One of the top wellness trends of 2024, Pilates is rapidly taking over the nation. JetSet Pilates, a Miami-based boutique fitness franchise, is capitalizing, expanding well beyond its home state with studios planned across the U.S. and internationally.

Known as a “modern Reformer Pilates experience,” JetSet offers 50-minute workouts guided by curated playlists. Eight studios are open, with twelve in development across Tampa, West Palm Beach, Orlando, Doral, Coral Gables, North Miami, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest and Aventura.

Outside of the Sunshine State, JetSet has signed several development deals throughout Texas (McKinney) North Carolina, New York City (SoHo) and Georgia while the brand eyes 600 franchised studios across the U.S. as it expands. JetSet also has an agreement signed in Australia.

“JetSet is dedicated to cultivating a robust franchise community, grounded in trust and enriched by comprehensive support and training, to ensure our partners excel in delivering Pilates experiences,” said Bert Albertse, CEO of JetSet Pilates. “Each and every JetSet instructor is trained to create personal connections with clients so everyone can reach their personal goals.”

Pilates Power

Pilates has come a long way since it was developed in the early 20th century by Joseph Pilates, a German physical trainer who created the movement system while suffering the experience of being a prisoner of war, finding that movement and stretching were key to the human body.

Fast-forward to 2024, and the whole-body exercise modality is renowned for increasing flexibility, building strength and rehabbing injuries. The Pilates boom has also hit TikTok, with #PinkPilatesPrincess and #PilatesPrincess trending, further spreading the practice among young social media users who embrace fitness, wellness and ‘ballet core.’

Tamara Galinsky, JetSet Pilates founder, has long known the benefits of the practice, taking a leap of faith to launch the fitness brand in 2010. She recently spoke with Athletech News in an exclusive interview about JetSet’s remarkable growth, crediting the brand’s immersive class experience and certified instructors.

“Each session at JetSet is not just a pilates class; it’s a meticulously curated journey,” Galinsky told ATN in February. “What began as a single studio has burgeoned into five corporate locations, with 29 franchised locations in development and poised to expand to over 600 franchised studios domestically. This journey has been nothing short of extraordinary.”

Although she had desired to move to a franchise model early on, Galinsky said she was mindful of doing it at the right time and only after assembling the best in the industry.

“Today, I can confidently affirm that our franchising team possesses a level of expertise that few, if any, emerging brands can boast at this stage,” she said.

JetSet Lands in Australia

As for its international endeavors, Kathryn Woodfine, JetSet franchise owner, is bringing the boutique Pilates experience to the Australian market. Enthusiastic about the brand and the workout, she shared that the experience is unmatched.

“As a fitness enthusiast who has tried just about every group fitness class out there, I’ve found JetSet to be unrivaled and am confident it will thrive in Australia and around the world,” Woodfine said.

While Melbourne will be JetSet’s first international location, the Pilates franchise plans to focus on establishing flagship studios in other influential cities.

“Our team is dedicated to empowering franchise partners with operating systems, financial planning tools, technology, training, support and products that are second to none,” said Sarah Buie, head of franchise development. “We are passionate about these partnerships and bringing JetSet to communities worldwide.” 

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Prime IV Hydration & Wellness has experienced a 120% year-over-year rate of growth for its rapidly growing IV therapy franchise — a hot sector as consumers look for non-invasive methods to support their wellness goals.

The IV therapy brand says 2023 was its most significant to date, successfully ending the year with 108 open spas and nearly 245 sold in just its third year of franchising. In the last year alone, Prime IV Hydration and Wellness opened 59 spas, representing a 120% YOY growth rate for the franchise and an increase from the 113% growth Prime IV posted in 2022. 

Driving its development is the growing awareness of intravenous wellness methods and the demand for them in markets nationwide, notes the IV therapy brand. Looking ahead, Prive IV is planning to open an additional 97 spas this year, eyeing 750 franchise locations by the end of 2027.

“Educating communities on the efficacy of IV therapy has often seemed like an uphill battle,” said Prime IV founder and CEO Amy Neary, who founded the brand in 2017. “It’s not easy leading the charge and driving acceptance for a holistic health alternative most people don’t know exists. But to see how far the brand has come, how quickly we’ve gotten here, to have opened our 100th location after just three years, it makes me confident that the narrative is changing drastically.”

In addition to its growth, the wellness franchise secured the top spot in the IV therapy category on Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500 list and was named a Top Franchise for 2024 by Franchise Business Review.

“The feats of accomplishment we came by this past year exceeded anything we could have expected, especially being a relatively new concept in the field,” Neary added. “But now, our team is buzzing with anticipation, looking ahead at the milestones, new territories and systemwide developments we plan to see in 2024.”

