From
Corporate
to Club,
Franchisees Find
Success on
Both Sides
2016 Issue 2 | GearedUp
W
52
hether corporate or club level, Planet Fitness®
personnel share a common goal: making the brand
a success. A desire to grow the company led some to
make the move from corporate to club owner.
After 12 years at PF® corporate, Mark Christie left his position
as vice president of Business Development overseeing franchise
sales to become a franchisee in 2013. Christie and business
partners Nick, George and Greg Mourgenos now operate five
locations in Ohio.
“In 2011 I started to recognize I really didn’t have any more
advancement opportunity and, more importantly, all my years
of experience with the PF would be wasted if I did not make the
jump to becoming a franchise owner,” he
said. “Then, in 2012, it was obvious to me
the founders were going sell to TSG and
step into different roles. I felt like this was
the perfect time to make the decision to
leave corporate.”
by Jessica Loeding
During his time at corporate, Christie
made his mark on those around him. In 2000, he hired Jessie
Dricker, now a franchisee in Vermont, to work the front desk of
the PF where he was club manager.
“Mark Christie showed me the importance of excellent
customer service and how to turn a negative into a positive,”