Brandon Cullen and his partner Kirk Dewaele founded MADabolic in 2012 and launched under a simple-yet-unique framework: offering a world-class training system complemented by world-class hospitality, and being distinctively anti-average.
The brand was built on doing things because they worked, not because they were popular. Cullen and Dewaele even rejected trends for the sake of being trendy. Instead, their concept is rooted in strength, structure and accountability.
“These themes still ring true today and drive our company culture from headquarters all the way down to each individual franchise,” said Cullen. “Through Q1 of 2024, the distinct wedge we are able to drive into the fitness market gets larger and larger. Today, we have over 30 locations currently open with another anticipated 10 to 12 opening throughout 2024, and 80-plus signed/in development.”
Simply put, MADabolic is anything but average. From how the training program is structured to how they approach their franchise partnerships, the success comes from staying true to its foundation: strength, structure and accountability.
Strength: The Training Program
The founders believe their biggest asset is their strength-biased training program.
Planned 365 days in advance, the signature 52-week, macro-approach consists of four, 12-week cycles. Each 12-week cycle then breaks down into six, two-week micro-cycles — marked with a specific two-week focus.
The workout includes three signature interval series: Momentum, an energetic fusion of athleticism and endurance; Anaerobic, an intense exhibition of speed and power; and Durability, a grueling display of strength and stamina.
“This signature design can accommodate a wide variety of schedules without compromising the ability to naturally increase clients’ load, volume and intensity to meet their specific fitness level and speed of progression,” explained Cullen. “Our proprietary interval training system promotes a sustainable, result-driven approach that keeps client retention rates high.”
In recent years the industry has seen an uptick of members gravitating toward strength training. For instance, Tonal reported members over 55 have increased their strength by an average of 73% in 2023.
While it’s not a new trend, building spaces and programs around the boom can be challenging if you’re used to solely programming cardio and calisthenics. Having barbell-free strength training programs under their belt for over 10 years has helped MADabolic standout from the crowd.
“Our priority has always been and will always be strength,” said Cullen. “And while strength is currently having a moment, I would by no means consider it trendy. Its value is ageless, which should give current and future franchisees a lot of comfort. As fitness trends come and go, strength will never go out of style, which breathes a degree of immortality into MADabolic’s purpose.”
Relying on strength is just one of the many factors that have drawn in franchisors over the years.
Structure: Strategic Partners, Operating Systems and Resources
“We aim to remove any barriers that could keep a franchisee from being successful,” said Cullen. “In addition to offering our franchise partners robust operating systems and training platforms, we break down the complex steps of opening a business into a manageable, week-by-week process.”
The MADabolic corporate team connects each owner with the right team member or vendors and provides the guidance and expertise they need to effectively launch and manage their business.
According to Cullen, these resources offer each of their partners a strong base for success in their market. While this process starts before they open their doors, check-ins and mentorship continues at a regular cadence throughout their lifecycle.
For franchisees like Jen and Carlos Del Angel in McAllen, Texas, the brand’s core values, emphasis on aging athletically and overall sense of family is what made them jump on board. “MADabolic felt like family,” said Carlos. “There’s a lot of support during the franchising process and you could feel that ever since the discovery call.”
Accountability: The Team Behind MADabolic
For Cullen, when someone franchises with MADabolic, they’re investing in the leadership of the corporate team. From their discovery journey and throughout their tenure as a MADabolic franchise owner, they have open and direct lines of communication with all levels of the corporate team.
“Having spent considerable time in every nook and cranny of the business, I see myself as a generalist who has the pleasure of overseeing a headquartered team of specialists,” said Cullen. “I provide each of my teammates the room to run and own their domain, while serving as an ever-available resource and sounding board for them. At the franchisee-level while I’m available to the ownership community at all times, I’ve recently reinserted myself heavily into the pre-opening process and have very much enjoyed working hand-in-hand with our franchise partners during their most exciting and absorbent phase of ownership.”
Overall, MADabolic’s initial goal is to isolate the top 50 markets in the U.S., and place two to five units in each. However, Cullen sees an even bigger growth path for MADabolic beyond 200-units, if they can hold true to their standards and pull all the right levers.
He believes their success hinges on them reinforcing their core tenents of strength, structure and accountability, and amplifying the disruptive brand voice that sets them apart from competition.
“There are more than enough brands that are great at average — they cater to the average consumer and produce average results,” said Cullen. “In fact, average is a great business model with a big reach, but average is also a very crowded space, which makes it hard to stand out. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, we’re very comfortable in establishing a more direct market position. While we can train anybody, we’re not for everybody, and that suits us just fine.”