A Stream of Vitamins…& Revenue

IV therapy certainly has become an intriguing modality for wellness newcomers and has led to a surge in franchise growth and even cross-partnerships.

LondonCryo, a London-based wellness clinic, partnered with Reviv Global last year to integrate IV drip therapies into its whole-body cryotherapy offerings. Clients can select from customized therapies for advanced athletic performance, recovery, or physical and mental wellness. 

Restore Hyper Wellness, a boutique wellness franchise with over 225 locations, recently launched a new personalized weight management program that combines medication like Ozempic and Wegovy with its signature therapeutic approach to wellness and health — such as IV drip therapy. The wellness franchise plans to open 500 locations in the next five years. 

iCryo is also making a name for itself as the recovery and wellness brand expects 2024 to be its biggest growth year yet as it enters the European market. In addition to cryotherapy and red light therapy, the brand offers an expansive menu of IV infusion services for immunity, hydration, overall health, anti-aging, brain health and metabolism. 

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Mark Wahlberg, investor, chief brand officer and well-known face of F45 Training, is investing in his own F45 studios for the first time, partnering with Club Sports Group (CSG) to expand the functional fitness and HIIT franchise in the Boston area.

CSG, the world’s largest F45 franchisee by studio count, currently operates three F45 Training locations near Beantown in Swampscott, Weymouth and Westford, Massachusetts.

Following Wahlberg and CSG’s first F45 studio at 99 Summer Street in the Boston Financial District last month, the two are slated to open a North End F45 studio at 111 North Street in the first quarter of this year. 

“Given his longstanding collaboration with F45 Training, working with Mark to make fitness more accessible than ever across Boston is a dream come true,” said Travis Frenzel, CEO of Club Sports Group. “Our second location, soon opening in the North End, has a special pre-opening offer for everyone looking for the best workout of their lives and what Mark incorporates to reach his own fitness goals.”

“The Family Plan” actor will continue to personally design his exclusive-to-F45 ‘Wahlberg Week’ workouts throughout the year, which encompass seven new routines across cardio, strength and hybrid training classes.

“It’s an honor to partner with Club Sports Group and expand the footprint of F45, the best group fitness approach on the planet, which has long impacted my own health and wellness journey right in my hometown of Boston,” Wahlberg said. “Returning to my roots, I see this as a great chance to improve the quality of life for everyone in the communities that are so close to my heart, and will be stopping by the studios every chance I get.”

Tom Dowd, who joined F45 as CEO in March and has a close business relationship with Wahlberg, recently spoke exclusively to Athletech News’ on the “Unscripted” podcast to discuss his vision for the fitness franchise, highlighting F45’s intentions to perhaps become more of a lifestyle brand and lean into retail.

F45 recently launched Vaura Pilates, a total-body conditioning athletic reformer Pilates concept, in New York City’s Upper East Side. The brand also recently debuted FS8, which offers 50 minutes of yoga, Pilates and toning.

Expanding into other fitness arenas is a key priority for F45 moving forward, Dowd has told ATN.

“We want to make sure we’re offering the different modalities to cater to everybody’s needs,” he said. “We’re very focused on toning, yoga and Pilates so that we offer something different to the marketplace.”

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As fitness and wellness continue to rack up consumer interest and spending, several franchises have made Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500 Ranking list, with Crunch Fitness taking the top spot among fitness brands and several Xponential Fitness brands also securing a place. 

Aside from flexing the power of the health and fitness franchise industry, Entrepreneur’s list reveals the strength of the franchise system and the lure of franchising as a lucrative business model for both budding and established entrepreneurs. 

The publication then evaluated the franchisors based on associated costs and fees, support, size and growth and brand strength.

Three Fitness Franchises Crack Top 100 

Three fitness centers/studios broke into the top hundred on the list, with Crunch Fitness (#29) taking the top spot in the category. 

The popular fitness franchise has been working on an aggressive expansion plan, while one top Michigan-based Crunch Fitness franchisee recently announced plans to open as many as 75 Crunch Fitness gyms with the support of a private equity firm.  

Following Crunch was Anytime Fitness (#77), which inked a deal with Apple Fitness+ to offer the service to its members. There are also growth plans in the works, as Omega Fitness, the second largest Anytime Fitness franchisee in the U.S., was acquired by a private equity firm late last year.

Heart-rate-based boutique fitness franchise Orangetheory Fitness secured the #96 spot. The fitness franchise has developed a loyal following and is now eyeing the U.K. as the “cornerstone” of its international growth strategy. Orangetheory recently forged a deal to acquire and expand its London studios. 

