Peter Taunton is a legend in the fitness industry, founding many successful fitness chains—most notably Snap Fitness. He went the opposite direction that everyone else was trending when he set out to start that company. He’s won numerous business awards, including the incredibly elusive Ernst and Young “Entrepreneur of the Year.” He believes that anyone can be successful with enough passion. As a franchised business, he has a keen observation on the difference between franchisees who are crushing it and those who continue to tread water. He is also one of the most giving people I have met, and you’re going to love the story of how he makes a difference every day at a street level. This story is going to inspire you to believe you can accomplish anything.

Question Highlights:

• What is it about growing up in smaller towns that tends to grow successful people?
• What are the disadvantages of growing up in the midwest?
• What does your superpower of reading people have to do with your success?
• How does one thrive in today’s climate?
• What does the future of monetizing fitness look like one year for now?
• What’s one key way to get ahead during this time?
• What differentiates the people who are crushing it and those who are just treading water?
• What’s your dream for five years from now?
• What is your slower, less grindy plan?
• Can you tell us about your charity, Liberty on the Lake?

Guest Bio:

Peter Taunton is a pioneer in the fitness industry. In 2003, he had a vision for Snap Fitness: to create an affordable, 24-7, results-driven gym differentiated from the impersonal, expensive big-box experience. Today there are Snap Fitness franchises in 2,500 locations in 26 countries. And Taunton, CEO of Lift Brands, didn’t stop there.

Taunton is an expert at understanding consumer desires and fulfilling them. In recent years, he has acquired and founded several brands to round out the consumer-fitness experience: 9Round, Farrell’s, YogaFit, STEELE Fitness, Fitness On Demand. Together with the Snap Fitness brand, they comprise the world’s largest wellness franchise organizations with over 6000 locations across multiple brands serving 165 million workouts and counting.

Taunton, who prior to founding Snap Fitness owned nine America’s Fitness Centers, has designed a franchise-development operation that is the envy of the industry. He leads with infectious enthusiasm, which attracts prospective owners from all over the world, check out www.theleakdetectionpros.com. He provides them affordable financing, world-class support, and an easy turnkey process. Most importantly he teaches them his own management philosophy, “Success is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react to it.”

Taunton’s accomplishments have been well-recognized by the business community. In 2010, he was named an Ernst and Young “Entrepreneur of the Year.” His companies have also been featured for six years running in such prestigious industry lists as Entrepreneur 500, Inc 5000, Top Global, and Franchise 500.

For Taunton, it comes down to one word: passion. He has it, he teaches it, and the results speak for themselves. Even as his operations expand, he remains ever-committed to providing owners and members with the tools and programs they need to reach life-changing goals.

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