Creating a global fitness franchise | Rob Smyth

Show Notes

In this week's episode, Rory and Mike sit down with Rob Symth, CEO of UN1T, the global fitness franchise. After traveling to 29 countries across 3 continents and learning everything he could about training methods and sports philosophies from different cultures, founder Rob Smyth opened the first UN1T in April 2017 in London. By November 2018, the first franchise had opened in Munich, Germany, and then further afield into the Middle East with franchisees opening in Kuwait and Qatar and most recently in Dubai. UN1T now has 15 Franchises in 9 countries and Rob has ambitions to continue to scale globally. Rory and Mike take it right back to where it all began and talk to Rob about his early career, the challenges, the successes, and the chaos that is scaling a business globally. Enjoy!

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Rory McInerney and Ciaran Ruddock are the founders of FFS Gyms and co-hosts of For Fit Sake. They opened their first gym when they were 24 and 23 respectively. They now have 3 locations and a physical / online business that interacts with almost 1000 clients monthly.

If you are the kind of person that wants to become the strongest version of themselves then this podcast is for you.

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Rob Smyth 00:00
The contract was terminated. And we went into a legal dispute unfortunately. But anyway, we settled on confidential terms and moved on. That went on for quite a long time. And that was kind of a year or two into operating equity flyover my my vision was to roll them out. But once that was kind of torn apart, and that's when I kind of used the thing between my ears and I had a great experience at running studios so I decided to create my own concept in unit

Rory McInerney 00:39
like then you're very welcome along to the latest episode on Fit safe brought to you by FS fumes. Myself and Mike are joined by unit founder and CEO Rob Smith. You're very welcome to the show, Rob.

Rob Smyth 00:50
Hey, guys, yeah, thanks for having me. Good to be talking to some local boys in Ireland. So yeah, thanks for having me.

Rory McInerney 00:57
Well, I'll start with that so local Where are you based at the minute obviously a bit of we don't do video usually for this Rob So I'm in the colleagues old office little physio room it's there's not much room to this side of me. It's very small and Mikey so you're in the actual office. But where are you Rob?

Rob Smyth 01:13
I mean, in my mancave here, I don't see much light to be honest. I actually I I'm kind of all over the place. I like living out of a bag to be honest with you traveling to each unit, I suppose. But yeah, I have our family are based in Portugal, down in the Algarve. So don't feel sorry for me, to be honest.

Rory McInerney 01:33
Well, we'll be out there in a couple of about 10 days time for a Craig one of the coaches here. His stag is actually in the Algarve in about 10 days. So Wednesday, just let us know where you are. And we'll stay as far away as humanly possible for for your sake.

Rob Smyth 01:48
It's good for a stock I tell you that it's great. Great spot. Very good. And

Mike South 01:54
we started gearing up already so I'm got some bad memories. I don't know if I want to go back there.

Rob Smyth 02:01
It happens.

Rory McInerney 02:03
Oh, Rob, but just what we usually kind of kick off the each episode when it's just a little bit of travel in our training. So I know Mikey, you have the half marathon is finally we seem to be talking about this a lot at the minute. It's finally this is the week it's happening. Is it

Mike South 02:15
heading home for them? Rick at the weekend? Bank all day down there. We'll answer some other stuff. So I've been at marathon on the Sunday I actually said to Rory or Rory earlier on in the month to talk about us if you like we've talked about it on every podcast for the last few months. But yeah, finally getting to do us on Sunday. And then plan is going to get the full American done probably September October this year. So that's going to train implant or paperback is more of a focus on some upper body strain and over the next few days, better mobility and then just take a breather Friday, Saturday and hopefully be full of energy to go on Sunday morning. That's going to plan for the week. We'd all be

Rory McInerney 02:55
wishing you well and Rob for you then obviously traveling a lot what's what's that like a lot of our clients and people listen to this would be in a similar situation you there's a lot of trouble and obviously it's different now with the kind of new world we live in. But we would have used to have to do a lot of work with clients who train an awful lot for work and and you know what, how do you manage to try and stay fit? Stay engaged with your training while traveling so much?

