Q: Where are you originally from?
A: Artesia, New Mexico .
Q: Before Franchising, what were you involved with?
A: I served in the U.S. Army for 24 as military intelligence. I was also a German linguist. Part of the military lifestyle is living a healthy life. I was accustomed to that so when I retired in 1993, I knew I still wanted that to be a part of my life.
After retiring from the Army, I became a manager of a fitness facility for four years. That helped me stay active and healthy. I also did various other things to keep me motivated after my long career with the military. I sold cars and became a manager at a convenience store. There, I noticed that so many people would complain about being unhealthy, but while complaining would have a hot dog in one hand and a large soda and cigarettes in the other. At that point, I knew I needed to have a job where I was concentrating on helping people lead healthy lives.
I went to work for a competitor of Max Muscle Sports Nutrition for another four years before retiring for the second time. While around the house, I got bored and found out about the Max Muscle Sports Nutrition franchise opportunity. I was sold when I met the Max Muscle team. I opened my location in 2008 in Fayetteville, NC. The 2009 Max Form winner, Toni Warrick, came from my location. We worked together on her fitness goals and she won the grand prize! Ultimately, she lost 40 pounds and 20% body fat.
Q: How did you learn about the brand?
A: I was searching on the Internet and saw an ad about owning your own nutrition business. I was immediately interested and felt I had a lot of good experience from my previous position in the nutrition industry. Max Muscle Sports Nutrition was well above the other opportunities out there. I was 100% sold when I met the Max Muscle team. They are very personable and the support structure for franchisees is terrific.
Q: What specific steps did you take in validating the brand prior to joining the system?
A: After I started looking at Max Muscle Sports Nutrition, I didn’t bother with other franchises. I engaged in conversation with Ralph Thompson at Max Muscle and he introduced me to the regional director and took me to some of the other stores where I tried some of the products. After experiencing the brand, I went in for my discovery day and came out a franchisee!
Q: Why was this brand the right fit for you?
A: Honestly, I came out of the military and I saw so many former military professionals who stopped leading active lives and had grave health issues as a result. I didn’t want that for myself. Being active and physically fit was going to be a part of my life. The passion I have for it makes it the perfect career for me.
Q: How do you see the brand connecting with your local community?
A: Education is key in this line of work. Thirty percent of the population is now considered obese. That’s tripled in just the past decade. I offer educational seminars wherever and whenever I can, including churches, clients’ organizations, schools, etc. I also worked with the Wounded Warrior Project, an organization devoted to helping injured service members.
Q: What have been some career milestones for you/your business?
A: Each year my business has grown. I believe this year will be my breakout year. More people are moving to Fort Bragg because of the base realignment act and I’m constantly in the community helping educate people on leading healthy lifestyles.
Q: What are your future goals? Development plans?
A: I would like to be a multi-store owner in North Carolina and develop at least two more stores, if not more.
