Most Americans say they feel happier when they stick to a regular fitness routine, but studies show that nearly 48% of adults say they are too busy to fit exercise into their packed schedules. Workout Anytime, one of the fastest-growing 24/7 fitness centers in the U.S., is making exercise more accessible and convenient with more than 190 locations nationwide. Poised for rapid expansion and franchise development during the second half of 2025, Workout Anytime could be coming to a city near you – or even to a small town. According to CEO Jerry Pugh, the brand’s sweet spot is the approximate 60 million Americans who live in rural areas.
“We’re aiming to double our locations from 200 to 400 over the next five years,” Pugh said. “Even further down the line, I believe we could add as many as 1,000 locations in the U.S. by strategically focusing on small and mid-size markets.”
Franchisee Greyson Boone is a prime example of how owning a Workout Anytime fitness center can be rewarding in smaller markets. The ambitious 25-year-old opened a gym in her hometown of Easely, South Carolina, which has a population of 22,921. She said her primary reason for owning a fitness center is to give back to her community.
“A lot of people are financially driven, but for me it’s really about serving the community,” Boone said. “I want the community to come in and feel like a family.”
Workout Anytime franchisees are reaping the benefits of purpose-driven business ownership as the U.S. fitness industry continues to grow with revenue reaching $45.7 billion in 2025. Although the brand was founded in 1999 in Atlanta, plans for rapid and strategic growth catapulted into the stratosphere when multi-unit franchise owner Jerry Pugh was named CEO just five months ago. Pugh, who was Workout Anytime’s largest franchisee with 19 locations, took an ownership stake in the company along with private equity firms Skyline Global Partners and Peninsula Capital Partners. He said the PE firms immediately realized the potential of growth acceleration through franchise development.
“Workout Anytime has traditionally been super successful in smaller markets,” he said. “We want to find areas that are underserved by bigger gym brands and where our franchise owners can get a good return. We’re going to focus more on B and C markets, although we have a model that’s competitive in A markets.”
Pugh and his leadership team are committed to offering franchisees an attractive business opportunity with a proven model that helps them achieve financial and lifestyle goals. Corporate support is unwavering, with franchisees benefiting from industry-leading resources and guidance to help them achieve business objectives. With thorough training prior to openings, marketing support, and access to top-notch, proprietary technology and development tools, franchisees are well equipped for success. Franchisees also benefit from pre-negotiated real estate and strong developer partnerships that help facilitate the site selection process and ensure their gyms are perfectly positioned within their communities for maximum visibility.
Start-up costs for opening a Workout Anytime location range from $1,060,850 to $1,840,550 and the franchise fee is $45,000. Discounts are available for veterans and multi-unit owners.
”Our team is looking for larger franchisees that want to open between 5 and 20 units,” Pugh explained. “We’re open to smaller deals as well, but we’d like for anyone who comes in to at least be able to open three.”
As Workout Anytime scales its business, the brand remains committed to its core values of integrity and simplicity. The brand sets itself apart from the competition by offering value-priced memberships, the best workout per square foot in the industry, one-on-one personal training, and group training. Recognizing that everyone has different fitness goals and needs, personal training programs are custom tailored for each client. Certified trainers help elevate the member experience by helping them achieve health and wellness goals through proper nutrition, exercise, and lifestyle changes based on current fitness level, age, and schedule.
So far it has been a banner year for Workout Anytime as the brand has signed three new multi-unit franchise agreements and finalized eight leases year-to-date. As the second half of 2025 begins, Workout Anytime is laser focused on continuing its upward trajectory with additional signings and leases and expanding its leadership infrastructure to support the next generation of franchisees.
“Our momentum is strong, our vision is clear, and our team is all-in,” Pugh said. “Whether you’re a member looking for accessible fitness or an entrepreneur looking for a powerful franchise opportunity, there’s never been a better time to join Workout Anytime.”
Workout Anytime is preparing for significant expansion across the U.S.by offering business-minded entrepreneurs an opportunity to join a proven, rapidly growing brand. Franchise opportunities are available, and more information can be found on http://workoutanytimefranchise.com/.