March 31, 2026 // Franchising.com // ATLANTA, GA. – Workout Anytime is advancing a more capital-efficient growth strategy.
The initiative enables franchise partners to acquire established gyms and transition them onto the Workout Anytime platform. The approach reduces time-to-open, lowers upfront investment, and allows for more immediate revenue generation.
This strategy is now being executed in Pearl, Mississippi, where multi-unit operator Steven Elliott has acquired an independent fitness facility and is converting it into a Workout Anytime location. The project represents the company’s first independent gym conversion and establishes a model for future expansion across the system.
“This strategy allows us to grow in a more efficient and targeted way,” said Jerry Pugh, CEO of Workout Anytime. “By building on existing locations, we can move faster, reduce development costs, and create stronger outcomes for our franchisees.”
Notably, the transaction is backed by an experienced investment partner with a track record of scaling multi-location service-based businesses. Elliott’s partner previously participated in the aggregation of more than 200 dental practices into a multi-unit platform, bringing additional operational and investment expertise to the fitness sector.
Together, the partners are committing multi-million-dollar capital to build a concentrated regional presence across the Southeast, with plans to acquire or develop up to eight additional locations across Mississippi.
While providing an alternative solution to existing franchisees and potential prospects looking to stake their claim in the $131.1 billion global health and fitness club market, the conversion strategy also supports a broader “hub-and-spoke” approach that support unit growth. With the support of an established franchise system, gyms will have greater efficiency in staffing, marketing, and overall operations, while being able to strengthen their presence within local markets.
Elliott, a proven operator within the system since 2011, currently owns and operates eight locations across Alabama and Tennessee and has developed more than a dozen clubs within the brand.
The Pearl facility, which spans approximately 22,000 square feet, will undergo a full repositioning, including interior upgrades, expanded strength equipment, and the addition of recovery-focused amenities to align with Workout Anytime’s current brand standards.
SOURCE Workout Anytime
Atlanta-based Workout Anytime is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week fitness concept.