When Maryanne and Paul Goldsmith considered starting to franchise in Spring Hill, TN, they faced a unique challenge: could they successfully operate two businesses at once? Since then, they’ve built a family-focused wellness hub that has become a cornerstone of their community.
Today, the husband-and-wife team owns a co-branded Saladworks/Frutta Bowls fast-casual restaurant. Saladworks offers a fully customizable menu of salads, grain bowls, and wraps, and Frutta Bowls known for its acai bowls, smoothies, toasts, and protein bites with better-for-you ingredients. They also operate a local fitness studio dedicated to helping members build strength, confidence, and healthy habits.
The journey began when Maryanne joined the fitness studio seeking community and connection. She quickly became a member, drawn to the energy of the studio and the sense of belonging it provided. Her husband Paul, a former nonprofit consultant and current board member of a local nonprofit addressing food insecurity, joined soon after.
Following the pandemic, the couple became even more aware of the importance of health and wellness. This inspired them to explore franchise opportunities that aligned health and wellness with their passion for supporting families. Though initially hesitant to pursue restaurants, they recognized a gap in Spring Hill for convenient, nutritious dining for families and decided to debut the Saladworks brand. A few weeks later, they received an opportunity to purchase the local fitness studio they attended with another couple in Spring Hill. Rather than choosing one path over the other, the Goldsmiths embraced both, creating a dual-brand portfolio focused on fitness, nutrition, and community.
Now, with two complementary brands under their ownership, they have developed strategies that strengthen and connect their two brands, defining their success around operations, marketing, and community engagement.
Strategic Co-Branding
The Goldsmiths’ co-branding strategy has been a key driver of both businesses’ success. Saladworks appeals to parents, while Frutta Bowls attracts younger crowds, giving families something for everyone. This approach has expanded foot traffic, strengthened catering opportunities, and boosted overall revenue by 30% year over year.
Another major part of this growth has come from deliberate cross marketing between their fitness studio and their co-branded Saladworks/Frutta Bowls. The couple chose to integrate the two brands because they saw the natural connection between fitness and nutrition and believed members would value convenient access to healthy meals before or after a workout.
To implement the strategy, they tested a simple idea first: members could pre-order salads to be ready when they finished class. They also offer Saturday specials where custom acai bowls are made available for the studio members after their workouts. Members appreciate the convenience of having a healthy meal ready to go. At Saladworks, the Goldsmiths post in-store signage and insert flyers in to-go bags promoting the fitness studio’s seasonal offers.
This cross marketing has produced measurable results. Studio members visit the restaurant multiple times per week. The strategy strengthened both brands and reinforced the Goldsmiths’ health forward mission in a way that felt natural to the community.
Hands-On Operations and Family Focus
Maryanne manages day-to-day operations at Saladworks and oversees the fitness studio staff, while Paul focuses on marketing, strategy, and community partnerships. Their approach is personal: they are present in both businesses every day, interacting with customers, leading by example, and mentoring employees, many of whom are working their first jobs.
They chose this hands-on approach because they believe culture cannot be delegated. Being present allows them to model the level of hospitality and excellence they expect from their teams and builds trust with employees and members. People know the owners. They see them working alongside staff, supporting team members, and greeting guests.
This daily involvement has strengthened retention. Many team members have stayed longer than typical for entry level positions. Studio members often comment that seeing the owners regularly adds to the sense of community. Problems are solved faster because they are on site. The Goldsmiths believe this commitment has been one of the clearest advantages in their growth and consistency.
Community Engagement
Community involvement is central to the Goldsmiths’ approach. They provide Frutta Bowls acai bowls as a healthy concession option at their daughter’s high school’s sporting events, and Saladworks caters for other area schools with nutritious meals for students and staff. The couple also hosts benefit nights, raising funds to support food insecurity through The Well Outreach. Through these efforts, they’ve built trust, promoted wellness and nutrition, and strengthened ties with local families.
Growth and Recognition
Since opening their Saladworks/Frutta Bowls co-brand in June 2024, they’ve achieved steady month-over-month revenue growth, earning them Saladworks’ “Rising Stars” recognition from parent company WOWorks. Additionally, since purchasing their fitness studio in 2022, membership has grown significantly, bringing their total membership to over 400.
For the Goldsmiths, success isn’t just measured in memberships or revenue, it’s reflected in the families they’ve helped, the young employees they’ve mentored and the sense of community they’ve nurtured. By combining their Saladworks/Frutta Bowls with their fitness studio, they’ve created a hub that brings their passion for supporting families together with the community’s health and wellness needs. Every day, Maryanne, and Paul lead by example, showing that thoughtful, hands-on ownership can be both profitable and meaningful, and that a business can make a real difference in the lives of those it serves.