Gold's Gym International Wraps Up Second Annual Master Franchisee Summit In The Dominican Republic

By: Gold's Gym | 0 Shares 190 Reads

SANTO DOMINGO, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC (Thursday, November 09, 2006) - Gold's Gym recently wrapped up one of the most extraordinary events in its 41-year history. From October 31 to November 5, the company brought together twelve of its top master franchisees to the Dominican Republic for an energy-filled summit that helped chart the future of the Gold's Gym brand overseas.

Hosted by Dominican Republic master franchisees Ian Rondon and Martin Gabirondo, the group spent six days sharing best practices, discussing the evolution of the Gold's Gym brand in their respective countries and preparing for the next phase of explosive international growth.

"Our success overseas has been a direct result of finding strong master franchisees who can take our brand and adapt it to their local market," said Gene LaMott, president and CEO of Gold's Gym International. "Over the next five years, we expect the number of our international gyms to quadruple and ultimately account for 40 percent of our total locations. The master franchisee summit is a critical forum to help us prepare and plan for that growth."

Gold's Gym currently has 125 international locations open in 26 countries. This includes 24 clubs in Japan, 16 in India, 15 in Mexico, 11 in Canada, 11 in Peru and 5 in the Dominican Republic. The company plans to have 500 international gyms open by the year 2010.

"It was an honor to host this event and share experiences with our fellow gym owners from around the world," said Ian Rondon, president of Gold's Gym Dominican Republic. "Even though we come from different countries, we all have a passion for the brand and a strong belief that Gold's Gym is the most powerful name in all of fitness. We were proud to be able to share our successes here in the Dominican Republic and show people first hand the energy our gyms have for the Gold's Gym brand."

During the summit, the group visited three of the Dominican Republic's state-of-the-art Gold's Gyms and learned about some of their ground breaking programs. At each stop, the energy and the passion for the Gold's Gym brand were on full display.
Attendees were greeted at the Santiago Club by traditional Dominican dancers, musicians and cheers from the entire staff. After the high-energy party , the summit moved to Santo Domingo for a national press conference at the Evaristo Morales Club and Dominican-style party at the Gold's Gym in Coral Mall. Moving on to the resort town of Punta Cana, attendees spent two days at one of the country's most exclusive beach resorts learning about the best practices and day-to-day experiences of the fellow master franchisees.

Topics included marketing, real estate, sub-franchising, personal training, sales, securing investment capital, retention, partnerships and billing. In addition, a special presentation was given by the Dominican Republic, which covered their award-winning body transformation program and customer service platforms.

"Every country has its own unique culture, customs and heritage and it is our master franchisees who help make the Gold's Gym brand relevant," said LaMott. "With that said, there are certain aspects of the Gold's Gym brand that remain consistent around the world: Our expertise and our ability to deliver life-changing results."

The 2007 Gold's Gym Master Franchisee Summit is scheduled to be held in Egypt.

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About Gold's Gym
Established in Venice, Calif. in 1965, Gold's Gym is the largest co-ed gym chain in the world with over 600 locations in 42 states and 27 countries. Gold's Gym offers the latest equipment and services, including group exercise, personal training, cardiovascular equipment, spinning, Pilates and yoga, while maintaining its core weight lifting tradition. With nearly 3 million members worldwide, Gold's Gym continues to change lives by helping people achieve their individual potential.