Entrepreneurship in the Midst of a Crisis

As we continue to monitor the COVID-19 pandemic that has significantly impacted our personal and professional lives, HOTWORX has been diligently working to provide guidance and support for our franchise community.  Executives have hosted emergency meetings with the Franchise Advisory Council. New strategies for membership sales and social media advertisements have quickly been executed. With the ever-changing situation and unknowns that lie ahead and 100% of studio locations temporarily closed as of April 1st, one thing is for certain, members are craving HOTWORX and are looking for ways to work out at home.  The addition of a “HOTWORX at HOME” feature was recently announced that allows members access to Virtual Personal Trainer videos through the HOTWORX Burn Off App, originally intended for use in the Functional Exercise Zone of the studios. Planning is already underway for re-opening events in preparation for when local governments approve for studios to return to normal business operations.These are unprecedented times, but with more than two decades of experience in franchising, existing HOTWORX franchisees can rely on the corporate team to help them navigate through entrepreneurship in the midst of a crisis.  Teresa Grawe, multi-unit franchisee, currently has one studio open, another in pre-sale, two locations in site selection, and another license for future development in the Dallas-Ft. Worth DMA. She expressed her appreciation in joining a franchise organization by sharing, “I could not be more impressed with the HOTWORX Corporate team and everything they are doing to support their franchise owners during this difficult time.”With 532 licenses granted since the franchise opportunity was first launched in early 2017, HOTWORX has refused to let the COVID-19 pandemic slow down their franchise recruitment efforts. Nancy Price, Senior VP of Franchise Recruitment, has even noticed a surge in interest for HOTWORX that she attributes to a higher demand for business opportunities in the health-conscious fitness industry, coupled with government assistance programs and financing benefits now available for new business owners. Appropriate changes have been made to ensure continued growth of the brand and 28 franchise licenses were awarded during the month of March.  Orientation Day, the final step in the Discovery Process, is now hosted virtually due to social distancing and travel advisories. New multi-unit HOTWORX franchisee, Erin McDowell, conveyed her virtual experience saying, “Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our Orientation Day was not in person. However, the Executive Team did a fantastic job through video chat explaining every aspect of the program. Each member was knowledgeable and well-versed in their area of expertise. We look forward to meeting everyone in person soon!!!”Stephen P. Smith, CEO & creator of HOTWORX, has consistently emphasized the need for the highest level of customer service at this time and reassured the franchise community by sharing his past experiences with entrepreneurship in the midst of a crisis.  “I can tell you as an entrepreneur who survived Hurricane Katrina, what you do now will determine how high you bounce when you reopen. We didn’t have electricity for two months while we managed to figure our way out of decimated locations and a completely shut down economy with zero stores open of any type.  We got into our locations, though, and repainted, changed ceiling tiles and cleaned…whatever it took, as entrepreneurs, to get our lives and businesses back. When we finally reopened we packed the house!”As an entrepreneur choosing to become a HOTWORX franchisee in the midst of such a crisis, Paul Rackley also shared his perspective stating, “The current economic environment coupled with the product we are selling, and the organization you are involving yourself with, makes it a good time to start this journey.”  If you find yourself considering business ownership, heed the advice of entrepreneurs like McDowell, Smith, and Rackley, by exploring the opportunity to franchise with HOTWORX and benefit from many years of experience as we work together to achieve success when we emerge from this crisis.Written By: Kasie Banks, Executive Marketing Director