| ||||
Updated RecentlyBlink Fitness vs Contours Express Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Blink Fitness vs Contours Express including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
||
| Investment | $637,000 - $2,150,000 | $35,000 - $50,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $10,000 - $40,000 | $12,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 5% | $395/mo. |
| Advertising Fee | 5% | - |
| Year Founded | 2010 | 1998 |
| Year Franchised | 2015 | 1998 |
| Term Of Agreement | - | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | - | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
||
| Experience | 5+ years of relevant business experience or operator with that level of experience | - |
Financing Options |
||
| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/Yes | No/No |
| Start-up Costs | No/Yes | No/No |
| Equipment | No/Yes | No/Yes |
| Inventory | No/Yes | No/No |
| Receivables | No/Yes | No/No |
| Payroll | No/Yes | No/No |
Training & Support |
||
| Training | We offer an industry-leading 150 hours of training to prepare you to run your Blink business successfully. This training includes: Orientation that includes a thorough overview of the business Deep-dive classroom and virtual training on each area of the Blink business Hands-on operational training at one of our gyms A support person who will spend up to a week at your location during your club opening. | - |
| Support | When you join the Blink Fitness family as a franchise owner, you gain instant access to one of the most well-rounded executive teams in the business. In addition to having deep roots in the fitness industry, our leadership team brings a mix of experience from world-class companies that includes Equinox, Dunkin Donuts, Pepsi, Procter & Gamble, Whole Foods Market, Starbucks, and Ann Taylor. | Newsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet
# Protected Territory # 5 days of Training at Contours Express University # 3-Day Training at your gym # Adjustable Weight Stack Equipment # 16 Stations - 4 extra stations optional # Butt-n-Gut cd # Preferred Vendor Discounts # Unlimited Ongoing Training # Advertising and Marketing Advice # 24/7 Online Marketing Materials Library # Personal Gym Website # Prepared PowerPoint Marketing Presentations # Nutritional Counseling Program - C.O.R.E. # Site Selection Assistance |
| Marketing | - | Ad slicks |
| Operations | Number of employees required > about 20 Owner/operator required Absentee ownership allowed |
50% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2 Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (50% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
||
| US Expansion | Yes | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | No | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Blink Fitness
Blink Fitness is perfectly positioned at the premium end of the value segment. Blink brings a unique positioning to the segment by addressing common consumer barriers to joining a gym.
Most people believe that gyms aren't for people like them; they're for people with hard bodies like the ones shown in most gym advertising. Blink has removed the barriers of working out at a gym by celebrating the positive emotions people get from exercise.
*We're MOOD LIFTERS TM who greet you with enthusiasm and treat you with respect
*Our gym design is colorful, bright, and open
*We have an everyone cleans philosophy so our gyms are always spotless
*We specifically select energizing music that will keep you motivated
*We offer training programs that boost confidence, not your wallet.
We have proven ourselves as the leader in the premium value fitness sector and have perfected the model so you can run with it.
Our recurring revenue model for the important first three years and beyond is backed by solid statistics.
Median gross sales in years 1 through 3 at existing company-operated locations are impressive.
*How we know our model works - We've created a highly affordable, premium-quality member experience across all our company-owned clubs that has achieved:
+ Success across a wide range of demographics, psychographics and markets (urban and suburban) in the NY Metro area
+ More than 200,000 members who love us. (Just read the Yelp reviews!)
About Contours Express
After operating coed clubs, working as consultants and working in other areas of the fitness industry, Daren Carter, Mike Widener and Charlie Woodward joined forces to create a fitness center just for women. In 1998, the partners founded Contours Express, a women-only center catering to towns with populations too small to support a full-scale, coed gym.
Contours Express members follow a 29-minute cue tape that keeps them moving through aerobic stations and strength training machines. A fitness trainer (the franchisee or an employee) works with the members during their workouts, providing motivation and other services.
Clubs, which are usually located in strip centers, are about 1,200 square feet in size and can accommodate up to 20 members at a time.