Sam Langer was having a quarter life crisis. He’d graduated from the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University and was working as a sports planner at ESPN. But he wasn’t happy. That’s when his parents found themselves in a fortuitous buffet line.
On a trip to a resort in Mexico Sam’s dad, Alan, struck up a mealtime conversation with Josh York, founder of GymGuyz, a mobile personal training franchise. After six years of going house to house in the New York City area with vans full of fitness equipment, York was beginning to franchise his business. Alan thought his sports-obsessed son would be a perfect fit, and he was right! Sam loved the concept.
The younger Langer moved home to New York’s Westchester County, and in March 2014 launched a GymGuyz franchise with his father, brother (Teddy) and friend (James Bonavita), assuming the role of managing partner. He paid off his franchise fee in two months; by his fifth month, he had paid off all startup costs and was operating in the black, employing four other trainers.
GymGuyz personal trainers adapt their workouts to each individual client, whether the goal is weight loss, improved athletic performance or simply better overall health.
“We work out in living rooms or kitchens, and some people have home gyms. We use portable equipment like kettlebells, stability balls, medicine balls and resistance bands. Sometimes we wheel in free weights. We have anything you can imagine to get a great workout. That’s our motto: creative, customised and convenient.” – Sam Langer.
The mobile gym also reduces the anxiety many people feel about walking into a fitness facility. Most people just aren’t sure what they’re doing in the gym. They like having a trained professional tell them the correct way to do things. GymGuyz look at form to make sure everyone is doing the exercise right and that they don’t get hurt. Also, no one pushes themselves as hard as someone else does.
Langer has taken his mobile gym to youth centres to provide workouts for kids as young as 3 years old as well as teens training for school sports. He also worked with a 94 year old.
The majority client is, however, in their late 30s to 50s with kids at home who can’t or don’t have time to run out to the gym. GymGuyz brings the gym to them. Great MDP!
Now get out there and help someone!
Mike Johnston
Co Founder & Architect of Evolve
