By RJ Krone
Extraordinary Brands, a leading franchisor in the fitness and wellness sector, is proud to celebrate a year of exceptional growth, strategic acquisitions, and meaningful community impact. The company’s 2024 highlights reflect its commitment to expanding its footprint, empowering franchisees across brands, and delivering innovative wellness solutions to communities nationwide.
With the fitness industry projected to reach $96.6 billion by the end of 2024, it’s clear that the sector is booming, growing at a rapid pace of 8.7% annually. As the President of Extraordinary Brands, RJ Krone has a front-row seat to these exciting developments and is leading a company that has expanded from one to four distinct fitness brands within 2024 alone. Here, RJ reflects on Extraordinary Brands’ highlights from 2024 and shares his predictions for how technology, inclusivity, and innovation will shape the fitness industry in 2025.
Key Milestones of 2024
This past year, we took bold steps to position Extraordinary Brands as a leader in the boutique fitness space. In 2024 alone, Extraordinary Brands expanded its portfolio threefold with three major acquisitions: Eat the Frog Fitness in April, Row House in May, and Neighborhood Barre in August. These additions emphasize our dedication to offering a diverse range of fitness experiences tailored to different needs, lifestyles, and preferences.
Alongside growing and diversifying our portfolio, Extraordinary Brands made significant investments to elevate our franchise network. We provided targeted financial and operational support, restructured leadership teams, upgraded technology systems, and enhanced marketing strategies, ensuring each brand was positioned for sustainable growth and success.
Community engagement was at the heart of Extraordinary Brands’ efforts throughout 2024. Collectively, the portfolio raised over $10,000 for the American Cancer Society during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, while spearheading initiatives like charity rides, special fitness challenges, and local outreach events. These efforts highlight our dedication to strengthening the communities we serve and fostering meaningful connections between members and their studios.
Franchise Fitness Industry Predictions
The boutique fitness concepts in our portfolio, like Row House and pūrvelo cycle, cater to a wider demographic, keeping people with all kinds of physical limitations or mobility issues in mind. Not everyone has the mobility or ability to enter certain stretches or positions for higher intensity workouts, like HIIT or Pilates-type concepts. We choose to acquire a diverse range of brands committed to inclusivity in ways that many fitness brands do not touch on. This choice to cater to a wider demographic in the fitness space (beyond D1 athletes and Pilates fanatics) will become more commonplace in the coming years, and we’re excited to already be at the forefront.
The fitness concepts that do the best, in my experience, are the ones that are set up to foster positive communities and networks of individuals with a common goal, where judgement is left at the door. It’s not only about offering the most expensive, cutting-edge workout equipment and training programs; as a franchisor, you must also provide a space where every fitness level can meet in the middle to improve their wellness. It has to be “more than” just Pilates, or weight lifting, or resistance training. It has to be comprehensive, collaborative, and community-focused.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As the fitness and wellness industry evolves, there is a growing emphasis on delivering accessible, comprehensive solutions that support recovery, overall well-being, and a sense of community. Going into 2025, Extraordinary Brands is embracing these priorities by exploring offerings like assisted stretching programs, low-impact exercise options, and other recovery-focused services, all while continuing to strengthen the brands and franchisees in its portfolio. This balanced approach will allow our brands to meet evolving member needs while continuing to empower our franchise network for sustainable growth.
Community-building will remain key to our strategy in 2025, with initiatives across brands designed to foster meaningful connections among members. The evolving emphasis on inclusivity and accessibility will guide program development across Extraordinary Brands’ portfolio, ensuring people of all ages, fitness levels, and abilities feel empowered to embark on their own fitness journeys.
Equally important to our 2025 vision is leveraging technology and AI to enhance both the member experience and franchise operations across brands. Wearable technology, virtual coaching, and AI-driven workout plans are no longer optional – they’re essential tools for creating smarter, more personalized fitness experiences. Extraordinary Brands plans to integrate these innovations into its offerings, making it easier for members to stay on track and engaged with tailored programs that adapt to their goals and progress.
On the franchise side, technology will play a vital role in streamlining operations, from automated class scheduling to smart equipment that optimizes efficiency. By prioritizing these advancements in technology in the coming year, we’re positioning our brands to stay ahead of industry trends while continuing to empower franchisees to deliver exceptional service. This tech-forward approach reflects our commitment to innovation and our vision for a more connected, inclusive future in fitness.