Concept Description
A Fitness Franchise That Performs
A D1 franchise offers you a high return on your investment in the $38 billion fitness industry and the $15 billion youth sports market. D1 Training is the most credible and one of the most well-known fitness brands in the United States, featuring national partnerships include:
- Named Entrepreneur Top New Franchise and Top Ten Fitness Franchise
- Endorsed by the National Academy of Sports Business (NASM)
- Men’s Health’s top 30 gym
- Partner with the Manning Passing Academy
- NFL Players Association approved training location
- Official training partner of Spalding
- Official training partner of Don Joy Sports
- Over 90 NFL draft picks
- Over 2,000 scholastic athletes in awarded collegiate scholarships
D1 also has over 40 professional athletes as D1 Facility owners and has placed over 200 athletes into professional drafts. D1 provides a caliber of training and coaching for kids and adults that is usually reserved for a Division 1 athlete.
“Choosing D1 was easy. It’s not just a workout. It’s a place where someone can go and be believed in. It’s a safe haven where they feel at home.”
– Tim Tebow
Founded by a former Division 1 College Football player and Captain of the 1998 Tennessee National Championship Team, D1 uses its 5-component workout programs to ensure that every athlete is on the most efficient and effective path to achieve their goals.
This is not your typical Workout of the Day or trendy, tech-driven training fad. It is a training model based on 5-8-week programs, designed by D1’s National Head Speed and Strength Coach Panel, underpinned by a periodization philosophy that all competitive and elite athletes use to perform at their highest level. The 5-component program is designed for the individual athlete just like a Division 1 strength trainer would design a program for one of their athletes. D1 is a recipient of the 2020 INC 5000 award!
As a D1 franchisee, you will be part of a Turn-Key program. You’ll never have to write your own workouts and their home office will support you with training employees, marketing to the community, site selection, and buildout along with much more.
Testimonials
Hear from Our Current Fitness Franchise Owners
The verdict is in: Owning a D1 Training franchise is unlike any other fitness business. And there is no one better to explain the fitness franchise ownership experience better than some of our current owners. The success of D1 Training is dependent on the success of our franchisees, and their happiness and satisfaction are ours as well. We value what they think about their experience with our non-traditional gym franchise. Take a look and listen to what some franchisees have to say and then take the first step toward ownership today!
“As a relatively new franchisee to the system, having gone through the process, I can say that the D1 Home Office team has been there for me each step. D1 is building a national brand that will differentiate itself among the big box and boutique gym.”
– Len Stavish, D1 Bergen County
“D1 offers so many tangible benefits, but it’s the intangible that keeps me here. Owning a facility that encourages, drives, and builds every person that walks through these doors is not just a dream but now a reality!”
– Kitten DuPreez, D1 Colorado Springs
Publicity
The D1 Sotry
D1 Ranks on 2020 Inc 5000!
https://vimeo.com/449859296
D1 Facility Walk-Through
https://vimeo.com/407274697
Unit Option
Single, Multiple
Background
FDD Franchised Units: 127
Corporate Owned Units: 1
Projected New Units: 33
Year Established: 2001
First Year Franchised: 2016
Type of Business: Franchise
Number of Employees: Medium (6-20)
History:
THE D1 TRAINING STORY
A FITNESS FRANCHISE THAT’S A STEP ABOVE THE REST
Will Bartholomew’s passion is to bring the experience of professional and collegiate athletes to everyone everywhere through his fitness franchise. A Nashville native, Bartholomew spent four years setting the pace for the offensive line of the University of Tennessee Volunteers. By 2001, it seemed a professional football career was all but certain, and as an undrafted free agent, Will started to practice with the Denver Broncos.
Then, shortly before the season began, the unthinkable: the SEC standout went down in practice with a career-ending injury, essentially tearing every ligament holding his knee together. He came home to recover and map out the rest of his life, and it wasn’t too long before he was missing the turf and training of a Division 1 school. At the same time, people were fascinated by his story.
“I was getting asked by a lot of people how I had made it to Denver,” Will says. “I began to feel like there needed to be a place for athletes to go, to experience the intensity of training and the coaches, breathing life in you and encouraging you to get to that next level. That was the start of D1 Training.”
Will found a small place for rent in a Nashville community, just 2,500 sq. ft. of open space. He set about doing the work himself, installing patio cover for a turf surface, laying out the weight room, painting, and whatever else was needed to get the first D1 Training location open. Will kept his ultimate goal in mind.
“What I really wanted to do was provide the general community, everyday people, the same experience I had as a Division 1 athlete — unbelievable coaching, someone to ask about nutrition, a therapist — all in the same environment where they could come and have that Division 1-styled experience that so many athletes around the country get to experience, and to bring this experience to their communities and everyday lives,” says Will, who now serves as the company’s CEO.
THE D1 TRAINING FITNESS FRANCHISE BEGINS
By 2016, just a few years in, Will had grown to 32 locations across the southeastern U.S., and he was getting inquiries from people interested in bringing D1 Training to their communities. The response was amazing to Will and his team.
