How to Finance a Fitness Together Franchise: Private Studios
By Anthony Cornella
A Fitness Together franchise loan funds a different kind of fitness business from a gym with a crowded floor. Clients train one-on-one or in very small groups with a personal trainer inside private training suites, so the studio is compact, the equipment list is modest and the biggest operating cost is the coaching team. That shifts what lenders focus on: trainer staffing, client retention and how session packages turn into steady monthly revenue.
Below: what the studio model means for a loan, what to pull from the disclosure document, how the brand’s SBA Franchise Directory notes work and which financing fits a new or established studio.
US Professional Funding is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by Fitness Together; the name is used only to describe the business. Figures from the franchisor’s disclosure document can change, loan programs and terms vary by lender and borrower, and every loan is subject to lender review and approval. Nothing here is legal, tax or investment advice.
Fitness Together Franchise Loan at a Glance
- Concept: personal training studios built around private training suites, with customized programs that combine workouts, nutrition support and accountability coaching, plus virtual coaching options.
- History: one of the longest-running personal training franchises in the United States, now part of a larger multi-brand wellness franchise company.
- Revenue model: recurring client programs and session packages sold by the studio’s trainers.
- Franchise fee, royalty and investment range: we could not verify these from the franchisor’s own published materials; see Items 5, 6 and 7 of the current Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD).
- SBA Franchise Directory: listed as Fitness Together (code S0650), with three notes covering the lease rider, a real estate purchase option and lien position.
What Is Fitness Together?
Fitness Together built its brand on a simple promise: a client gets a trainer’s full attention in a private space, away from the mirrors and crowds of a big gym. Each studio is divided into training suites, and programs are tailored to the individual, with nutrition guidance and regular check-ins to keep clients on track. The brand also supports coaching through virtual platforms, which lets a studio keep serving clients who travel or cannot come in.
The model appeals to clients who want results and privacy more than amenities, which often means an older, higher-income customer than a typical gym member. For an owner, the business looks more like a professional services firm than a health club: revenue depends on how many client hours the trainers can deliver and how long clients stay.
How lenders see a personal training studio. A lender sees modest hard assets and a business that lives or dies on people. That makes owner involvement, trainer recruiting and client retention central to the credit decision. Our article on what lenders review in a gym loan package lays out the documents they expect.
Fitness Together Franchise Costs
We could not confirm a current franchise fee, royalty or Item 7 range from the franchisor’s own pages, so we do not quote one here. Request the current FDD: Item 5 gives the initial fee, Item 6 the ongoing fees and Item 7 the estimated initial investment, broken into line items.
Initial franchise fee
Read Item 5 for the amount, when it is due, refund terms and any discounts for additional studios or particular groups of buyers. Lenders usually treat the fee as part of the project cost, funded either by your injection or within the loan.
Lease and build-out
Studios are typically small retail or office spaces. The build-out centers on dividing the space into private suites with good sound control, plus a welcome area, a restroom and possibly a changing area. Because the footprint is small, rent and construction usually cost less than a full gym, but finish quality matters to a premium client.
Equipment
Each suite needs a compact package: a functional trainer or cable system, a bench, dumbbells, a cardio piece, mats and accessories, plus a sound system and technology for scheduling, billing and client tracking.
Opening costs and working capital
Pre-opening marketing, trainer hiring and certification, initial training with the franchisor, insurance, deposits and rent during build-out come first. The Item 7 additional funds line covers an initial operating period; a studio that is slow to fill its trainers’ schedules will need more.
Item 7 categories to review in the FDD:
- Initial franchise fee
- Security deposits and rent before opening
- Leasehold improvements for private training suites
- Training equipment for each suite
- Computer, software and audio systems
- Furniture, décor and signage
- Grand-opening marketing
- Training, travel and trainer certification
- Insurance, licenses and professional fees
- Additional funds for the initial operating period
Ongoing Fees and How They Affect Your Loan
Item 6 lists the royalty, any brand fund or advertising contribution, technology fees, transfer and renewal fees and any required refresh of the studio.
Trainer payroll comes first. In a personal training studio, coach compensation is usually the largest expense, ahead of rent. Lenders add payroll, every franchise fee and rent to the budget, then test whether the remaining cash flow covers debt payments with a cushion. They also look at how clients pay: prepaid packages bring cash in early but create an obligation to deliver sessions later.
