The New York Times Reveals Koko FitClub Franchising’s Golden Opportunity

I’d like to share a revealing article I came across in the New York Times this week about the state of the health club industry. It truly highlights the huge opportunity that exists for Koko FitClub.

Full Service Gyms Feel a Bit Flabby (Jan 26)

It reinforced for me why my husband and I founded Koko FitClub in the first place. In the article, a Mr. Boggs pointed out that only 15 percent of the American population belongs to gyms: “When you’ve got 85 percent saying ‘I don’t think so,’ we’ve got to recalibrate what we’re doing.” He’s spot on.

 
The fact is, gyms simply don’t work for most people.  This is not about making them fancier or pricing them cheaper. Why else, according to the article, would “45 percent of fitness-club members quit going in any given year?” 

The answer, in our mind, is creating a place where people want to go because it actually works. What a radical, revolutionary idea! It’s the idea that gave birth to Koko FitClub. Koko is a place where folks like us, the other “85%,” can get fit.

At Koko, we leverage technology to prescribe exercise, every time, for every member, so they know they are doing exactly what they need to. Whether you’re a frustrated exerciser or an ex-Division1 athlete, our patented Koko Smartraining System creates custom workouts for you based on your goals and your unique fitness level, guiding you every step of the way. Every day is a new workout, so it never gets boring. And every session is 30 minutes or less, something even the busiest people can squeeze in. To top it all off, we quantify what you’ve accomplished - not only every session, but over time- so you know what you are doing is working.

Koko members are engaged and motivated to exercise like nowhere else because it works! Many are exercising consistently and effectively for the first time in their lives- and loving it. They’ve become “KokoNuts!”

It’s no wonder, as the New York Times article implies, that the old “gyms” are a dying breed. Times have changed.  There’s a whole new future of fitness happening everyday at Koko FitClub.  Viva la revolution!

Yours in good health,

Mary Obana
President and Co-Founder
Koko FitClub

Making the Leap from Employee to Business Owner: It’s Really Not About Risk

Interesting perspective on the effect this tough economy is having on prospective franchisee decision making from Dan Archer who, like me, is in the thick of franchisee selection everyday:

http://bit.ly/9XcJ4P

After a handful of his clients chose to “take a job” rather than go into business for themselves in a franchise system because they considered it “more secure at the moment,” Dan makes the argument that taking control of your own future through business ownership IS the most secure route. I wholeheartedly agree, with one caveat: you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink. 

In other words, people who instead gravitate toward the employee vs business ownership route, may dream about “being on their own” someday,  but just aren’t yet ready to step out of their comfort zone.  In their mind it’s “less scary” to work for someone else, which translates in their conversations with Dan and I to, “less risky.” Whether or not it truly is less risky is beside the point. (I read about people being laid off from their “secure” jobs everyday.) Trying to talk someone out of their fear, when they just aren’t ready, is simply not going to work; no amount of logic from me will overcome that emotional hurdle.

This realization has become an important part of the selection process I have in place at Koko FitClub. A great fit is critical for our success and the success of our owners; the right business owner mindset is high on my list of “good fit” prerequisites. I make a conscious effort to focus my time on those who have already made the mental leap to business ownership...while leaving the door open to anyone who has change of heart.