World Gym is a leading global gym franchise with over 230 locations worldwide with new locations opening up regularly. With 45 years of experience in total, World Gym is a widely recognised brand known for encouraging its members to live fit and healthy lifestyles.
There are plenty of World Gym franchise opportunities to explore, so let’s take a look at the World Gym franchise fees, franchise revenue, its start-up process, and franchise owner’s average profit.
Benefits and Opportunities of Becoming
a World Gym Franchise Owner
World Gym promises its members it provides everything they need to help them lose weight, build muscle and live a healthier and happier life. Community-style gyms are currently in very high demand across the world as more people are looking to live a healthier lifestyle, with over 79% of the UK population feeling that their health has become more important over the last 3 years.
As well as the global fitness industry boom, some other key reasons why you should consider a World Gym franchise include:
- Join forces with a company that is constantly evolving with a presence in over 230 locations globally to help franchise owners create communities that prioritize health and fitness
- Build on the leading reputation World Gym has for continuous growth and resilience, with World Gym Australia bringing in 10,000 new members during 2020
- Take advantage of broader opportunities for revenue streams compared to traditional gyms thanks to the ’boutique’ and personal gym experience World Gym offers. For example, World Gym goes beyond the traditional franchise gym model by introducing its Barbell Café concept which serves a variety of healthy juices, protein smoothies, and nutrition supplements. In addition, they also offer a PRO Shop, where members can purchase everything from branded clothing to supplements, snacks, and protein drinks.
- Benefit from established partnerships with World Gym’s partners in consumer data analytics, commercial real estate, and medical – franchisees get access to World Gym’s state-of-the-art website, social media platforms, member enrolments system, and behavioural analytics, a Preferred vendor Program, membership to World Gym’s franchisee Global Support Network, location scouting and assessment, and more.
- Diversify your offer with a variety of programmes including science-based programs, personal training, World Gym’s athletics programme, its Studio X concept, Virtual & Online workout, group classes, and more – to suit any location and demographic.
- Stand out in the market for offering world-class amenities available for all locations including a Pro Shop, Smoothie Shop, and Barbell Café
- Access expert support including facility layout and design to suit your fitness franchise and local area – World Gym’s in-house real estate team will support franchisees in scouting, planning, and developing their gym, at every step of the process.
- You will also benefit from World Gyms franchise marketing campaigns including Search Engine Optimisation, paid advertising, local TC campaigns, its “Ambassador Program” and more
- The World Gym brand has already established itself in the US with an additional 230 locations across 17 countries and 6 continents.
How Does the World Gym Franchise Model Work?
The World Gym franchise model follows a step-by-step process to ensure every franchisee has enough experience, capital, and vision to successfully open and run a World Gym franchise. The franchise owners then work closely with World Gym to develop a business plan that will offer you multiple online and in-person revenue streams and find ways to allow you to increase your per-member spending all tailored to your location and demographics.
World Gym provides a variety of options to franchisees, from opening a completely new business to converting an existing business. Its model includes clubs with sizes varying from 7,500 square feet up to 30,000 square feet.
Dedicated World Gym Athletics areas, strength and cardio machines, a Studio X concept, its Pro Shop and Barbell Café, and Olympic Lifting Platforms are only a few of the distinctive characteristics of the World Gym franchise brand.
1. World Gym Franchise Requirements
Before deciding to open a World Gym franchise, there are certain minimum requirements set out by World Gym for their brand and onboarding processes. These include:
Financial investment:
This includes proof of a healthy cash flow and up-to-date financial background with a minimum net worth of $1,000,000 and minimum liquid assets of $400,000.
Experience checks:
This means evaluating your professional experience working in the fitness industry ideally in a management role or those with experience in the service and hospitality industries or a solid understanding of the rules of being a World Gym franchisee and a commitment to encouraging people to live healthier lifestyles.
Aspirations:
World Gym will then want to discuss your goals and aspirations for your fitness franchise including your overall investment plan and the different revenue streams. This is an important conversation between World Gym and its potential franchisees, as it essential expectations on ROI and brand standards are clarified.
2. Minimum cost/investment to buy and own a World Gym franchise
One of the main requirements for setting up your own World Gym franchise is the minimum World Gym franchise costs and investments you have to demonstrate that you and your business partners have. World Gym set out their minimum net worth requirement to open a World Gym franchise at $1,000,000 whilst also holding a minimum of $400,000 in capital liquid assets.
These figures help potential World Gym franchisees establish the level of investment they are expected to make once they set up their franchise.
3. Initial World Gym Franchise Start-up Fees
World Gym has several initial franchise start-up fees to establish your franchise and business plan. The cost to open a World Gym franchise is $45,000. As well as this, there are several other initial investment costs including the initial inventory, insurance, furniture and displays, and other initial costs which have a minimum investment of $852,000 and a maximum investment of $2,975,000.
