He Built 5 OrangeTheory's (then sold to private equity)

Bret Borock co-owned 5 Orangetheory franchises, one which was a top 10 location in the country. At the peak, they were printing cash. But when COVID hit, he nearly lost it all.... LISTEN TO EMPIRES ON SPOTIFY, APPLE, ETC. https://pod.link/1813581458 • If you're a multi-unit franchisee selling your locations, get in touch: https://www.fdcapitalgroup.com • If you're interested in buying a franchise, reach out: https://www.frandawgs.com/buy-a-franc... CHAPTERS 00:00 - How he discovered Orangetheory 02:55 - Why Orangetheory’s model stood out 07:00 - The founder story and early support system 11:30 - Launching their first studio in Ann Arbor 14:00 - How they opened with 500 members 16:30 - What made their studio top 10 in the country 20:00 - Hiring, retaining, and training elite coaches 24:30 - The buildout and investment required to open 28:30 - Scaling to multiple locations 33:00 - Preparing for an exit in early 2020 35:45 - How COVID destroyed the deal 38:00 - The painful rebuild after lockdowns 41:30 - Why they finally exited in 2024 43:30 - Transitioning from fitness to trash 45:00 - How the Smash My Trash model works 51:30 - Vertically integrating with Heavyweight Waste 55:00 - Smash vs Heavyweight: margins & operations 58:00 - The power of strong team culture 1:01:00 - Leadership lessons and what’s next