporate and the rest of our constituents in the area. Just an extra level of support for the system. Not to say that corporate isn’t there, they’re there, but we’re also there to help and assist on the ground floor. There’s also a genuine connection between franchisees. We see each other and support each other on social media. We do monthly franchise calls. They’re always there learning, and we’re learning from each other. So when I get to be in the same room with another franchisee, it’s like having your family come over.
Do you need experience to franchise with Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Kerry Anne: Absolutely not. You have to have a passion for helping others, and you have to have a passion for fitness, I believe. You have to feel that fitness is the way you’re going to help change people’s lives. If you have that and a strong belief in running a business with people, you can make a huge impact. And if you’re sure that’s something that moves you, this is the business for you. This is definitely the franchise for you.
What do you think is the future of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
Kerry Anne: Growth! This is going to take off. I know there’s other brands out there, but I feel like because of the corporate team, because the CEO, because of Floyd and that this is his passion, I feel like the growth is going to take off and people are going to know Mayweather not just for boxing, but Mayweather Boxing + Fitness.
Learn more about Mayweather Boxing + Fitness today!
Are you ready to bring a fitness boutique franchise to your community? With the support of an amazing corporate team and a brand already seeing recognition, Mayweather Boxing + Fitness is a win-win franchise opportunity. To learn more, start with our research pages here. If you’re ready to start a conversation with our franchise team, fill out our form here. We’ll be in touch with more information!
The Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise is a boutique fitness franchise created around world-renowned boxer, Floyd Mayweather. As the franchise system revs up with growing numbers across the country, James Williams, CEO and Founder of Mayweather Boxing + Fitness, discusses the brand and where it’s going.
What is Mayweather Boxing + Fitness?
James: “The Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise system was created around the program of Floyd Mayweather, the most successful boxer of all time. Floyd built the Mayweather name into a billion-dollar brand, and we’re leveraging all of that value within the franchise. When I think about Mayweather Boxing + Fitness as a franchise system, it’s not just the workout that needs to be the best. It’s the system. So for us, we invest heavily to make sure that we have the systems and processes to be able to set our franchisees up for success. The name says it all: Floyd Money Mayweather, the best there ever was in boxing, and the best there’s ever going to be in boutique fitness franchising.
“Floyd never took a major license deal or sponsorship. He said he wanted to maintain the brand equity in the Mayweather name, so that he can build a business he’s passionate about, that he’s the owner of, and that utilizes his brand to empower other entrepreneurs to build their own legacies. This is the first time he’s monetized the Mayweather name outside of boxing, and that’s part of why we’re confident this franchise is going to be such a success.”
What makes Mayweather Boxing + Fitness unique?
James: “It truly is a unique brand for a number of reasons. First and foremost is the name. People in our category know who Floyd is. It’s huge consumer awareness. When people drive by and see the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness sign, or they see a digital ad online, they’re instantly familiar with Floyd. In any franchise system, branding is so important. And we have a huge leg up, because of the high consumer awareness that comes from Floyd.
“Secondly, it’s the systems and processes. In any franchise system, you need to have strong systems, strong processes, and a strong team. For us, that’s critical to the long-term success of our franchisees. We have incredible people on our team at corporate who know franchising as well as fitness. We also view this as a family business. What that means is we care about each and every one of our franchisees. We care about their success, and we care about their understanding of the process and the product. We’re not just giving them a bunch of tools and saying go and run with it, we’re educating. We’re training and creating personal relationships. It’s not just business as usual. We connect personally with each franchisee, which leads to a deep business relationship, and that’s a big part of what sets franchisees up for great success.”
Why did Floyd decide to get into franchising?
James: “Franchising is all about the American dream. And Floyd is truly the personification of the American Dream. He came from literal poverty to earning a billion dollars. So when we started this business, we talked about the different business models that we could engage with. Floyd was so excited and passionate about building a franchise system where people could operate under his brand and utilize the workouts that took him to the top of the sport of boxing for 25 years. He wanted to give people the opportunity to build their own business legacy and create their own version of the American dream. And that’s how we started.
“We began with one corporate location to really develop and refine the model, and then we started building out the franchise system from there. We chose to have just the one corporate location, so that our team could focus exclusively on supporting every one of our franchisees, rather than competing with them to build locations or to support corporate stores. It’s all about the franchisee, and Floyd loved the fact that there would be locations all around America, all around the world, with big “Mayweather” signs in shining lights that would attract new members for our franchisees. We also love to hear from our members doing his workouts in those gyms, where people are getting healthier by being part of these amazing communities under this powerful brand.”
What is the demand and scalability of a fitness franchise?
James: With a brand like ours, there really is no limit. We’ve had incredible demand. The foot traffic to in-person fitness locations is generally already higher than it was back in 2019. We know there’s heavy demand for branded fitness now, and we believe we have the very best brand in boutique fitness.
Right now, we’re in a unique position that not many franchises have ever found themselves where we have a household name brand, yet we have wide open prime territories. Usually a franchise needs to spend a lot of time building a brand. By the time they’ve built that brand, those prime locations have gone, and you’re looking at tier two or tier three territories. So it’s really unique for a new franchisee to be able to come into a system, where everyone knows about the brand, but they can still choose one of the top territories in the country.
So we know that the foot traffic is there, we know that people are craving in-person brick and mortar fitness – we know people want to be together, high-fiving, and having that community feel. And the concept is truly scalable. We’ve been around for a few years now, so we know the scalability of the model. We’ve also got locations opening all over the US, so the footprint is growing, which is what franchisees want to be part of – a growing system.
Every time we have a new location start its presale, there’s huge buzz and interest from the local community. So for us, we have the system, we have the brand, we have the processes that set franchisees up for success. Now it’s all about identifying franchisees who share that vision and commitment of making something a runaway success. And when we bring those two things together, everybody wins.
Who is the ideal Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchisee?
The ideal franchise owner is somebody who’s truly passionate about being an entrepreneur, and somebody who wants to win. When franchisees want to win, we can provide them with the tools, systems, and the brand that will succeed. So it’s somebody who says – I understand the value of franchising, I understand I’m buying into a brand, I understand that I’m buying into a set of systems and processes that work, and I’m going to work hard to absolutely crush everything that I need to do. The best franchisees can and should lean on the franchisor, but they are also going to take ownership, to be the leader of their location, of their team, and their market. When we have franchisees focused on leadership, they come out of the gate swinging. They open up their gyms in a really successful way.
What is the corporate support team like?
James: We’ve added a lot of people to our corporate team to support franchisees. Franchisee support is so important. We have a high number of employees for the number of studios we have open. So, we want to keep that corporate team strong in terms of support infrastructure, to make sure that every franchisee can get really, really good support.
We invest heavily in the caliber of the people on our team, so they have the right skills and experience – and can also connect and communicate well with our franchisees. Our corporate team has really strong experience in boutique fitness, or boutique fitness franchising, so they understand how to scale franchise systems in the right way. We make sure the team has the credibility, the experience, but equally the passion. It doesn’t matter if you have a ton of technical expertise if you’re not passionate about the brand, the team and the franchisees you work for. Everyone here has a huge passion for fitness, for our brand, and for our franchisees. The relationship and connectedness between our team and our franchisees will be a critical part of our long-term success.
Learn more about the Mayweather Boxing + Fitness franchise
Are you ready to invest in a unique franchise opportunity with a winning brand unlike any other? We have prime territories available for the right entrepreneurs. To learn more, start with our research pages here. If you’re ready to start a conversation with our franchise team, fill out our form here, and we’ll be in touch with a copy of our Franchise Information Report.