Some of the main costs included in these fees are represented by;
- Pre-opening support for growing your new World Gym membership base – from $20,000 to $80,000
- Costs of developing and leasing your actual gym – from $500,000 to $1,500,000
- The start-up inventory – from $5,000 to $20,000
- Audio and visual Equipment – from $40,000 to $500,000
- Various pieces of furniture – from $5,000 to $20,000
- Collateral i.e. signage, branded materials etc – from $20,000 to $100,000
- Other costs to consider include insurance, utility costs, training, licenses, professional fees, and more.
4. Expected World Gym Franchise Revenue
World Gym hasn’t published the average revenue made by their franchises; however, salary information online suggests the income of a New Business Development is around $209,554 in the US. This depends on factors such as membership and location.
When considering whether World Gym is the right franchise for you, it’s worth considering that it has a much higher
rate of attrition than other brands with their rate being at 24.14% in 2020 compared to the 8% average for the health and fitness industry.
The rate of attrition looks at the strengths of a brand’s underlying operating model taking into account terminations, re-acquisitions, and non-renewals. With a higher attrition rate you may need to work harder to bring in new customers or retain existing ones.
5. Costs associated with running a World Gym franchise
For all health and fitness franchises after revenue, there are always additional costs to consider when running a World Gym franchise that impact your final profits. Some of which include:
- Royalties: 5% of gross sales generated by the franchisee per month
- Brand development fund contribution: 2% of gross sales generated by the franchisee over a set payment period
- Local advertising: Minimum of 1% of gross sales monthly
- Technology fee: Around $499 per month
- Renewal Fee: $5,000
- Transfer Fee: $10,000
6. Predicted average income/profit of a World Gym franchise owner
There are currently no official records of profit figures for World Gym. The costs mentioned previously can help to give a rough outline of the costs that come out of your overall revenue. As long as you follow your business plan set out by World Gym including your marketing and acquisition strategies all franchisees can expect a reasonable profit.
According to World Gym, the fitness industry is poised to grow by 170% to more than $430 billion by 2028 following the 32.45% decline in revenue in 2020. In general, franchisees can earn anywhere between $34,000 and $384,000.
A Look at the World gym franchise agreement & Policies
If you’re considering World Gym’s franchise opportunities, it’s crucial to first understand the requirements and responsibilities you’re taking on when you sign the franchise contract. Some of the key areas to consider include:
1. Brand
As a World Gym franchisee, you are expected to operate like any gym within the World Gym brand. You’ll be required to stick to the requirements of the franchise using only company-approved gym equipment and training your staff to follow any World Gym policies and standards.
This includes living and breathing World Gym’s distinctive brand offerings like its World Gym Athletics and Studio X concepts, its offering via their Barbell Caffe and Pro Shop, up to the staffing levels and training required to manage the day-to-day operation of your World Gym Franchise
2. Location
World Gym is always aspiring to expand to new locations across the world. With over 230 franchises in 17 different countries, World Gym is happy for locations to be set up all over the world.
3. Local competition
World Gym has its policy when it comes to local competition and franchises in the same area. Once a franchisee has secured the premises of their business, the franchisor can define the designated territory on a data sheet that is attached to their Franchise Agreement from World Gym.
This designated territory can be located in a town, city or county where only that particular franchisee will operate. The actual size of this territory varies between different franchisees depending on the actual location and demographic of the premises.
What are the franchise terms of agreement and
renewal for World Gym?
World Gym doesn’t publish its terms of agreement and renewal publicly however they are available to obtain after an initial consultation with the World Gym franchise team. They will most likely cover factors such as the franchise territory, standards, and any fees.
According to Franchise Direct, the length of World Gym’s initial franchise term is 10 years. Of course, to renew this term, the owner has to meet the requirements for an additional 10-year term.
Is World Gym a good fit for you?
Owning a World Gym franchise isn’t for everyone, so it’s important to weigh up all factors before considering opening one. This includes if the World Gym franchise aligns with your own goals and ambitions. Compared to other franchises it also has a large initial investment, for example, an F45 gym requires a minimum initial investment of £200,000 which is significantly lower than a minimum net worth of $1,000,000 and minimum liquid assets of $400,000 which World Gym requires.
1. The target market of the average World Gym Franchise
The target market of the World Gym franchise primarily focuses on offering a form of personalised training for all its members who want to live healthier and happier lives. Their goal is to bring the idea of a ‘boutique gym’ with trendy studios and equipment to communities of people across the globe.
They enjoy the idea of having amenities vary in different locations to suit the demographic of the different locations with some studios, for example, focusing on strength, and some on cardio and group fitness classes for an older age demographic.
