Global Franchise 9.3

Duncan Cork, President of BFT and former F45 strategist, shares the philosophies and strategies he uses when evaluating a brandwith rigorous growth aspirations – and what lessons franchisors can take from his experience Building a household name in franchising uilding a household name in franchising starts with getting the details right. Frommy early years in advertising and design, I developed a (sometimes annoying) habit of focusing on brand story and how it translates into design and product experience. Brand detail and consistency often gets left out these days, but it’s a focus that has carried through my career, whether it was helping grow F45 to over 700 studios across North America or now leading the global expansion of BFT with Xponential Fitness. One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is not to be afraid to make mistakes. Little failures – if acknowledged quickly and dealt with swiftly – are as much a part of the journey to success as the big wins. I draw inspiration from adages like, “Always hire people smarter than you,” “Take time to hire the right fit while protecting your team from the wrong ones,” and “Small teams of A+ players can run circles around big teams of B and C players.” Another philosophy I recently read, by James Clear, resonates deeply: “You don’t rise to the level of your goals; you fall to the level of your systems.” That speaks volumes, especially in franchising, where systems form the backbone of your success. Branding basics are non-negotiable. In today’s fast- paced world, where we’re endlessly doom-scrolling through content, it’s vital to embed the fundamentals of a brand story into all customer touchpoints. This includes messaging, content, colors, tone of voice, music, and consistency across all media channels. Too often, newer brands overlook these fundamentals in favor of feeding the content machine. But details like ensuring your colors match on-screen and in print, or keeping the tone consistent across platforms, are crucial for recognition. Consistency in branding is a non-negotiable, and many franchisors don’t get it right early on. I’m also a big believer in building an incredible culture inside your four walls. Hire the right team, teach them the ethos of the brand, and show them how to empathize with the customer’s journey. Building relationships, empathizing, connecting on a human level, and delivering a great product – that’s what creates word-of-mouth, and word-of-mouth will always be your best marketing. Most ideas come from observing and improving something that wasn’t quite working or meeting expectations. Once you discover how to connect your idea with a true customer need, you have something marketable. But in an increasingly segmented market, brands must work harder to find a unique selling proposition without alienating a large audience. You can’t be everything to everyone, but you also can’t be so specific that you limit your customer base. It’s about finding the right balance – being unique enough to stand out while still appealing to a broad audience. At Xponential Fitness, we’re fortunate to have scale and cross-brand learnings. These allow us to highlight points of differentiation while ensuring we remain relatable to customers. Expanding a franchise requires a willingness to experiment, backed by the budgets to support it. I’ve always worked with strong entrepreneurs who aren’t afraid to try new things to scale businesses. At the same time, patience and humility are vital. Teams need a high tolerance for moving quickly and finding a comfort level with being uncomfortable. In franchising, creating repeatable systems is key. High-performing BFT studios have operators who follow the playbook while adding local insights – not replacing or removing fundamental practices. They also hold themselves and their teams accountable for their results. In turn, our own accountability plays a huge role in improving the systems and playbooks we create. When our systems are followed consistently by franchisees, we collect data that tells us what’s working and what isn’t. If something isn’t delivering results across 30% of the network, we can refine it. It’s a measure of accountability that often gets overlooked, but it aligns franchisee and franchisor goals. Ultimately, franchising is about relationships. It’s about connecting on a human level and delivering a product or experience that resonates with customers. Whether it’s consistency in branding, fostering culture, or following systems, the details matter. The best franchisors focus on creating meaningful relationships, empathizing with customers, and empowering their teams. That’s how you build word-of-mouth and, in turn, a household name. B Duncan Cork is no stranger to brand building. The former creative consultant is behind F45’s growth across North America, which saw the brand grow from a single studio to more than 700 in the region. Now, as President of BFT (Body Fit Training) at Xponential Fitness, he’s taking on a new challenge: global expansion, including ambitious growth plans in the U.K. 65 GLOBAL-FRANCHISE.COM Opinion