Xponential Brands Make Their Mark

Club Pilates ranked at #202, securing the top Pilates fitness franchise title. Regarded as the most well-known and successful of Xponential’s eleven brands, the franchise has been targeting expansion in Europe. Xponential also saw Pure Barre rank on the list at #224, as the brand sees strong demand in Japan as well as North America.

Notably, only one assisted stretching franchise made the top 500 list: StretchLab, which ranked at #356. Another Xponential-backed fitness franchise, StretchLab, opened an assisted stretching location every three days last year. 

Xponential’s CycleBar also took the single indoor cycling franchise spot at #411. Similarly, only one yoga franchise cracked the top ten — Xponential’s YogaSix at #472. The boutique yoga franchise has grown across the U.S. and even at sea, with a presence on Princess Cruises. 

From Boutique to Big Box

Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500 Ranking list also highlighted the top contenders in specific fitness and wellness spaces. As demand for personal training continues to grow, The Exercise Coach, a personal training franchise, took the top spot in the category at #159. 

A fitness pioneer, Gold’s Gym took the #176 spot. The long-standing fitness powerhouse brand bolstered its leadership last year with the appointment of two co-CEOs.

Burn Boot Camp (#319) also made the list as the only camp-style fitness concept. A fast-growing 45-minute fitness franchise, Burn Boot Camp offers personal training in a small group setting, ensuring clients get focused attention with its results-driven sessions. 

Mayweather Boxing + Fitness took the top boxing and functional training spot at #357, while RockBox Fitness, a growing boxing, kickboxing and functional strength training franchise, grabbed #499 on the list.

D1 Training, an athletic training franchise with 100-plus facilities, also made the list at #446. Focusing on family workouts, group training and the untapped market of scholastic training, the D1 Training franchise plans to open 50 locations while another 100 are in development.

Wellness Brands Start To Emerge

In an era where busy consumers are looking for non-invasive treatments that promote longevity, energy and a feeling of overall wellness, wellness therapy and supplement franchises are set to flourish. 

Infrared sauna and red light therapy franchisors had strong representation with Perspire Sauna Studio taking the #336 spot. The franchise has been enjoying the “wellness boom,” especially as it zeros in on the Texas market.

Anti-aging and other wellness modalities such as IV therapy, cryotherapy and peptides were honored with Prime IV Hydration & Wellness following at #389. The wellness franchise operates in over 30 states and has been significantly expanding in Arizona.

A complete list of the health and wellness franchises that made Entrepreneur’s 2024 Franchise 500 can be found here. 

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Pvolve is expanding its leadership team, welcoming Stacey Heald as its new chief operating officer of franchise development and Alexis McDowel, a former Oura executive, as its first global vice president of communications. The news comes on the heels of a year of unprecedented franchise growth for the brand. 

Stacey Heald joins Pvolve with 20 years of experience in health and wellness and more than 15 years in corporate unit operations and the franchise industry. She was previously an executive vice president at Medi-Weightloss Franchising and a co-founder of LeHeal Biogenix, which provides non-surgical treatment options to those suffering from orthopedic issues.

In her new role as chief 0perating officer of franchise development, Heald will oversee Pvolve’s franchise strategy, operations and P&L. Her focus will be on fueling franchise expansion, enhancing operations and implementing strategic measures for sustainable growth.

“Pvolve’s unique franchise business stood out to me with its multi-revenue stream business model, proprietary equipment, and hybrid class experiences,” Heald said. “This role provides an exciting canvas to leverage my experience in healthcare and the franchise industry to optimize and grow an already successful franchise business. I believe in the method and look forward to working with the rest of the leadership team to continue Pvolve’s growth, further its commitment to wellness, and positively impact our members.”

Alexis McDowel, the newly appointed vice president of communications, will spearhead Pvolve’s global communications and public relations initiatives. McDowel brings over two decades of communication experience, including as VP of communications at Oura, where she led global PR for product partners, ambassadors, health experiences, and corporate, executive and internal communications. Her other leadership experience includes companies like Fitbit, Electronic Arts, Unity Technologies and LucasArts.

“After working at the intersection of health and technology for over a decade, including a global pandemic that saw the entire industry change at lightning speed, everyone is wondering what’s next,” McDowel said. “Pvolve’s clinically-backed workouts, made by women for women, and omnichannel approach of meeting consumers where they are, embody elements we’ve seen consumers gravitate towards.”

McDowel and Heald join Pvolve’s all-female leadership team, which includes founder Rachel Katzman, president Julie Cartwright, chief marketing and commercial officer Karina Kogan, and chief training officer Antonietta Vicario.  

