“I’m in the Business of Changing People’s Lives for the Better” – Andrew Simmons from Vision Personal Training

Eden Exchange  sat down with Andrew Simmons, Founder and CEO of Vision Personal Training Franchises. Andrew discussed with us the growth journey of Vision Personal Training, the long term vision of the company and what it take to be a successful franchise in the booming health and training sector in Australia.

Eden Exchange
Thanks for speaking with us Andrew. Can you tell us about what you were doing prior to founding Vision Personal Training? What inspired the idea?

Andrew Simmons
Prior to founding Vision I was a national trainer with group exercise program creator, Les Mills. Les Mills disrupted the group exercise space by creating choreographed streamlined classes that were challenging for regular gym goers and also catered to beginners. Seeing this unfold first hand throughout Australia and New Zealand inspired me to create a similar approach in the personal training space. Personal Training has always been seen as an additional extra for those who hold gym memberships. I saw the gap in the market and the need to change the common perception of personal trainingm so I started Vision; a studio where the membership price includes goal setting, a tailored nutrition plan and an exercise regime which includes at least two personal training sessions per week.

Eden Exchange
How big is the market for personal training in Australia? Why is franchising the best approach to your growth strategy?

Andrew Simmons
The group of people who are open to investing in their health and wellbeing is growing as the population ages. Baby boomers who have concerns about their health and are motivated to prevent the onset of lifestyle diseases such as obesity and diabetes are now willing to invest in their health. They realise the return is longevity and a greater quality of life.

I chose to grow my business via a franchise model as it gives those in Vision, namely the studio owners and budding studio owners, more ownership and a larger return on investment. Above all else I value my people and the franchise models gives Vision employees a greater opportunity to grow their career.

Eden Exchange
You have over 50 franchises in Australia and have a goal of opening 100 Vision Personal Training studios across Australia and New Zealand by 2020. What are your plans to achieve this? What are the key challenges you think you will be facing?

Andrew Simmons
As a company we are committed to our goal of achieving 100 Vision Personal Training studios across Australia and New Zealand by 2020. We plan to get there by providing guaranteed results to a niche network of people who want to become healthier through premium one-on-one personal training and group training sessions across Australia and New Zealand. This objective was created for Vision studio owners and employees who are investing their time and money. They want to know that we have a plan for them to grow in the company and that there’s a vision for the company’s growth. I always make sure our people know where we are now and where we intend to be in three and five years from now. Creating and sharing this strategy, ensures my team is on board with the company’s goal and that everyone is working together cohesively.

The key challenge we will face in achieving our goal will be to find the right people. This is why Vision’s on-boarding process of new franchise owners is extensive. If a potential franchise owner approaches me and tells me that they are tossing up between investing in either a Vision studio or a fast food franchise, I immediately let them know that Vision isn’t for them. We are looking for individuals who are passionate about improving the lives of everyday Australians and reducing the prevalence of lifestyle diseases.

Eden Exchange
What advice do you have for someone looking to run a franchise for the first time? What’s the key message you tell new franchisees?

Andrew Simmons
Buying into a franchise is a great option for those looking to change career paths, become their own boss or simply want to be part of a supportive network. Firstly, when considering which franchise to buy into, make sure it’s in an industry you’re passionate about and that it’s the right company within that industry. Investing in a franchise is not a decision that should be made lightly. I implore all those interested to really do your research on the company and its people. What do they stand for? Do you feel you share the same goals? Ensure you meet with them face to face to sense if you have a connection.

Once you have done your research, look within and reflect on your own personal goals and assess whether or not they align with the company. Follow your moral compass and don’t get swept up in the trends. Ultimately if you want a successful business, my advice is stick to understanding your own ‘why’ and follow it. When your work is linked to your life’s purpose, you have the luxury of never working a day in your life. If you are thinking about undergoing change, ask yourself why the change is important? Will this change add value to your customer’s’ life, or is it self-serving?

Eden Exchange
What differentiates you from other personal training and fitness set ups currently in the market?

Andrew Simmons
I learnt early on just how important it is to create opportunities for career growth in order to retain the right employees. It goes without saying that in a franchise network, employees have a lot more opportunities to grow their career. In the case of Vision, many employees start out as a personal trainer, but when they are taken through the initial mentor program we run in every studio, they are introduced to all available avenues. They are encouraged to think about where they want to be career-wise, in the short and long term. Personal trainers have the opportunity to progress to master trainers, studio managers, franchise owners, multiple franchise owners, as well as positions in the headquarters team such as Head of PT Operation and General Manager. Through every employee’s unique career path, we are there to direct them to and support them through the tertiary education and training required to take the next step in their career path.

From a client perspective, what we term the #VisionDifference is the high level of care everyone who walks into a Vision studio feels. All trainers know all members on a first name basis and know how serious we are about helping them achieve their goals with our weight loss money back guarantee.

Eden Exchange
In your opinion, what makes for a successful Vision Personal Training franchise owner? Is it experience, attitude or something else?

Andrew Simmons
Vision is designed for individuals who are passionate about improving the lives of everyday Australians and reducing the prevalence of lifestyle diseases. This attitude is the most important aspect of a successful Vision franchise owner. Internally, we have amazing resources, processes and procedures in place that educate and support our franchise owners on their journey toward becoming great business people.

Eden Exchange
The recent trend seems to be heading towards people becoming more aware and investing more time into their health, what is your take on this? Are there any other key trends that franchise buyers and sellers in your sector should be looking out for?

Andrew Simmons
There is certainly a trend of more people prioritising their health, and investing in it. There are a number of contributing factors; more health awareness campaigns about lifestyle diseases; baby boomers retiring and having more time on their hands; people living longer and wanting to hold on to or improve their quality of life.

People are also more interested in a holistic approach when it comes to health and fitness. It’s about following a program that is nutritionally sound, keeps you active and energised and gives you the freedom to be social. Vision’s programs are built with this in mind and all clients are encouraged to live a balanced life.

Be mindful of franchises that try to grow and expand too quickly. Often, they don’t have the infrastructure and capabilities to support their franchises effectively.

Eden Exchange
What are some of the key achievements you are proud of since founding this company? On the other hand, what have been some challenges getting the company to where it is today?

Andrew Simmons
We’ve always invested in our people. Something I’m really proud of is that our business growth is almost all together organic and has stemmed from word of mouth referral from those who either work in, or are clients of the business. Twenty four studios out of the current sixty, were established by PTs or their contacts, who worked at the original studio.

A key challenge is trying to focus on growth vs control. The balance between the two can be challenging at times.

Eden Exchange
What’s the best part of your job? What drives you to do what you do?

Andrew Simmons
For me, the best part of job is that I get the opportunity to work on two things I’m passionate about every day; helping our employees learn and grow, which leads into helping our clients achieve results.

One of my favourite sayings is, “choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”. I’ve done exactly that. I’m in the business of changing people’s lives for the better – this is the driving force behind everything I do from paperwork to speaking opportunities.

Eden Exchange
Thanks for your time Andrew.

Andrew Simmons
Thanks for having me. If anyone’s interested in learning more about the Vision story, they can head to the Vision Website.

 

About Vision Personal Training

Vision Personal Training has been operating since August 1999 and the first studio was opened in Caringbah, Sydney in February 2001. The company has been franchising since July 2004. Its rapid growth saw it win the Franchise Council of Australia’s Emerging Franchise of the Year Award in NSW / ACT in 2008.