Rob Smyth 03:16
Yeah, no, it's a great question. And it's a question I get asked a lot with with clients when I've did more of a one to one with in personal training a long time ago. And I'll be honest with you, I since since unit has kind of gone into the franchising industry, and we're now in nine different countries, my kind of training has definitely put put it aside. So I'm basically just doing maintenance. I tried to work at four to five times a week, however, are they hour long, definitely not. Even if it's a 15 minute or 20 minute run, or even a session, whether it's a 30 minute powerlifting session, that's what I would do. But to put an hour an hour and a half aside, especially with two young boys a wife or business. It's it's tough. It is very tough. But I think more more on the mental side of things to keep me mentally sane and mentally focused. And like a 20 minute run for me is just clears my head, go for a swim in the sea, no matter what sea it is, if it's cold or warm, just get in, flush out the cobwebs and you're ready for anything during the day. But when I was quiet, I would have been very like goal driven when it comes to like targets on bench press and deadlift and squat or even to do a half marathon or a marathon and under a certain time period. And, and I haven't done that in the last probably three to four years because I've been so focused on work. I'm not saying that's a good thing, but I've definitely set my training target aside when it comes to He's kind of a goal driven more. So that has been pushed aside.

Mike South 05:05
The area would be more business goal driven rather than kind of your own personal fitness milestones or friend milestones. That'd be right to say that. Especially like, as your family grows, and you're kind of moving a bit more, it's more of a business goals, you probably sit down to write down rather than,

Rob Smyth 05:20
yeah, yeah, yeah, for me when, like, fitness goals for me is basically just to make sure I'm sharp for work. And I tend to get up and go for a run. I don't even like running. It's nothing to do what it does to me physically. But what it does to me on mentally, I'm not a runner. And if I'm running, it's not going to be more than I've done a marathon. It was the worst thing. I hated it. I did in New York, it was beautiful for the first 20 kilometers. And I have every kilometer after that it was just like plodding along. But it was a accomplishment. I enjoyed some of it. But yeah, for me nowadays, it's just keeping my brain sharp. And, and basically being able to attack work. And obviously being there for family as well.

Rory McInerney 06:09
I think that's really good to hear Laura, because people often look at people in the fitness industry and think that, you know, to work in the fitness industry, everything is about your training. But you know, and people often assume we used to kind of get it at the very start, when we open the business, people just assume that myself on roads, and Microsoft just sat around all day after we took classes or clients and we just trained and we have nothing better to do. But you know, it's like, it's like any job, obviously, we are very fortunate that we're based in a setting where it's very accessible, we can train you know, we have access to equipment to programs to like minded individuals to push us but it's, it's often there's parts of people's lives who you know, live the way we do where work gets in the way family get in the way, and it's okay to adapt your goals to allow you to just stay healthy and stay, like you said mentally sharp during those periods. I think that's a really good thing for people to kind of look under the hood and see that it's not all, we're not all like roads where we always have a very strict training plan. And I think that's really important for people to know and to hear. So that's, that's fair enough.

Rob Smyth 07:11
Yeah, definitely, we are in normal. I may have 15 units globally, but I don't train every day.

Rory McInerney 07:18
You know, you're kind of leaning towards that. So with the units, like talk to us about your career and sort of in a snapshot, if you can, how you got from where you started, like you talked about one to one PT is quite a long time ago, to where you're in a position where you're in nine countries with 1515 units and you know, a global fitness franchise.

