Every month, Club Solutions sits down with an industry expert to share in their wealth of knowledge. In the March issue, the conversation features Josh Cherry, the CEO and director of franchising for Delta Life Franchising.
1. What was the inspiration for founding Delta Life Fitness?
There are five kids total in the two founding families of Delta Life Fitness. A group workout place for women with childcare simply didn’t exist. The two husbands had several places to choose from, but life for busy working moms didn’t allow Christin or Cassie to stick with any program. They needed short and effective workouts, and childcare was a must.
2. Delta Life Fitness has grown to 60-plus locations in the U.S. What has been key to that growth?
Knowing who we serve and basing everything else off of that, in my opinion. We primarily serve women. Because of that we keep the workouts short — moms are busier than Fortune 500 CEOs, true story — so they need quick and effective workouts. Fast workouts plus childcare is a winning formula.
3. Why is Delta Life Fitness a great franchising opportunity?
We are a family. We truly care about our franchisees and the end consumers. We have great partners and a phenomenal process for success. Everything is done for the operator and systematized. Workouts are all delivered via technology. The only thing left is to operate, and make customers feel welcomed and loved.
4. What is your favorite leadership book and why?
“Leadership and Self-Deception: Getting Out of the Box” by the Arbinger Institute. It is a great leadership book that teaches you how to see the world from others’ point of view, which helps leaders tremendously.
5. What is the best piece of leadership advice you’ve ever been given?
Learn to work with a team and don’t always be the one talking. When I trust my team and ask questions instead of trying to be the smartest person in the room, things go way better for our entire organization.
6. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve had to overcome?
Starting with no resources. It’s hard to build a business with zero resources.
7. And how did you overcome that challenge?
A lot of hustle in the early years, long hours, hard work and surrounding myself with people who believed in our mission.
8. If you could give your younger self a piece of advice, what would it be?
Live in a 90-day world. Make the best decision you can with the information you have and take an operational pause every 90 days to reassess. You can and will make wrong decisions — always make the best decision you can with the information you have. But by all means, never stop making decisions.
9. What’s something people would be surprised to know about you?
I am a big Spice Girls fan. My two favorite bands are George Strait and Spice Girls. Odd combination, I know.
10. What’s a fitness trend you’re keeping an eye on right now?
Models based on a persona’s vice modality. There are a lot of models right now based on one type of equipment or type of modality. The better trend I am watching right now is models that are built around a certain type of consumer. Then the experience can really match what those clients are looking for. I really think we will see more and more of this in this decade.
