Franchise Secrets Podcast From $5 an Hour to Majority Owner of a 200-Unit Franchise
Jerry Pugh went from making $5 an hour as a paramedic to owning 19+ Workout Anytime gyms—and then shocked the franchise world by buying the entire 200-unit brand. Everyone said it was impossible. Private equity experts said no way. Yet Jerry made it happen and now leads the company as CEO.
In this episode of Franchise Secrets, Jerry shares how he scaled fast, knew when to close a failing location, negotiated with landlords, attracted private equity, and ultimately pulled off a once-in-a-lifetime majority ownership deal.
If you’re an entrepreneur, franchisee, or dream of building something big, this story will light a fire under you. 💥
⏱ Timestamps
00:00 – Everyone said it couldn’t be done: the impossible franchise deal
02:20 – From paramedic to first Workout Anytime franchise purchase
05:40 – Lessons learned closing a money-losing location
09:30 – Planting the seed to one day own the brand
13:45 – Innovating early with wellness suites & bigger gyms
17:50 – How premium amenities doubled lifetime customer value
22:10 – Cutting churn & boosting retention with smart engagement
26:45 – Building trust and relationships as a first-time franchisor CEO
29:50 – Teaching franchisees to scale and attract private equity
33:30 – Pulling off a rare majority-ownership deal with debt & equity
39:30 – Jerry’s final advice: work harder, take risks, see opportunities others miss
Connect with Erik Van Horn:
🌐 Website - https://franchisesecrets.com/
📷 Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/erikvanhorn/
👍 Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/erik.v.horn/
💼 LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanhorn/
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#Franchising #Entrepreneurship #Grit