Rob Smyth 07:37
Yeah, it was. Yeah, it's been a crazy journey. And kind of going back to how I got into I've I've loved fitness, like since I was the age of five, being part of a team, whether it's football, rugby, anything to do with team training and getting out and working for people besides you I was just in I was the guy looking out the window and school trying to get outside. I wasn't necessarily the most academic person I was more the practical person, give me a job and I'll do it. I wasn't wanting to sit in the classroom and kind of analyze a chalkboard in my day. And, and kind of take in knowledge that way I love to just being part of it. And I thought a lot more on the job or than then kind of sitting down and then studying it. I've always wanted to get into fitness but I would did my whole anatomy and physiology and I did a personal training course back in 2003, two long time ago, and the whole exercise to music and step aerobics. I think they still do that. But we did that and I never really got into fitness straight after I got into a family business and construction and more of a decorating business in construction, which I hated. I just didn't like the way people treated each other in the construction industry is very Doggy Dog industry. But what kind of cut the fire under my under my horse was going to Sydney I went down to Sydney in like 2008 or nine and I just could not get over the demand to be fit and healthy down there. Like it was just incredible. Everyone was running I was on the beach everyone was doing training I was just was amazing to see and I got a job with a franchise down there called Vision and for two years, and then I came back to Ireland with so excited to bring this back and to what what I what I what I kind of the experience that I studied down and Sydney to bring it back to Ireland, which did quite well. And I lost money at this stage. By the way I was traveling with my girlfriend Around the world. And we were very fortunate to go to kind of 25 to 30 countries from South America around to China, Japan, down through Southeast Asia through Europe, like was incredible experience for me. And while we did that trip, obviously big into fitness, I went to every single gym group training facility, commercial gym, whatever it was, whether we were in a small little village in China, I would go to their local gym, whether in San Francisco, I would go to their T Rex effort. We were in Bangkok, I would do Muy Thai training. So it was kind of like the whole holistic approach of training. And, yes, I wasn't very academic or study, study, study, but I would take notes after each session I would take. And I had a little booklet of like, what was good and what was bad. And that kind of the whole approach of going around the world and seeing all these different fitness abilities and offerings, kind of then created the unit style of training. And so when I got back basically, to Ireland, hadn't it been in my pocket? We were broke. It was a I was always kind of self employed. So it was always kind of like, well, what what can I do? I didn't want to go work for a gym or or commercial gym. So I contacted hotels to see could I run their gym. So it was kind of like a best of both worlds where they had a gym, most hotel gyms aren't great. And the main thing is, they're not service, they're not run well, they just have a crappy machine in the corner and a few dumbbells and maybe sandbag or whatever. So I contacted a hotel to run their gym, they gave me the green light. And I set up let's train.ie which was my first kind of venture that did pretty well. We got like three coaches on on dummy personal trainers, oh, one to one with I didn't get break into the group training just yet. That was kind of self sufficient. And I went on to open up an events business, which operated the rainbow run down and done Larry there, which again, did quite well, we had the guts of 10,000 people when you're doing that. And that created some disposable income to be able to go on and doing a bigger and bolder venture in London. And they'll always want I was always quite driven to more is better, which is not always the case. But I was always very self motivated to do more and more and more. And talk about still very young at this stage. So it's still quite driven and what I wanted to do, but I always wanted to live in a big city. And London was the next city I kind of said Right, I've always liked London always thought it was quite an opportunity opportunistic city, and back in. So this is 2013. And I saw a brand that was doing quite well down in Sydney, called f 45. And I said, I went down met the boys, the owners and decided to bring a 45 the first one to Europe in London didn't go too well ahead. Unfortunately, good good product at the time, just just under 10 years ago now. There was a breakdown of relationship. And they never basically honored a contract. And basically, the contract was terminated. And we went into a legal dispute, unfortunately. But anyway, we settled on confidential terms. And we moved on, that went on for quite a long time. And that was kind of a year or two into operating i 45. And my vision was to, to roll them out. But once that was kind of torn apart. And that's when I kind of used the thing between my ears and I had a great experience at running studios. So I decided to create my own concept in unit. And we opened the first unit five years ago, actually to this month, and we now have blossomed into kind of 15 across the globe in nine different countries. So it's yeah, it's just kind of a no I wouldn't say erupted. I'm very grounded individual I wouldn't be off with the fairies to say oh, it's been easy. It's been done that has been pretty full on. It's been a tough five years.

Rory McInerney 14:27
That's amazing. It's like I remember Robin we kind of set up the gym here. Let's train 100 was kind of the that was something that we were was that maybe like 2012 2013 or maybe even 2014 around then.

Rob Smyth 14:39
Yeah, 2012

Rory McInerney 14:41
as well. Yeah, yeah. So I remember like that was kind of that, you know, that even had a big boss about in Dublin at the time. So you obviously had, you know, good good reputation and that's like that's huge and carry that which in as much just to give you confidence, I suppose coming back from when you were traveling and that you know I've got a product that people people enjoy people people want to engage with and that probably ties into the community aspect of what unit is about, you know, I know your slogan is we train as one and it's very community based. So, you know, that's probably been the core of what you've been doing for certainly the better part of a decade now.

