D1 Training is a non-traditional fitness training facility that has trained over 100 NFL Draft Picks and was named a Top 30 Gym by Men’s Health. And they happen to be BLOWING UP right now! I invited Founder and CEO Will Bartholomew to join me to discuss the D1 franchise model and why it works so well.
“If you buy a franchise, you’re not starting at a the Pop Warner phase, which most entrepreneurs start at. You’re actually jumping all the way to college into the pros… because you’re actually stepping into the arena with people that have been at the professional level for a long time.” – Will Bartholomew, Founder of D1 Sports Training (and former Denver Bronco)
Will drew much of his business sense from his years playing football:
“To be successful in a business, you have to build new skills, you have to not only acquire those skills and then you have to be able to scale those skills, and then you have to be able to hire those skills, which requires a lot of brainpower and a lot of learning. The interesting thing about football is that, as I started playing at a young age and then played high school, then I got to play at the University of Tennessee, and then I got the chance to be in the NFL. And when I was with the Denver Broncos, [I learned that] the interesting thing about football is this: Your body takes you a long way, right? And then you have to get smarter and smarter the longer you play. So the further I got, whether it went from Pop Warner to middle school, middle school to high school or high school or to college, I had to get smarter up here [in the head]. With business it’s the exact same thing. When you first start out, you’re trying to learn how to be an entrepreneur, how to run your own business. And then you start stacking those skills and you really have to refine them and drop down.
I love when we have retired professional athletes join this system, because what I do know they all have in common is they know how to work really hard and have discipline. And they know how to follow a playbook. When you join a franchise system, all those skill sets translate because it’s like we have the process already built for you. We have the playbook already done for you to go run the place. We need you to have the discipline, to have the meetings, and the cadence, and the communications that we set up for you. I love that an athlete can translate and take the playbook and go run the place.”
Will describes the D1 culture and the benefits of D1’s unique mixture of athletes and business professionals:
“Outside of doing great business, we love to have fun. We like to turn it up a little bit. And we just feel like that’s what athletes are. Athletes are are confident when they walk in the room. They love life. They want to get the most out of every day, every practice, every every meeting that they’re going to. And so when you come to those conferences and you get your award given to you by Tim Tebow and you get to rub elbows with all these guys, it’s really cool. And what’s even better for the athlete is that they get to rub elbows with really smart business people!”
Just like The Daly Coach always says, MINDSET is everything! Will agrees:
“If you have a great mindset, you can do so much with any franchise business. And not just at D1. I think it’s really important whether you’re a professional athlete or you’re an executive out there… whoever you are out there looking at a franchise, get matched up with great people that are super smart. And we’ll put you in the right business, in the right environment.”
Are you ready to explore your future in business ownership? My franchise consulting services are totally free to you. Please contact me directly using the form below!