Pvolve has had an eventful start to 2024, with continued franchise growth and the announcement of its Health Aging Study, which validated the brand’s fitness method in a clinical study.

Notably, Jennifer Aniston joined Pvolve last year as an advisor and has also starred in an ad campaign for the brand. Pvolve awarded 28 franchise licenses in 2023, bringing its total number of franchise locations to 40. Last year, five new studios were opened in San Diego and Carlsbad, California, Nashville, Tennessee, Victoria (British Colombia) and Calgary in Alberta, Canada.  

“At Pvolve, our success is all about the dedication of our fantastic leadership and team,” Katzman said. “Now, with experienced leaders like Stacey Heald to steer the franchise business and Alexis McDowel to elevate awareness through PR, we’re gearing up for even more growth. I can’t wait to see the milestones we’ll achieve together.”

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Planet Fitness is stepping up its advertising game. The “Judgment Free” gym franchise announced the launch of its PF Media Network. The project will operate as a multi-channel advertising solution, linking advertisers to Planet Fitness members both in-club and digitally across multiple channels with an intent to drive awareness and sales.

“We are thrilled to evolve our advertising solutions to provide agency teams, media buyers, and brands the opportunity to reach our more than 18 million Planet Fitness members,” said Sherrill Kaplan, chief digital officer at Planet Fitness. “Our member base represents a cross-section of the U.S. population across 2,400 clubs, skewing towards Gen Z and Millennials, which our advertising partners are eager to serve in dynamic and efficient ways.”

The PF Media Network’s content will filter into three different channels: in-club media, digital audiences and affiliate campaigns. 

• In-Club Media: Advertisers get the opportunity to reach Planet Fitness’ active and physically present members, communicating through TVs located throughout the gym, in its PF Black Card Spa and inside locker rooms.

• Digital Audiences: Permitting advertisers to reach Planet Fitness members via connected television, programmatic and social media outlets. This is accomplished through partnerships with LiveRamp, a leading data collaboration platform. 

• Affiliate Campaigns: The PF Media Network invites advertisers already participating in digital and in-club advertising opportunities to complement their outreach methods via email and the Planet Fitness app. Visible ad placement in these highly populated platforms promises to expand advertising partner conversion. 

Planet Fitness isn’t the first business to head down this advertising path, fitness or otherwise. Other non-retail companies who’ve recently moved to utilize their in-person and digital whereabouts with consumers include United Airlines, Uber and Lyft, according to Retail TouchPoints. Several gym chains have also run their own in-house advertising programs.

Now boasting over 18.5 million members, the most of any gym chain, Planet Fitness already represents one of the fastest-growing and most popular fitness brands in the industry. The franchise has found a winning formula in terms of targeting Gen-Z with its pricing, hours and culture. Applying the PF Media Network to that vast audience could mean even more growth is on the horizon.

This article has been updated with additional information on in-house advertising programs.

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A white-glove longevity center is opening four locations in Miami as consumers continue integrating non-invasive wellness therapies to look and feel vibrant.

Next Health, with a menu of services including NAD therapy, IV therapy, cryotherapy, infrared therapy, hyperbaric oxygen therapy, hormone optimization, ozone therapy and aesthetics, is expected to open its first center in the city later this year. The wellness concept has also entered into a multi-unit area development agreement with Dr. Thomas Philips, a board-certified orthopedic surgeon.

“Collaborating with Dr. Philips has not only been an absolute pleasure but also a testament to our shared commitment in succeeding on the mission of Next Health,” said Scott Svilich, chief operating officer of Next Health. “We have complete confidence in his expertise and dedication to our vision.”

The longevity franchise has existing clinics in California, Hawaii, and New York City, with plans to open in Tennessee and Dubai. 

Next Health founders Dr. Darshan Shah, CEO, and president Kevin Peake noted that they are excited to settle into the health and wellness-focused Miami, bringing longevity services to a broader audience. They founded Next Health in 2016 and are now offering franchising opportunities. 

“Our Miami community recognizes the growing demand for diagnostic and preventative health solutions, and we’re excited to unveil our best-in-class approach and cutting-edge technologies, heralding a new era in wellness and longevity,” they said in a joint statement. “Having witnessed transformative results in the U.S., we are devoted to aiding individuals in achieving optimal health and well-being, and we are confident that our expansion into Miami will bring about remarkable changes in the lives of many.”

Franchise partner requirements include $600,000 in liquid capital with $1.5 million in net worth.

Wellness franchises like Next Health continue to expand nationwide as consumers increasingly embrace longevity, anti-aging and recovery treatments. Restore Hyper Wellness, Perspire Sauna Studio and SweatHouz have all inked recent expansion deals and are actively looking to add more locations in the U.S.

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