Rob Smyth 15:11
Yeah, I think people see like, if you're, if you're a master at your trade, and you're passionate for what you do, that really goes a long way. And people see that people see through people who are fake and not really into it and into it for the money and I know you probably hear about this but money and, and, and earning as much money, it's kind of secondary. What comes first is the love for your trade and what you do. And for me, it's fitness and being part of it as I've always been, I love like going out and just people's and vote Dorfman's people's attitude change, like sitting behind a laptop for 12 or 15 hours a day. There's no joy in that there's literally no matter what anyone says to zero joy. And I think just getting amongst it and getting people involved in any form of training. It could be Paddle Tennis, it could be rugby, and it's just great fun. And I think bringing up to people and showing them how to do it is is part one part of of giving back, I suppose.

Rory McInerney 16:15
What you talk about being practical, and like, in your own experience that awkward when you were a kid and don't worry, we had chalkboards too. It wasn't a you talk them impractical. Like, and then you talk about they're sitting in front of a laptop is there's no enjoyment in that. What's that, like when you're a franchise owner, and now you don't get to be like, as we don't get to be as practical as we used to be. And we only have, you know, like, three three locations saying, you know, you're managing teams you're dealing with, we've got a lot of stakeholders to keep happy, I'd imagine and what's what's that like,

Rob Smyth 16:46
ya know, you've hit the nail on the head, I find I'm very honest individual if you know me, and I will tell you now, I enjoyed my job more five years ago than I do now. And that's not something I actually think is a good thing. However, I'm going down a road where there's there's more risk, there's more demand, puffy said more money, more problems, you know, like it's, it's, it's extremely demanding. And I'm, I am sitting in front of a laptop 12 hours a day. And that's going back to how I said, going for that role. And making sure I'm mentally focused is a critical part to my daily lifestyle. Because if I'm not focused or driven or in the right frame of mind, not only am I going to be affected, but also the network and the franchising network, I am trying to change that. But to be honest with you, we're at such a crucial time of the business, be it five, so we're still a startup, we're still small fish in a franchising industry of 15 locations, 15 locations, and franchising is tiny. So to get to that next level, we need to be very, very focused to get there. So yeah, 100% sitting down in front of a laptop is it's sucks man haters

Mike South 18:04
ask you a bit about how to hold the franchise works. So what happens when someone comes to you and say, I want to set up a franchise? Who's involved in the setup? What what's your role in the setup? And how does it work? How does that candidate whoever comes to prove themselves to you that they're the right fit for what UNIST has to offer? And that they're gonna fit into your ethos and your brand? Like, what does all that look like? Oh, that makes sense to you. But I'd love to know that.

Rob Smyth 18:30
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. So yeah, it's it's like a marriage like I'm, I talk to my franchisees more than they talk to my buddy wife, it's literally every day constant account support. And it's, it's really important that you're, you're picking the right people. Now we've turned down selling a franchise individuals that yes, it's important to be purely money driven, but someone who's not necessarily an operator, and they're just studying the business model. That's fine. But who is their operator, you guys are fully aware that we're a service driven business unit is obviously a product that we've refined our net its creases and but it needs to be delivered. I often go down the road of like, a Subway franchise, like a Subway franchise, you're the product is a sandwich. So when you go in and if it's delivered, or if the person behind the counter is rude, or the, the not very nice. If you don't say anything, it's not it doesn't really matter. As long as you get the product, which is a sandwich. So as long as the person makes it nicely, if they're rude, it doesn't matter if they're not nice, that's fine. But I get the sandwich was the product, where at unit the product is harlots delivered. So yes, we have a great concept. We've got science, backing our programming, we've got phase training. And then we've got performance week, we've got challenges, we've got kind of leaderboard competitions, etc. But it's how it's delivered or not that that is really, really important. So it all comes down to the people. So if I give someone a franchise that are not up to the quality where we want them, that's going to have not just an effect on unit, but it's going to have an effect on all the other franchisees. So it's really important that the operators are absolutely key. And so if someone comes to us, yeah, there's a serious amount of work that goes into it. And that we look into, well, what what can we do to make sure that the partnership works. And the other thing would be that we don't really market which is, is mind blowing, because we've naturally grown to where we are today, with very little spend and marketing. And and that comes down to firstly, as being in London, I think I think London is such a multicultural city that so many people traveled through London, and it's obviously flooded with all different types of boutique offerings unit and others. And our client base or a member base could be from 25 different nationalities, and people who try the product to taste it. They just love it. And that I thought that this is going to work back in my city, whether it's Munich, whether it's Sydney, whether it's Qatar, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and so on. So most of our franchisees have tried unit and inquired,

Mike South 21:42
like that, like there's a very thorough process, which is really good to hear. And I suppose on top of that, then like that person comes in as a franchisee, and they're bringing in their team underneath them and they're hiring their coaches, is there a certain criteria that you would have like for you to more or less sign off on the people that are going to be working and delivering, like us subways and whatever, but they're actually going to be in the on the floor, delivering that service, is the respect that they would need to follow to make sure that they've got like, the best cultures in there. And, uh, you, you can rest assured that your service or your product is being delivered to the highest quality while it's happening wherever it may be in the world.