“We just had so many inquiries from people in different cities wanting to be in this business,” Will says. “Franchising made a lot of sense. For us, it was a no-brainer to bring people in.”
In early 2016, D1 Training Franchise began operations. Since that time, fitness franchise locations have opened in cities and towns across the country, and hundreds of entrepreneurs are considering bringing the D1 mindset to their markets.
A BUSINESS DRIVEN BY A MISSION
Will relishes being in the gym, working with athletes, and helping guide them towards their goals. Ultimately, that’s the mission of D1 Training — to help every person become an athlete, not just in form, but in mentality as well.
“It’s not just being physically fit,” Will says. “It’s having the right mindset, the ability to tackle a goal and run after it, and surrounding yourself with people in your life who are motivating you and encouraging you towards that goal.”
That’s why D1 Training clients are called athletes. Everyone has the potential to become an athlete, to live up to the aspirations of character and performance that define the D1 Training franchise. Will’s mission is infectious, too.
“I’m excited for the possibilities for these owners to change and impact their communities,” Will says. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had a pro athlete come up to me and say, ‘I started training at D1 when I was in high school.’ How cool is that?”
Availability
Territories: United States
Financials
Liquidity: $250,000
*Investment Range: $161,750 - $711,123
**Average Investment: $235,250 - $670,290
Provided by the Franchisor
Minimum Net Worth: $250,001, to $500,000
Franchise Fee: $59,500
Royalty: 7%
Royalty Description: The greater of (i) seven percent (7%) of Gross Sales, or (ii) the Minimum Royalty Fee.
Advertising: Our then-current requirement; currently, $100 per day.
National Advertising: $250 per month.
Passive Ownership: Semi- passive at onset (they can hire a manager to run business)
Passive Ownership means the owner is working 15 hours or less per week in the business.
Available Discounts
- Veterans
Discount Description: Veteran Program: We will discount the amount of 10% off of either your franchise fee or your total area Development Fee if you are a veteran of the United States armed forces and provide the necessary documentation to verify that you are a retired or honorably discharged veteran.
Training, Support and Assistance
Co-Operative Advertising: N/A
Site Selection Assistance: Available
Lease Negotiation Assistance: N/A
Length of Training: Approximately 1 week
Training Description:
Training & Support Go Hand-In-Hand
Our comprehensive training programs cover every aspect of the fitness business, from how to run the billing system to designing workouts and scheduling staff. This training program provides you with the solid foundation of knowledge and experience you’ll need to open a thriving D1 Training franchise.
You’ll attend a three-day, extensive training at our home office and flagship fitness facility in Nashville, TN, and when you leave, your training continues with self-guided study, nearly constant contact with support staff, and an extensive network of other franchise owners and their staff.
We’re building a fitness community at D1 Training, and that means you’re part of an ecosystem of support and knowledge. When questions arise, chances are you’re not the first to have that question and someone will have an answer they’re eager to share.
Initial Training
Turn-Key Franchise Support for:
- Site Selection
- Marketing
- Workout Creation
- Operations
- Staff Training
- Presales Process
- D1 will personally help you vet and train your general manager.
- A Master Coach will help support training the franchisee’s head coach, training coaches,
and periodically be on-site for and support the D1 Certification of the coaches. - 100s of hours of online training modules for best practices, operations, sales, etc.
- The National Head of General Managers will support the franchisee’s general manager, and offer support throughout the opening.
- The Field Support Team will provide ongoing support.
Ongoing Support
- Amazing pre-sales process focused on marketing and customer acquisition with an onsite support team at the facility prior to opening your location. This process brings an average of 100-150 pre-sold memberships prior to opening D1’s doors.
- Hiring support from Home Office – Assistance in hiring GM and Coaches
- Weekly Field Support Communication
- PR support
- Provide Level 1 D1 Certification
Operational and Marketing Tools:
Our Fitness Franchise Development Team Has Your Back
Whether it’s through our comprehensive training programs or highly visible brand image and marketing, D1 training positions you for long-term revenue growth. From Day 1 of your decision to become a D1 Training fitness franchise owner, you’re on a path to opening a cutting-edge fitness facility that caters to an elite clientele dedicated to their health and wellbeing. At the same time, you’re not on the journey alone. It is part of our mission to ensure that you are trained and prepared to open one of our top gym franchises.
We’ve assembled one of the best teams in franchising to help you navigate the often complex path of opening a fitness facility, and we’re there every step of the way to guide you through lease negotiations, remodeling and construction, equipment purchases, and hiring and training staff. Here are just a few of the many ways we’re helping position you to succeed.
Marketing Strategies
- Annual Promotional Calendar
- Creative marketing pieces for turn-key marketing campaigns
- Public Relation Opportunities
- Turn-key Social media campaign collateral
Manuals
- Coaching/Training Manual
- Sales Manual
- Operations Manual
- Marketing Manual and Brand Guide
Technology
- D1 Intranet Portal
- D1 branded MindBody Business Point of Sales System (analytics/reporting)
- D1 branded MindBody App for consumers
- Franchisee General Manager Message Board / Dedicated channel
Financing Assistance: N/A
