FRANCHISEINTERVIEW
“Growing the brand in Sweden is our immediate goal. We would ultimately love to become the number-one fitness brand in the country”
Iain Bylsma
You’re the master franchisor for Sweden but I can hear an Aussie twang there. What made you move countries? I’ve been in Sweden for a bit over 18 months now but, before that, I was with Anytime Fitness Australia for five and a half years. I was a multi-unit franchise owner in Australia but I was offered the opportunity to come to Sweden and build the franchise out here from the ground up. It was an opportunity that I could not turn down.
What has been the biggest highlight of your career?
The best thing for me has been seeing the Anytime Fitness brand grow in the last seven years I have been working with them. There were 50 clubs in Australia when I first started and now it’s the biggest fitness club in the country. The exciting part of my job is seeing the clubs launch and grow in different continents. It’s so rewarding to follow franchisees on their journey into franchising and watch them become successful and see their lives change. However, there are challenges that come with it.
What have been the biggest difficulties? I think it was probably brand awareness in Sweden. Anytime Fitness is a completely new brand to them, and getting Swedes to trust a new brand was tough to start with.
Can you speak Swedish? Not fluently. I’m still learning the language but a really supportive team of local Swedes are helping me with the franchisees and franchisee recruitment. The language barrier has been a little bit of a challenge but it’s getting easier by the day.
Why did you decide to work with Anytime Fitness? Personally, I have always had a passion for growing businesses. I have previous experience in property and leasing; it’s always been about fostering and developing a brand for me. This is what initially attracted me to franchising, as it’s a very similar concept.
Would a potential Anytime Fitness franchisee or master franchisor need to have a background in fitness? No, being a fitness fanatic is not a prerequisite. A franchisee, however, needs to have a passion for business, be able to connect with people, be part of a community, and want to help change people’s lives. It sounds cheesy but it’s really what we’re doing on a daily basis. As a franchise brand, we support and train every franchisee in these aspects, from the little things, like selling a membership, to the bigger things, like marketing your franchise. We are looking for franchisees that, ultimately, have a passion for what we believe in.
What is the support and training like from Anytime Fitness? We have a multi-tiered support system, as well as an online platform with operational details for franchise training. We give franchisees a three-day induction at a club in addition to their ongoing training in sales and marketing, plus we also have global conferences for franchisees as well as master franchisors. This is a great way of getting everyone together from all over the globe. It really opens your eyes to see how big the Anytime Fitness franchise family really is.
What are your aspirations for the future with Anytime Fitness? Growing the brand in Sweden is our immediate goal. We would ultimately love to become the number-one fitness brand in the country. Currently, Sweden has a mature market for health and fitness, which means there’s a range of competition but great market penetration and awareness, too. It’s a great personal challenge for me.
Would there be any other countries you would like to take the Anytime Fitness franchise?
I would love to expand the brand in the Nordic region. Each country has its own fitness nuances and I would love to see Anytime Fitness break into the market. n
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