Rob Smyth 22:17
Yeah, yeah, quality control for us is top of the list. Most franchises start in a cluster of, say, five in London. And when they grow outwards, well, we've done the opposite. We've clustered outwards, and are now generating more within London and so on. So people always ask me, like, how do you how do you check in on someone in Dubai and Sydney and Qatar and Munich? And potentially the US, like, how do you how do you how do you keep up on top of that, there's a few ways you can do it. And it also helps the franchisee as well, which is a secret shopper. So secret shopper would go in, and they would go in as a normal member and do a class and they come back out and they'll be like, well, I got a towel. The coaches are very nice to me this water was hot, there was shampoo and conditioner there. And they'll they'll get marked out of say 1000. And that will give us an understanding of how each location is offering. That's kind of spot check on a quality control when when we're bringing it back to operations on how coaches are kept up to speed. And they go through quite a vigorous mentorship week at London. So for instance, if if Dubai are opening up, which they are, they're opening up their third, there were just digits left today actually. So we're opening with third and Dubai and they come to London for seven day mentorship week. And it's pretty intense. And they go through all sales marketing, operations classes, that the ethos of union is what we're all about. And it's just seven days of pure, just so much information being thrown at them. That's that's one thing to make sure that the coaches are are good and they're they're updated on what unit is. And then secondly, we're rolling out a kind of a level one level two course so that coaches are just kept up to speed and these are specific unit courses that people will do them online and they'll be make sure that they're updated on our programming anything new happening and the exercises are new or when it comes to certain classes. I'm why we're following in the kind of the training approach that we do so that they deliver their sessions wherever it is, on a five star level.

Rory McInerney 24:48
And I something that's interesting that you mentioned relationships a couple of times, like back when you were describing them say one to one you also talked about it when you had the 40 fives in London, like it sounds like you know Everything in the fitness industry. For us anyway, the way we coach is based on building relationships and rapport with people. The relationship doesn't have to be, you know, we're best friends, but it's built on respect, and that the clients understand these guys have my best interests at heart, every coach and every face is going to help me to become the strongest version of myself. And that's, that's what our relationships are built on. It sounds like you've taken a lot of your learnings and the basic core learning from the fitness industry, which is you have to build relationships with your clients, and really apply back to the franchise model. How do you protect that with the learnings that you have going forward? Because, you know, it happened to you or you had a bad experience when you're a franchisee? Is that a huge part of how you want to treat your franchisees and how you grow your business? Is is the relationship everything? How do you how do you safeguard that as you continue to grow?

Rob Smyth 25:48
Yeah, no, it's it's a good valid point is and I've been burned so many times, if you if you're if you're running a business, like I'm still a kid in business, I'm 37. And I've been always kind of self employed. But I've been burned so many times. And I've lost money. I've made money. I've fired people, I've hired people, like you go through this whole journey. In business, it's, it's incredible. And I wouldn't change a thing because you learn from that. And just as long as you're not burned too many times that it really puts you in a financial concern, or an issue. But when it comes to, I think it all comes down to trust. At the end of the day, a contract black and white on paper means nothing. Yes, you need to honor it, yes, you need to make sure that you're, you're honoring the contract. But at the end of the day, it comes down to trust. And I believe that we have a system here in place that when we get an inquiry, they go through a step by step process. And I'm involved in all of that, and I'm involved with the last week of them potentially signing up. And I sit down and talk to them like this. Now just straight out, have a chat. And it's very much a good feeling, if I'm being honest. And I have totally flipped the franchising experience to how I was treated to how I treat my franchisees and it's all down to making sure that it's fair, and that people know exactly what they're getting in for. And at the end of the day, it's very much down to being communicative and talking. Like how I was treated was we don't want don't to go into it, but it was just like door closed. Do x y and Zed or, or else, which is just the wrong way of doing it basically.

