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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Contours Express vs Cuts Fitness For Men including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $35,000 - $50,000 | $33,600 - $77,900 |
Franchise Fee | $12,500 | $39,500 |
Royalty Fee | $395/mo. | $400/mo. |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1998 | 2003 |
Year Franchised | 1998 | 2003 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | - | |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | No/No |
Start-up Costs | No/No | No/Yes |
Equipment | No/Yes | No/Yes |
Inventory | No/No | No/Yes |
Receivables | No/No | No/No |
Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | - |
Support | 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 | Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
Marketing | Ad slicks | Co-op advertising, Regional advertising |
Operations |
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) |
20% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 1 - 2
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | - | - |
Canada Expansion | No | No |
International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
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.
Cuts Fitness For Men uses the Body Cuts System which is a 30-minute, full body circuit training workout designed to firm up muscles, improve the cardiovascular system, increase endurance, lose body fat and inches. Founded in May, 2003, Cuts Fitness For Men is North America's fastest growing Men's fitness franchise. The first Cuts fitness center opened in Clark, New Jersey in May, 2003; since then, more than 200 franchises have been sold. Launched in December of 2004, Cuts Fitness For Women enters the market with a unique product featuring an innovative design, high quality equipment and the "experience factor."