572: When Megaformers Turn Into a Megabrand: Meet Amanda Freeman, the Founder of SLT and Stretch*d and learn how she's built a wellness empire

Here’s what we’re talking about in this episode:

• Overview of Amanda Freeman's fitness brand, SLT - Amanda Freeman, founder of boutique fitness brand SLT, discusses the high-intensity Pilates workout that has swept New York City and New England.

• Growth trajectory and acquisition strategy of SLT - Freeman talks about the early days of SLT as a passion project, its growth trajectory, and the decision to partner with private equity to fund expansion and acquisitions.

• Challenges of acquisitions in the fitness industry - Freeman explains the difficulties of acquiring other fitness studios and the need to carefully consider factors such as employee contracts and landlord negotiations.

• Franchising versus corporate ownership in the fitness industry - Freeman discusses her initial hesitancy towards franchising and the challenges of balancing corporate overhead with the need for expansion.

• Impact of COVID-19 on the fitness industry - Freeman touches on the challenges faced by the fitness industry during the pandemic and how it affected SLT's growth.

• Compensation and performance in the fitness industry - Freeman discusses the issue of compensating employees based on performance and the challenges faced with managing remote locations.

Links:

https://studiogrow.co/

https://stretchdspace.com/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-freeman-95b61614/