T
here’s a lot of money
in the fitness
business. The U.S.
market is worth
$28 billion, and
franchise brands are
the hottest, fastest- growing
part of it. So how does one of
the hottest brands thrive in
one of the hottest markets?
Ask Dave Long, CEO of the
fitness company and
workout craze Orange-
theory, which offers some
actual fun alongside its
members’ healthy pursuit.
Founded in 2010 and
headquartered in Boca
Raton, Fla., Orangetheory’s
823 franchise studios have
one-hour, trainer-led group
classes featuring wrist- or
chest-worn heart-rate
monitors. Classes aim to
help members achieve an
“afterburn” effect—a
metabolic sweet spot that
sheds calories long after the
gym session ends. But Long
says that the company’s
explosive growth—including
a solid 137 percent increase
in revenue over the past
three years—isn’t just about
good timing. It’s about doing
franchise expansion right.
How did you become
interested in fitness as a
business?
I’m a pretty avid extreme-
sports type person. I do a lot
of snowboarding, surfing,
and mountain biking. Early
in my career I worked at a
health club, and later at
European Wax Center and
Massage Envy. My partner
and I were looking for a
world-changing fitness
product that had already
been incubated—something
we thought we could grow
and add value to. That’s
when we crossed paths with
[cofounder] Ellen Latham,
who had a large studio with a
spinning room, a Pilates
room, and an “ultimate
workout room,” which was
the first version of what
Orangetheory does today.
At Massage Envy, first as
VP of operations and later
as a regional developer,
By avoiding huge,
multi-unit deals,
Orangetheory ensures
franchisees never
lose touch with
product or strategy.