Franchisor Requirements for New Owners
We could not verify published net worth or liquid capital minimums from the franchisor’s own materials, so ask for them during discovery and confirm them in the FDD. Expect the franchisor to look for candidates who can lead a team of trainers, sell programs to clients and stay involved in the community.
The usual path is an inquiry, an application with a financial statement, FDD delivery, discovery conversations, territory and site approval, signing and initial training.
Ways to Own a Fitness Together
Opening a new studio. A start-up is underwritten on projections, so lenders look hard at your plan to recruit trainers and fill their schedules. Our page on fitness center start-up financing covers new openings.
Buying an established studio. Because the brand has franchised for many years, established studios do change hands. A resale brings a client list, trainers and billing history, and the franchisor must approve the transfer. Our guide to buying an existing gym covers the deal steps, and our page on fitness center acquisition financing explains how purchases are funded.
Financing Options for a Fitness Together Franchise
SBA 7(a) loans. SBA 7(a) loans can cover the franchise fee, build-out, equipment, opening marketing and working capital, or the purchase price of an existing studio, subject to program rules. The 7(a) program maximum is currently $5 million, and program rules can change.
SBA 504 loans. Most studios lease. If you buy a small commercial condo or building for the studio, SBA 504 loans may fit the real estate.
Conventional loans. Owners with strong credit, collateral and a track record, such as existing studio owners adding a location, may qualify for conventional business loans.
Equipment financing. Functional trainers, benches, cardio pieces and technology can be financed or leased separately. See our page on fitness equipment financing and leasing. Your primary lender will count that debt.
Working capital and lines of credit. A new studio pays trainers and rent while it builds its client roster, and holidays and summer travel can slow sessions. Our page on fitness center working capital explains short-term options.
Seller financing on resales. A retiring owner may carry part of the price. A seller note is typically subordinate to the primary loan, and SBA rules may limit how it is structured.
SBA Loans for Fitness Together Franchisees
SBA-backed loans come from participating lenders, with an SBA guarantee covering part of the loan. For a franchise, the lender also checks that the franchise agreement leaves the owner in control of the business, and the SBA Franchise Directory simplifies that check. Our article on SBA loans for gyms and fitness centers explains the programs.
The directory listing. Fitness Together appears on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S0650. The listing helps the lender’s review of the franchise documents; it does not approve any borrower or guarantee a loan.
What the directory notes mean.
- Lease rider. When the real estate where the studio is located will secure the SBA loan, the franchisor’s lease rider may not be executed. The rider is built for leased space; if you or an affiliate own the property and pledge it, it does not apply.
- Purchase option. The franchisor may not enforce its purchase option on real estate owned by the franchisee or an affiliate and taken as collateral for the SBA loan. In plain English, the franchisor cannot use that option to buy your pledged building out from under the lender.
- Lien position. The lender or certified development company must obtain the lien position on all collateral that the SBA’s standard operating procedure (SOP 50 10) requires. Expect liens on equipment and business assets and a search to confirm nothing ranks ahead of them.
SBA application tips. Prepare the FDD and franchise agreement, a lease or letter of intent, build-out bids, equipment quotes, a trainer hiring plan, a sources and uses statement, personal financial statements, tax returns and résumés.
How Lenders Evaluate a Fitness Together Deal
Personal credit and financial history. Lenders review each owner’s credit, tax returns and debts, and owners of significant stakes typically guarantee the loan.
Net worth and liquidity. Lenders want to see your injection plus reserves to carry payroll while the studio fills.
Experience. A background in personal training, sales or managing a service team helps. Owners who will not train clients themselves should show who will lead the trainers day to day.
Business plan and projections. Build projections from trainer capacity: how many trainers, how many client sessions each can deliver, program pricing, client retention, payroll and every franchise fee.
The FDD and franchise agreement. Lenders review the term, renewal, transfer and default terms and want the franchise term to outlast the loan.
Site and lease. Convenience, parking and a lease that runs at least as long as the loan matter.
Historical financials on resales. For an existing studio, lenders study session and billing reports, active clients, trainer tenure, profit and loss statements and tax returns.