Rory McInerney 27:56
And you kind of what's the advice you'd have I suppose if you're talking about you know being burnt and land kind of keep soldiering on to get to where you get to. How do you bounce back from from experiences like that?

Rob Smyth 28:07
Yeah, listen, I'm I'm not wanting to hold on to things. And you live in that go. One or two things are really meal over the past. But you're you have to just work on yourself and just get on with it. There's no need to be holding grudges or retaliating or Vendetta, just pull your socks on and get on with it. Because you need to focus on your own shit. If you start putting your energy on someone else. You're literally gonna get nowhere. So you're better off just trying to that's that's what I'm quite good at. I'm quite good at just muting out noise, and just focusing on my own problems. And but there has been one or two in the past that have just took me a while to get over. But that there's no there's no special ingredient for that. It's just to keep choking on I think

Rory McInerney 29:00
it's like I don't know, if you focus on yourself. I saw David Goggins had a pretty good video on his his Instagram the other day where he's basically saying exactly that. It's not if you've seen it, but he's talking about like, you know, people who hold on to ex girlfriends ex boyfriends, they know what car they drive, they know where they live. Now. They know if they have a new partner, they have a new job. You know, if you hold on to that Chase, you can never live your life and you can never make yourself a better person and figure out why that previous thing didn't work because you're focused on it didn't work and not why it didn't work and then make make those improvements to yourself. So video if you haven't seen it, it's pretty obviously he swears an awful lot in all of his videos.

Rob Smyth 29:38
Yeah, yeah, he's just gonna move on. People dwell on the past and did well on whatever has happened and they pity themselves and just move on. It's not worth it. It's just not worth

Mike South 29:51
it. I'm looking to the future have a couple of questions just from myself. Just water day. It any kind of plan in place now was maybe more franchisees? He's to expand into new countries or like I know you mentioned to us briefly earlier and a couple more locations in London. But what are the kind of general plans for units in the coming years?

Rory McInerney 30:10
Sounds like you're looking to pick up a franchise, Mike. Yeah. There's something I'm not aware of here.

Mike South 30:17
I'm just kidding. The first time that we're, we're kind of looking backwards and talking about the present, I'd love to know what's going on the future.

Rob Smyth 30:23
Yeah, no good question. Like, Listen, guys, you're in the same similar industry, as I am. And the last two years have not been pretty at all. And, and we're, we're very happy to say that we've grown during a global pandemic and a financial crisis. We, we sold eight franchises in two years, which we really give credit to the whole team out unit for that. It's, it's unbelievable. Like, I'm sure you guys have been through it as well, there's been some very difficult conversations we've had to have with certain individuals, and so on and so on. But people kind of stuck together. And they knew that the good times were yet to come after the last few years. But yeah, we've got we've got big plans to crack on with the franchising across the globe, and are one of the big scalps as the US is one of the well, it is the biggest franchising industry over there. So that's something that we're trying to break into. It should have been kind of done in 2021. But obviously, that was put on ice. And so hopefully, potentially, this year that we can get on US soil and kind of have one unit prototype or a location that we can kind of leverage off and push off from there. And I think it's really important to have, especially when you're cracking into a big market like that, to have your best team on grand. So whoever is going to be opening out is going to be yes, supported 110% to make sure that the experience is five star if not better.

Rory McInerney 32:05
And what's that? Like? You know, unfortunately, you can't have any of these conversations anymore without talking about the pandemic, I won't go into the challenges that that you've had, because, you know, everybody, you everybody's had their own challenges throughout that. So like, what what do you think the current state of the fitness industry is not just unit, but you know, like we're seeing, you're seeing, for example, and you know, large commercial operators in Ireland are closing 50% of their gyms, you're seeing small businesses go out of business, you're seeing more more pop ups dropping in parks, like it seems like the whole landscape is changing. You'd have a very good handle on this globally. In what way do you think the fitness industry is going generally?

