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Updated RecentlyContours Express vs Ellipse Fitness Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Contours Express vs Ellipse Fitness 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 | $80,000 - $120,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $12,500 | $29,000 |
| Royalty Fee | $395/mo. | 5% |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1998 | 2002 |
| Year Franchised | 1998 | 2006 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
| Term Of Agreement | 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 | -/- |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
| Equipment | No/Yes | -/- |
| Inventory | No/No | -/- |
| Receivables | No/No | -/- |
| Payroll | 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 | - |
| Marketing | Ad slicks | - |
| 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) | - |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | - | Yes |
| Canada Expansion | No | - |
| International Expansion | Yes | - |
Company Overviews
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.
About Ellipse Fitness
With combined annual revenue of $15 billion dollars, the fitness industry is hot! We would like to introduce to you, Ellipse Fitness, a different kind of fitness franchise. We're not a 30 minute circuit, not your typical gym. Ellipse provides members a unique "classes only" concept and a state-of-the-art nutrition program, both results driven! Unlike competitor fitness concepts, Ellipse provides both fitness and weight loss, and does them well. With unpublished, unannounced and ever changing classes, exercise programs for all fitness levels, and personalized weight loss, Ellipse has created an amazing niche in the industry. We offer our core program of 7 class times a day. We also offer an AMP'D program of super high-intensity classes. When you join our team you will quickly see that the same passion, dedication, honesty and enthusiasm that we began Ellipse with, has been poured into supporting our franchisees. We are experienced, trained, fitness certified, and ready to bring you the benefits of being part of an established team and a recognized brand. History The first Ellipse Fitness was founded in 2002 because the company saw a need for a facility that specialized in personal attention and goals, rather than weights and equipment. In 2004 Ellipse opened a second location to test the franchise systems. In September 2006 the company began selling franchises, and in January 2007 the first franchise location opened in WI. Ellipse now has several locations in the Midwest and is prepared to go national. Our current franchisees will attest to the fact that this system works! The weight loss and fitness industry has never been in a better position to change the world!