Prepaid Sessions and Trainer Retention
Two issues are more important in a personal training studio than in most fitness businesses. The first is prepaid revenue. When clients buy session packages in advance, the studio has collected cash for work it still owes. In a resale, the buyer and lender need to know how many unused sessions transfer with the business, because the buyer will deliver them without new income. Many purchase agreements adjust the price for that liability.
The second is trainer retention. Clients often follow a favorite trainer, so a studio whose revenue rests on one or two trainers carries more risk. Lenders and buyers ask how long trainers have been with the studio, how they are paid and what happens if one leaves.
Multi-Unit Growth and Development Agreements
A second studio can share marketing and management with the first, but it needs its own trainer team. Lenders usually wait until the first studio shows a stable roster and cash flow, then underwrite the expansion on global cash flow and remaining liquidity. SBA program limits apply across all of a borrower’s SBA loans. If you sign a development agreement, match its schedule to how quickly you can hire and fund.
Real-World Scenarios
A trainer becoming an owner. A veteran personal trainer opens a studio with an SBA 7(a) loan covering build-out, equipment and working capital while the roster grows.
A buyer of an established studio. A buyer acquires a studio with long-tenured trainers, using an SBA 7(a) loan and a small seller note, with the price adjusted for prepaid sessions.
An owner adding a second studio. An owner with a mature studio opens another in a nearby suburb, financing it with conventional debt supported by the first studio’s cash flow.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Borrowing before reading Items 5, 6 and 7 of the FDD
- Budgeting rent carefully but underestimating trainer payroll
- Ignoring prepaid session liabilities when buying a studio
- Relying on a single trainer for most revenue
- Opening with too little working capital to fill trainer schedules
Read about the fitness center loan mistakes owners make most often.
Next Steps to Finance Your Fitness Together Franchise
Step 1: Get the current FDD. Review Items 5, 6, 7, 10, 17 and 19 with a franchise attorney.
Step 2: Decide between new and resale. Compare opening a studio with buying an established one.
Step 3: Line up a site or a seller. Get a letter of intent or a purchase agreement, plus build-out estimates or seller financials.
Step 4: Build the budget and staffing plan. Combine Item 7 with local quotes and a trainer hiring plan. Our conventional loan calculator provides planning estimates only, not an offer or approval.
Step 5: Gather documents. Collect financial statements, tax returns, résumés, the business plan, the lease and quotes.
Step 6: Apply and coordinate approvals. Keep the franchisor’s approval, lease signing and loan closing on the same timeline.
Fitness Together Franchise Loan FAQs
How much does a Fitness Together franchise cost?
The estimated initial investment is in Item 7 of the current FDD. Studio size, local construction costs and rent drive where you land in the range.
What is the Fitness Together franchise fee?
It appears in Item 5 of the FDD.
What royalty and marketing fees apply?
Item 6 lists the royalty, brand fund contribution and other ongoing fees.
How much liquid capital do I need?
Ask the franchisor for its current minimums. Lenders will also expect an injection and reserves to cover trainer payroll during ramp-up.
Is Fitness Together eligible for SBA loans?
Yes, it is listed on the SBA Franchise Directory under code S0650. Approval still depends on the borrower, the project, program rules and the lender.
Can a Fitness Together franchise loan cover equipment?
Yes. Equipment can be included in a Fitness Together franchise loan or financed separately.
Can I buy an existing Fitness Together studio?
Possibly, with franchisor approval of the transfer. Lenders will review its billing history, client roster and prepaid sessions.
Do I need to be a personal trainer?
Not necessarily, but lenders want to see who will lead the trainers and sell programs.
Does the franchisor offer financing?
Check Item 10 of the FDD.
How long is the franchise agreement?
The term, renewal and transfer rights are in Item 17 of the FDD.
Final Thoughts
A Fitness Together franchise loan finances a compact studio whose real engine is its trainers. Owners who start from the current FDD, plan payroll and retention as carefully as rent, and account for prepaid sessions give lenders a clear picture of a business they can support.
US Professional Funding helps fitness owners finance franchise start-ups, acquisitions, equipment and working capital. Learn more about our franchise financing and fitness center financing.
