Although he’d been a successful franchise operator for more than 15 years with five Anytime Fitness clubs, Mark Ireland wanted more. With the public’s increased emphasis on exercise recovery, he sensed an opportunity to incorporate that as an additional service he could offer his customers.
Ireland developed a premium membership option for his clubs that offered a program for recovery and proposed it to the Anytime Fitness corporate team. It included red light therapy, monthly Evolt scans, and regular check-ins with a coach. His request was approved, and growth at his clubs was immediately discernible.
Ireland’s clubs changed their membership offering from a single option to a base option and a premium option—and upgraded 28% of all new members to premium membership. For the first two months of 2024, his clubs averaged more than 55% upgrades to premium. The new option has resulted in an increase in membership revenue and a decrease in membership attrition.
This was one of the primary reasons Ireland was named Multi-Unit Franchisee magazine’s Innovation MVP (Most Valuable Performer) Award winner for bringing a new and unique contribution to his brand. He and the other category winners were presented with their awards at the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference in March.
“I am engaged with the brand, passionate about what we do, and always looking to improve and evolve our offerings to our members and the system as a whole,” he says.
Ireland’s experience in the system and knowledge of the industry has earned him a spot on Anytime Fitness’s Franchise Advisory Council. His leadership and innovative mindset are extremely valuable to the brand, especially as the corporate team continues to focus on helping members achieve holistic health and wellness.
Although Ireland has been an avid fitness buff since his teenage years, he did not take the conventional path to franchise success. After serving four years in the military, he held several jobs, but felt his career was not satisfying. Ireland quit his middle management factory job at age 45 and turned to his interest in exercise by becoming a franchise owner with Anytime Fitness.
His primary passion is helping others achieve their goals, whether it is his employees or customers. Ireland says he provides his team with the vision, tools, knowledge, support, and accountability to be successful. In some cases, Ireland will teach them what they need to run their own business. His approach to his customers is to always practice honesty, integrity, and loyalty and to give them more than they expect.
Always one to stay active, Ireland proudly recalls summiting Mount Hood, Mount Baker, and Mount Rainier, hiking the Wonderland Trail at Mount Rainier National Park, and rafting the Grand Canyon. His next big goal is to explore Torres del Paine National Park in southern Chilean Patagonia.
In the meantime, he’s always looking for ways to grow, improve, and innovate his business.
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