Rob Smyth 32:44
Yeah, it's a, it's a good question. And I don't think anyone has the answer to it or knows what's going to happen. But what I do know is that fitness is not going to go anywhere. And I'm talking specifically bricks and mortar, I know online has picked up dramatically over the last two years. But there's, there's no, there's no, there's no comparison to going to a studio than to working in your sitting room. It's I've done it, we've we've promoted unit TV, I wouldn't even do unit TV, because I just didn't I don't see the sense for the logic in, like I said, sitting on a laptop for 10 hours and then moving two meters away and doing it's just, it's nonsense, it's it's silly, it doesn't make any sense. And people need to get out of their environment, interact with people and go to a space, whether that's a unit, whether that's an FFS, whether that's in the park, it doesn't matter as long as it's not in their house, it just needs to be outside I believe of their home where they where they work and have family. I think we haven't seen the worst of it yet when it comes to, unfortunately, studios closing. I know that's kind of doom and gloom. But again, I'm quite a realistic practical type of guy that specifically London, it's flooded with all sorts of different boutique offerings, specifically in rowing, specifically in Pilates. But I think people the good will stay and the bad will kind of fall aside and unfortunately close. And it's not nice to talk about this. But that's just the facts in life where if there's a big change in society, like what's happened in the last few years that it's affected a lot of businesses and that's where I think we're kind of going is being shaken up, but I do think there's a strong future in bricks and mortar studios and gyms.

Rory McInerney 34:52
Before I can add you over to Mikey for his his becoming famous quickfire round at the end of the show. I think that's something we would do two trips, you talked about traveling and different things. Certainly for me, like travel is a huge, it's a hugely valuable thing when you're looking at like setting up a business to come up with concepts. See, like you said it, see how things are going well, but also see how things are going poorly. So you really learn from that. So we will have done over over the last couple of years. Now, obviously, not recently, we would have gone to LA, we would have gone to conferences over there and you know, done three sessions a day in different gyms and spoke to owners spoke to receptionist spoke to people to make the smoothies spoke to just clients in the gym just to kind of pick their brain. And we found it an incredibly beneficial experience. And most recently, we went to London 2019 like November,

Mike South 35:37
October, just before the pandemic, yep. Yeah.

Rory McInerney 35:41
So you know, we went over and we went, I didn't go to one sessions in the unit there. But um, one of the guys did. And, you know, I think what stood out to us from that trip. So recently, pre pandemic is, the gyms that are the best that we saw, were the ones that there were simple concepts that, you know, stand the test of time. And there were people who were incredibly passionate about what they do, it was really obvious when we went into a space that this coach really cares about the people in the class and what they're delivering. And you know, you can have, if they were really well organized, it can be really well wrong. All those things that you have to have, like you're talking about the subway there, that's the bread, that's the lettuce, that's the source, there are the things that have to be there. But the taste is the passion that's delivered. And that comes from the people who own the business. And, you know, making sure that their own people are in there. And it comes back to the point you seven start where profit versus passion. I think that's what will certainly help businesses stand the test of time over the next couple of months.

Rob Smyth 36:38
Yeah, no, absolutely. It's being a master at your trade. I think you've heard it before that, don't try to do everything, especially when you're trying to open a business, just be a master at that one thing and do it really well. And if you're a master, and you've passion for it, you could do it.

Mike South 36:58
Rob and I just spoke just before we wrap up, we just kind of a new addition to the pause this year is just a couple of quickfire questions. And they're not too serious. We just want to give anyone everyone who listens to the pod just a bit of a bit more of an insight as to the personality of yourself and everyone else we have on the blog every month. So feel free to take your time over these are just firstly Minister has to shoot back at me. It's your call. So I suppose first one is obviously you mentioned the 15 locations. Was there any particular unit? You're probably going to say the first one that excited you the most that you knew it was common? It was going to open? What was the most exciting one? The one you like the longest butterflies in your stomach before the doors opened?

Rob Smyth 37:39
I think Yeah. Well, my one was the first the second one out of out of London, Munich like that was someone wanting to take your baby and invest money into your brand outside of, of the country where it was originated. That's pretty cool. And then actually going and going to their first session. Yeah. It's goosebumps. times. It was it was great.

Mike South 38:04
Doesn't feeling like your product. Someone else? Put it almost? Yeah, that's incredible. So the second question was only 40. So don't worry, we'll take it on. The second question is just again, getting insight into personality. If you were to have the choice of absolutely anyone which free people would you invite to dinner at your house? And fortunately,

Rob Smyth 38:23
we cheesy here and say my wife and anyone at all? Anyone at all is?

Unknown Speaker 38:30
Yeah, he's got open tech.

Rob Smyth 38:32
How many do you say for just free? Free? Yeah, I'd bring him Roy Keane would be one.

Rory McInerney 38:40
He just abused you for the whole night.

