How did you know the time was right to join with private
equity and other franchisees for this joint-venture
partnership?
Every business reaches inflection points whether investing
in corporate infrastructure to support growth, finding additional
capital sources or eliminating contingent liabilities such as personal
guarantees on bank loans and leases to name a few. I was at the end
of my comfort zone on many of those and more. Although I had
realized a certain level of success, I needed help to get to the next
level. Furthermore, I wanted to work with others and share in the
growth journey moving forward.
What advice would you offer to franchisees considering
selling or merging?
Make the right decision for you based on your personal goals
and desires. Inflection points along the way give you a natural
opportunity to evaluate the next phase.
In your opinion, what stands out about the Planet Fitness
brand?
This is a disruptive, Amazon-proof brand with momentum
and opportunity in front of it. The question is, what is Planet
Fitness going to do with the opportunity? There is real risk in
resting on our laurels. Our collective competitors aren’t. We need
to stay humble, hungry and objective in finding ways to innovate.
There are development headwinds (cannibalization, competition
and small-market model) to solve in order to keep the brand
momentum going. We must continually find ways to deliver a
better member experience tomorrow than we do today. I believe
the brand is thinking this way, but we need to see it through and
execute each and every day. If we get better every day, imagine what
this brand can be a year, five years or 10 years from now.
Going forward, what are the top three business goals for
the company?
I’ll actually give you United PF’s four pillars:
1. Developing people and processes for scale to run 100, 300
or 500 clubs.
2. Ensuring successful new club development. Franchisees
need PFHQ’s help on getting the economics to work in small
markets. This is the only way we’ll get to 4,000 locations in the
United States safely and profitably. I’m positive we can crack the
code on small markets.
3. Driving same-store sales (SSS) and profitability through
remodel/re-equip, P&L optimization and retention/loyalty
initiatives.
4. Strategic mergers or acquisitions that are additive to United
PF’s business and culture.
What is the best piece of business advice you have
received?
Focus on what you do best and surround yourself with smarter,
more capable people to leverage your weaknesses.
What do you feel is the biggest challenge currently facing
franchisees?
Rising costs of new club development and operating the
business within a relatively static top-line business model. I really
think there are ways to change this dynamic with thoughtful,
“Planetized” ways to drive increm ental revenue.
Tell us about your family.
I have a wonderful wife and best friend, Shannon, of 23 years.
We were in a hurry to get married, but not in a rush to have kids.
We have two incredible daughters, Ainsley, 11, and Kendall, 6.
We are having an absolute blast. I have another family
though. My Planet Fitness family. I love spending time
with my PF family and our United PF PFamily as well!
Tell us about your personal interests.
We enjoy traveling together as a family. In a
former life, I was a competitive golfer. I choose not to
compete as much as I used to with my current business
and family interests, but still thoroughly enjoy the
game. I get a ton of satisfaction in giving back as well.
To note a few, I’m an avid supporter of my alma mater,
West Point, and the golf program. I’m also a former
Boys & Girls Club kid, so I take great pride in PF’s
partnership and in giving back to the organization that
gave so much to me as a child.
An owner of some other business. I learned
a long time ago that I needed the flexibility of an
entrepreneur. G
United PF Partners posed for a photo on the purple carpet of the Planet Fitness
25th Anniversary Gala.
If I weren’t a franchisee, I would be …
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