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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Contours Express vs Club Pilates 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 | $178,000 - $365,200 |
Franchise Fee | $12,500 | $60,000 |
Royalty Fee | $395/mo. | 7% |
Advertising Fee | - | 2% |
Year Founded | 1998 | 2007 |
Year Franchised | 1998 | 2012 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Renewal Fee | - | - |
Business Experience Requirements |
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Experience | - | At Club Pilates, we're looking for franchise owners who are outgoing, results oriented, eager to learn the Pilates industry and have sales, marketing and/or management experience. A person who can build strong relationships, lead a team, and is committed to building the brand and driven to success. You'll need a minimum of $80k in liquid capital, and be ready to DO PILATES. DO LIFE! |
Financing Options |
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In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
Franchise Fees | No/No | -/- |
Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
Equipment | No/Yes | -/- |
Inventory | No/No | -/- |
Receivables | No/No | -/- |
Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | You’ll attend a 3-day training course at our corporate headquarters in Costa Mesa, California along with an annual Franchise Convention and ongoing weekly support. Ongoing web-based and in person training. Private class training, instructor training and general manager training. On-The-Job Training: 2 hours Classroom Training: 44 hours Additional Training: Instructor 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 | Pre-Opening Support Real Estate: Our dedicated staff will help you in the site selection and lease negotiation to find the ideal site for your Club Pilates Franchise. Finance: Our Finance team will provide assistance in loan processing through the SBA and preferred financiers. Site Build Support: You’ll be walked through the entire build out process from corporate approved layout and general construction to interior design and on-site security & technology. Sales: Get introduced to our sales process, retail range and POS system to drive sales from the start. Marketing: The minute you sign your lease agreement, the marketing of your location begins, with personalized support to set up social media, marketing materials and all means of generating website traffic and memberships. Recruitment: Receive assistance hiring the most qualified instructors, general managers and sales associates. To compliment this, our Certified Club Pilates Teacher Training Program ensures a seamless on boarding process for Pilates instructors new to our unique Pilates method. Comprehensive Training: You’ll attend a 3-day training course at our corporate headquarters in Costa Mesa, California along with an annual Franchise Convention and ongoing weekly support. Ongoing Personalized Support Ongoing web-based and in person training Sales, marketing & operations tools and resources accessible online 24 hours and the ability to communicate with and learn from other franchisees. Branding and marketing support with monthly materials developed for your studio. Monthly marketing updates and performance reporting. Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings/Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security/Safety Procedures Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform |
Marketing | Ad slicks | Co-op Advertising Ad Templates National Media Regional Advertising Social media SEO Website development Email marketing Loyalty program/app |
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) | Absentee Ownership Allowed Number of Employees Required to Run: 4 - 8 |
Expansion Plans |
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US Expansion | - | Yes |
Canada Expansion | 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.