Rob Smyth 38:42
I think we'd abuse each other to be honest with you. Like, I like his attitude. I like his like, I don't know, cracking the whip and get on work. I quite like that attitude. So I have a lot of respect for his real rawness. I mean, I like him if I met him, but who knows, but he'd be one I'd like to kind of have a chat with Arnold Schwarzenegger would be definitely up there. And he's gone a bit crazy the last few years with his age, I think, but he will be one that I admired massively when I first started getting into fitness. So I think he would definitely be up there. Number two, and then the third would be I don't know, the third would be, I mean, you ever think

Rory McInerney 39:30
this is where you get a real answer when someone goes into the depths and the recesses of their mind to pluck a name. The last one, the one God knows,

Rob Smyth 39:39
I think could only bring two.

Mike South 39:43
I'd like to be the fourth person at that dinner table yourself, Walton agar and Robert Gates. Yeah, that'd be able to find anyway. So just two more questions about them. So third question slightly more serious, but who would you say has had the biggest influence on your career? And since kind of stuff are close, oh,

Rob Smyth 40:01
that's a good one, it would have to be, it would have to be advisors. And they would go down to my, my father in law and my father, who are two entrepreneurs, the two of them have to work to nail to where they got their work ethic, their resilience, determination to get to where they are today. I don't think anyone in today's world or industry would be able to handle especially back in the 70s and 80s, where it was just brutal and tough to even agree, we've got so many things at our fingertips to look up stuff like even a legal term or clause, you just click it into Google and off you go. And they have to go into the library and do all sorts of stuff. So every business and I'm sure you guys are the same every business, especially a startup, you don't you're going into a blind, you don't know what VAT is, you don't know what Corporation taxes, what's the limited business, it's it is nonsense old tea. And then when when when you have that person beside you, who has been through all that, and got out to the other side with a few scars by jus, and how have been burned. That is priceless to any young businessman. So I would have to say those two, because like I said, if you're unsure of something, you just pick up the phone and have a chat. So they would definitely be top of the list when it comes to that

Mike South 41:41
extra route. And then the last one that is I suppose this question may have come from one of those do people have what's probably the best advice that you've received Trove throat, since you've kind of started out what's

Rob Smyth 41:53
the best advice to get a good lawyer and a good accountant. Those are the kind of the like, I kind of didn't really take that personal at the start. I was a bit like now to accommodate. But those two have a very valuable influence on your business. And, yes, I've been through a bit of a dispute in the past. And it's not a very nice on because I've been a little bit I've become to be very hard in business, thick skinned, if you will, and probably quite naive at the start. And which has led to me not to trust anyone, which is I'm not saying that's a good thing. But you have to go into business, not trusting anyone. But making sure that you're not going to do something silly. And if you trust everyone, you hopefully you have good partnerships and good, good network when it comes to

Mike South 43:01
that really good stuff there again, rather than again, just to reiterate, the last factor is just to kind of get a bit of more of an insight into you as a person for everyone that's gonna listen to this episode. So back to Rory could wrap it up.

Rory McInerney 43:15
Yeah, I think like, it's just so funny, because I see so many parallels. And, you know, obviously, we're on very, you know, different paths at the minute, but like, you know, I see so many parallels and the advice you've been given and the kind of mentors that you've had in your career and myself and like, I saw us both up into the cloud, so you shouldn't like with the solicitor and accountant advice, it's the for that, you know, trying to scramble after a year's worth of business for our first proper set of tax returns was very interesting. But no problem. I think there's so much in this for people who are just insert training people who are, you know, fitness entrepreneurs who are trying to start out in the business and they can take so much from it. And I think your journey, like you said, it's been a crazy journey. And I think it's, you know, from following you and following your career so far, it sounds like such a really exciting point and it's hopefully going to kind of kick on to the next level. So just a big kudos as well for everything you've done throughout the pandemic and you know, harnessing that sense of community and only what your members and adopt and offer and things but growing your community of franchisees as well you seem to have done an amazing job at that's just a huge well done and we couldn't wish you more success in the future. Yeah, no

Rob Smyth 44:17
guys really appreciate it. And yeah, return the the offer that you guys are doing a great job and hopefully we can meet up again in person next time and do a session. We'll see in two weeks for the session of all sessions. Good stuff, guys. Thanks for your time, Rob. Great chance. Excellent.