From Member to Franchisor: Building a Hybrid Gym Brand for Everyday Australians with Sam Waller

What does it take to go from gym member to national franchisor? In this episode of Profit Made Simple, host Dan Henderson sits down with Sam Waller, national franchisor of Stepz Fitness, to unpack a journey that started with a broken back in grade ten, a walk-out from a university business lecture, and a promise to buy his local gym within three months. Sam shares how twelve banks knocked him back before a member backed him, why he skipped multiple clubs and went straight to master franchisee, and how watching the 24/7 chains grow like wildfire led him to combine 24/7 access and functional group training under one roof. With the brand heading past 30 locations by the end of the year, he and Dan get into why Stepz wants members to actually turn up, and why that runs against how much of the industry makes its money. They also cover: Why visitation is the metric that drives retention, and how Sam gets franchisees to track it and care about it Testing every big change in his own clubs first, including the regional openings in Dubbo, Lismore and Muswellbrook that no one else in the network wanted Getting clear on who Stepz is for (busy parents, retirees and anyone intimidated by big-box gyms) and who it isn't for The franchisor-franchisee relationship: treating it like a marriage, knowing your agreement and exit, and raising problems early in the right forum The road to 100 clubs by 2035, protecting territories, choosing the regions over "ego play" locations, and eventually looking overseas Our favourite quotable moments: "We want members to come." – Sam Waller "If you want to change something, be the change." – Sam Waller "I'd love to be the emerging underdog." – Sam Waller "You've got to be willing to do the dirty stuff that no one else is doing." – Sam Waller Resources: Dan Henderson - Website, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Sam Waller - LinkedIn, Instagram, Stepz Fitness, Stepz Fitness Franchising About Guest: Sam Waller is the national franchisor of Stepz Fitness, an Australian-owned gym franchise with clubs across Queensland, New South Wales, the ACT and South Australia. He started at Stepz as a member, became a personal trainer, bought his first club in his early twenties, and worked his way up to master franchisee and then franchisor. He created the hybrid model that pairs 24/7 gym access with functional group training, and he's known for testing ideas in his own clubs before asking franchisees to follow. He also went back and completed a law degree while running the business. About Dan: Dan Henderson, founder of Fitness Profit, is a coach and business consultant who helps fitness owners achieve more freedom, impact, and income. With over a decade of experience in the industry, Dan is a well-respected leader, owning two successful businesses within the space: Fitness Profit and Australia's largest fitness conference, Filex. As a published author and entrepreneur, Dan shares his knowledge on the Profit Made Simple podcast, where he interviews industry experts and offers practical advice for growing your fitness business, building your brand, and achieving your goals. Join Dan each week and take your fitness business to new heights with Profit Made Simple. Related: gym franchising, fitness business, hybrid gym model, 24/7 gyms, group fitness, member retention, franchisor leadership, franchisee relationships, regional growth, customer experience, entrepreneurship, business growth