What does it take to build a thriving boutique fitness franchise? For The Bar Method, the answer is community.
Stephanie Schon, the brand president of The Bar Method, has spent the last five and a half years scaling a brand where 99% of studio owners are women, growth is driven from within the client base and community is treated as a core business strategy.
Schon joined the Club Solutions Magazine podcast to discuss how the brand approaches franchisee selection and support, what KPIs matter most in year one and why the boutique fitness boom is only getting started — particularly as Gen Z and Millenials increasingly drive industry spending.
Show Notes:
- At 0:23, Schon shares her background in franchising, starting in the restaurant space before making the jump to fitness when Self Esteem Brands (now Purpose Brands) acquired The Bar Method in 2019.
- Schon explains how The Bar Method’s franchise base organically became 99% women-owned by growing from within its own client and teacher communities at 1:31.
- At 2:39, Schon outlines what women entrepreneurs look for in a franchise opportunity, pointing to flexibility and relationship-building as top priorities.
- Schon details the support system The Bar Method provides from day one — spanning real estate, marketing, technology and ongoing business consulting at 3:55.
- At 6:41, Schon identifies site selection as the biggest source of franchisee anxiety and explains how a proprietary real estate tool and protected territories help address it.
- Schon breaks down the three KPIs that matter most in year one: first time visitors, trial-to-membership conversion and attrition at 7:56.
- At 9:11, Schon outlines the brand’s current footprint and makes the case for why the global boutique fitness marker — projected to double by 2034 — represents a major growth opportunity.
- Lastly, at 12:02, Schon explains how The Bar Method has expanded to five class formats to meet growing demand for workout variety, with more in development.
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