Danny Farrar is the CEO of SOLDIERFIT, a fitness studio franchise for all fitness levels, helping military veterans. Danny’s story is powerful, but it shows what’s possible for every fitness studio owner…
“We focus on our 3 differentiators which are family, philanthropy, and value… all workouts work, but you have to find the right family,” Danny says.
Something Danny and all of SOLDIERFIT does really well is understand their members on a personal level. “A lot of members say they can’t take care of themselves because they have to take care of their family, but really, taking care of themselves is part of taking care of their families.”
“We want to help people be the best versions of themselves,” Danny says.
As far as philanthropy, Danny knows that it’s important for his business to do something bigger than the business itself and that “people love being part of something that helps others.”
That’s why they dedicate a lot of their money and push certain challenges towards building veteran centers and communities.
On top of that, Danny says this about value, “I will stake my reputation that members will not find a better value in fitness than SOLDIERFIT.”
So how did Danny, an Army Veteran, go from homeless to $3.2-Million in annual revenue?
Developing Grit As A Fitness Franchise Owner
“After I was fired from my first sales job I thought to myself, I’m just not good at sales…” Danny tells me.
It’s something I hear a lot but Danny’s next sentence demonstrates what every business owner needs to succeed: grit.
“I eventually went into another sales position and was the top salesman over and over,” Danny says, “and it’s because I realized that this is a skill that can be developed.”
As Danny will tell you, grit is about not giving up. It’s about finding ways to succeed.
Rock Bottom To Finding His WHY
After getting fired from that sales job, Danny was later evicted and going through a divorce. He went to a dark place and he realized WHY…
“I had a moment of enlightenment. I discovered that the reason I struggled was because I never felt like I had a family. So I built SOLDIERFIT to build a family for everyone.”
That’s powerful.
Danny’s story is incredible. To turn rock bottom into why and then into a successful fitness franchise shows the power of a WHY and what anyone can accomplish with one.
When Danny talks about his business, it’s not about the money. As I tell him halfway through our interview, “Money’s not the goal, it’s the side effect.”
That’s true for Danny. The money is there, but his mission is more important.
Set Goals Down To The Day
“Most people don’t know how to set S.M.A.R.T. goals,” Danny says, “down to the day.”
Specific
Measurable
Attainable
Relevant
Time-Driven
“This helps my team and I plan our day to achieve big goals,” he says. He also says this is true with your members. Wanting to lose a pound for one member is a very different goal for another member.
However, no goal should be vague or ambiguous.
“The way I break it down is the S.M.A.R.T. goal is the Mission and the way I achieve it is through Objectives,” Danny tells me.
This is a great way to set every day up for success. Whether you’re already a successful fitness franchise or an independent fitness studio.
I highly encourage you to watch the full interview above. In the 2nd half, we break down our unique strategies to improve sales, marketing, retention, and more.
Enjoy and let’s GSD!
