Youfit Founder Creates A No-Fat Model Of Success In Gym Scene

Tampabay.com:

Rick Berks is one of the pioneers of no-frills fitness centers that court the budget-minded with membership fees of $10 a month. Once a Gold’s Gym franchisee, he co-founded the Planet Fitness chain 20 years ago in South Florida. After a falling out with a group that acquired the franchise rights, the independent-minded entrepreneur split off in 2008 to launch a new version called Youfit Health Clubs. From a single gym in St. Petersburg, Youfit has grown to 33 locations with six more under construction and plans to hit 50 within a year. Berks, 58, did it his own way by sticking to the basics: exercise machines, free weights and cardio equipment. Youfit claims more than 100,000 members, with the typical club open more than a year drawing 5,000 to 8,000. Here’s a condensed version of Berks’ chat with the St. Petersburg Times.

You turned one of your original gyms in Sunrise into a budget fitness center in the 1990s after a glitzy LA Fitness with basketball court, yoga classes and swimming pools opened nearby. What happened? Continue reading.

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