2. Is a World Gym fitness franchise right for your chosen location?
As there are 230 franchises worldwide there is still plenty of room for expansion for World Gym. Their business model can be adapted to suit a variety of locations and can suit a variety of different needs. They especially have the potential to thrive outside of the US, where most of their franchises are based.
3. Other factors to consider when deciding whether owning a World Gym Franchise is right for you
Other factors to consider if you’re thinking of setting up your own World Gym franchise also include the troubles you could encounter in operating this particular kind of business model.
If you’re unaware of the fitness industry and are unsure of what consumers are looking for in a community gym then you may struggle to be successful in this business. As World Gym prefers to work with individuals with experience in the fitness industry, your application may also be rejected because of this also.
Are you a good fit for the World Gym Franchise?
You ultimately need to weigh up whether you think the World Gym franchise is suitable for you to invest in. With higher investment costs, additional fees and a longer-term ROI, World Gym franchises will appeal to high-net-worth investors that do not require an immediate return on investment.
World Gym also states some of the characteristics of their ideal franchisees:
1. $400,000 minimum required liquid capital, and $1,000,000 minimum required net worth
2. Passion for Health & Fitness
3. Ideally an athlete, veteran gym-goer, or fitness professional with a business background
4. Experience in the fitness space is not necessary, though World Gym asks its franchisees to be familiar with the concept of a franchise and its requirements
Process of taking a World Gym Franchise
Here is the 6-step process to follow if you’re interested in taking a World Gym franchise:
Step 1 – Introduction
Firstly, fill out the contact form on World Gym’s website. This will get you in contact with a member of the World Gym team to organise an introductory call to discuss your history, experience, and goals. World Gym then reviews your answers and financial requirements with you.
Step 2 – Webinar
You then take part in an hour-long webinar that provides you with all the information you need to know about World Gym and the fitness industry.
Step 3 – Review the FDD
You’ll then have another call with World Gym to go a bit deeper into the ownership experience and review the Franchise Disclosure Document and fill out a questionnaire.
Step 4 – Calls with franchise partners and lenders
You’ll then have the opportunity to reach out to and network with existing franchisees to gain further insight into what ownership is like. You can also contact lenders to explore funding options.
Step 5 – Meeting team members
You can then meet all of your key team members for further insight into the role including marketing, operations, and training, and how they will be able to support you.
Step 6 – Sign the World Gym Franchise Agreement
This means you officially own a World Gym franchise!
Conclusion
If you’re considering opening and operating a fitness franchise, there are many things to first consider. World Gym could be the right choice for you if you’re looking for a quality business model that puts its members first and you have the ambition to meet the brand’s performance targets.
If in doubt, consult with the World Gym team to see if you meet their requirements for ownership.
FAQs
Find out more about what it’s like to own a World Gym franchise with these FAQs:
1. How to Start a World Gym Franchise
To start a World Gym Franchise:
- Decide the path to a World Gym franchise ownership – New Built, or Converting Existing Business?
- Contact World Gym with your details
- Attend the introductory call, outline your business plan: discuss financing, location analysis, real estate support, etc
- Agree way forward i.e. decide on location (s), design and layout of your World Gym franchise unit, costs, marketing, training, and more
- Agree and sign the final terms of the World Gym’s franchise agreement
- Now…the hard work begins.
2. How much does owning a World Gym franchise cost
The cost of owning a World Gym franchise will massively vary depending on the location of the franchise. There are a few factors to consider however when looking at the overall cost, including:
- Start-up fees ($45,000)
- Investment costs ($852,000 – $2,975,000)
- Royalties (5% of gross sales)
- Utility fees ($1000-$5000)
- Marketing costs ($20,000-$100,000)
- Labour costs
3. Is a World Gym franchise profitable?
World Gym is continuously expanding and with the health and fitness industry booming you are almost guaranteed a healthy profit from this business. The exact revenue of each franchise depends on many different factors including the suitability of your premises and how successful the management is.
It is possible the estimate the number of members required to break even though, by dividing the total costs by the average membership cost. World Gym provides three types of annual memberships, priced at $571.56, $766.41, and $376 respectively – an average of $571.
Taking the cost of a World Gym Franchise ($852,000 – $2,975,000), we can conclude that the minimum number of members required to break even ranges from 1492 members to 5210 members for the largest gyms.
4. What questions to ask when buying a World Gym franchise?
If you’re wondering whether buying a World Gym franchise is right for you, here are a few questions you can ask in the consultation stages:
- What kind of business support does World Gym offer?
- What are the initial fees I have to pay to set up the franchise?
- What other conditions do I have to meet to become a World Gym franchisee?
- What is the average profit for a World Gym owner?
